Jon Stewart Intensely Rants Against Biden Campaign and Proposes Alternative Approach

On Monday’s episode of The Daily Show, Jon Stewart criticized Joe Biden and the White House's handling of persistent worries about the incumbent's mental fitness and candidacy. The comedian’s team compiled footage from major networks featuring pundits and experts, urging those who voiced their concerns publicly, to stop. Subsequently, he claimed that Biden’s concern “may be seen as a more foundational issue,” and gave examples of the president’s many troubling moments. Stewart began with a clip from last year when Biden asked, "Jackie, you here? Where's Jackie?"

The comedian opined, "Unfortunately, Jackie was dead. It's something the president seems to have known six weeks earlier when he released a condolence statement about her death." He next followed up with a clip where Biden appeared to forget another significant death. According to Raw Story, Biden addressed a Las Vegas crowd in February, claiming he recently met with French president, François Mitterrand, who passed away in 1995. Moving on to the June 27 debate, Stewart said it was a "shocking display of cognitive difficulty — recognizable to, unfortunately, anybody who's dealt with aging parents. And it's a hard watch."

He added, "Biden's performance and inability to articulate at times was stunning. Like, I could not believe what I was watching...For a campaign based on honesty and decency, the spin about the debate appears to be blatant bullshit, and the redemption tour hasn’t gone that much better." As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, he continued, “Authoritarianism and Donald Trump aren’t the only threats our democracy faces. An arthritic status quo, unable or unwilling to respond in any way to the concerns of voters who just received new and urgent information about their candidate, also erodes confidence and faith in the system of government."

He concluded, "Honestly, ‘get on board or shut the fuck up’ is not a particularly compelling pro-democracy bumper sticker.” Nevertheless, he emphasized that he wasn't suggesting Biden should step down. He clarified, “I am in no way saying Biden’s got to drop out. But can we stress test this candidacy? Can we open up the conversation? Do you understand the opportunity here? Do you have any idea how thirsty Americans are for any hint of inspiration or leadership and a release from this choice of a megalomaniac and a suffocating gerontocracy?"

Earlier on Monday, Biden pushed back against the growing number of Democrats urging him to exit the presidential race. He wrote, “I want you to know that despite all the speculation in the press and elsewhere, I am firmly committed to staying in this race, to running this race to the end, and to beating Donald Trump." While some Democrats have voiced doubts and concerns about Biden's ability to mount a successful campaign against former President Trump, others remain confident in his capabilities.