“Daily Show” host Jon Stewart criticized President Joe Biden’s campaign for spreading “blatant bullshit” about his health following his debate with former President Donald Trump.
Biden has resisted calls for him to resign following a poor performance during his June 27 CNN debate with Trump, in which he froze at least twice, lost his train of thought and made multiple gaffes. During his nine-minute rant, Stewart blasted Democrats for offering a variety of excuses for Biden’s poor performance, including that he had a cold or was suffering from “jet lag” because the president had traveled overseas in the weeks before the debate. (Related story: ‘This is it’: Ex-Clinton pollster says Democrats would be ‘suicidal’ to try to replace Biden)
“Biden’s performance and occasional lack of words was shocking,” Stewart said at the start of his rant. “I couldn’t believe what I was seeing… But then it got even worse. Rather than respecting the American people and at least having an honest conversation about what we all saw, we were quickly told, ‘This is not the droid you’re looking for.'”
“For a campaign based on honesty and decency, the debate pitch has been patently bogus,” Stewart said, after a video montage of prominent Democrats making excuses for their debate performances. “And the redemption journey hasn’t gone very well either.”
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Since the debate, Biden has faced calls to drop out of the presidential race, with several House Democrats reportedly publicly calling it quits. AxiosStewart pointed to recent elections in the UK and France to argue there is plenty of time to replace Biden if necessary, and urged Democrats to audition a replacement candidate during their party convention in August. (Related: CNN data expert says he’d ‘bet’ on Kamala Harris if he were a Democratic donor)
“Do you know how much Americans crave relief from this delusion of grandiosity and stifling gerontocratic choice, and some hint of inspiration, some hint of leadership? Our spirits are crushed! Do you know what lies ahead? All we want is someone to maintain 100% approval rating. Not age, but percentage! That’s all we want!” Stewart later said.
“On Monday, anyone who wants to pitch how to make our democracy more responsive to the people it is meant to serve can do so,” Stewart said, proposing a virtual schedule for the Democratic National Convention scheduled for August in Chicago. “On Tuesday, the winner advances to the next round to face Biden, who he won by default. On Wednesday, we take the bus off to find The Bear restaurant. On Thursday, the party is vibrant, united and sanctimonious. We could televise this sequence for four days! We could call it The Apprentice. I’m just doing a workshop!”
Biden’s age and mental health were issues that dogged his presidential campaign before the June debate. Biden has said on multiple occasions that he has spoken to people who have died, including claiming in February that he spoke with former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl about the January 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol. Kohl died in 2017, and three days earlier, Biden had claimed to have spoken with former French President François Mitterrand, who died in 1996. (Related: ‘They don’t believe it’: MSNBC guest says House Democrats feel party faces ‘existential threat’)
“So ignore the obvious weaknesses in your fight for the existence of your team for freedom and democracy and stay committed to this issue through November,” Stewart said.
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