Jon Stewart’s return to “The Daily Show” on Monday night caused a stir among liberal journalists and commentators. While many progressives were excited about his comeback, some were disappointed by the jokes he made about President Biden’s age and what they perceived as a comparison to former President Trump. Stewart, who hosted the show from 1999 to 2015, had announced that he would be hosting the program every Monday night until the 2024 election.
The backlash from liberal commentators was swift. Former MSNBC host Keith Olbermann took to Twitter to express his frustration, writing, “Well after nine years away, there’s nothing else to say to the bothsidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make it another nine years.” He later referred to Stewart as a “bulls–t bothsidesist.” Left-wing journalist Aaron Rupar criticized the political content of Stewart’s monologue, stating that it resembled the New York Times op-ed page in TV form. He argued that both sides are not equally bad.
Christopher Webb, a self-proclaimed lifelong Democrat, called Stewart’s jokes about Biden and Trump’s ages the “laziest of humor.” The left-wing Daily Beast also criticized Stewart’s return, claiming that he was using his platform to tell Americans that their choices for president were equally terrible. Even former Republican Congressman Joe Walsh, a critic of Trump, found Stewart’s commentary unhelpful and too easy.
Stewart, however, made it clear during the show that he did not believe Biden and Trump were the same. He listed several reasons why Biden was different from Trump, including the fact that he hadn’t been indicted as many times and hadn’t been involved in fraudulent businesses or civil trials for sexual assault. Stewart argued that the stakes of the election made Biden more subject to scrutiny, not less.
Stewart’s return to “The Daily Show” comes at a time when the 2024 White House race is shaping up to be a likely rematch between Biden and Trump. Media progressives are already counting on Stewart to be a voice against Trump as the election heats up. During the George W. Bush years, Stewart turned the show into a cultural institution, and many of the show’s correspondents, such as Stephen Colbert, John Oliver, and Steve Carell, have gone on to become stars in their own right.
Stewart’s endorsement of the coronavirus lab-leak theory during a 2021 appearance on “The Late Show” with Stephen Colbert was one of his most memorable media moments in recent years. His surprising return to “The Daily Show” has generated both excitement and criticism, and it remains to be seen how his presence will shape the political discourse leading up to the 2024 election.
Jeffrey Clark, an associate editor for Fox News Digital, contributed to this report. He has previously worked as a speechwriter for a cabinet secretary and as a Fulbright teacher in South Korea. Clark graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in English and History. For story tips, he can be reached at [email protected].
In conclusion, Jon Stewart’s return to “The Daily Show” has sparked a liberal backlash due to his jokes about President Biden’s age and perceived equivocation with former President Trump. While some progressives were thrilled about his comeback, others criticized him for not being more supportive of Biden. Stewart, however, made it clear that he believed Biden and Trump were not the same, listing several differences between them. As the 2024 White House race looms, media progressives are looking to Stewart to be a voice against Trump. His return to the show has generated both excitement and criticism, and it remains to be seen how his presence will shape the political discourse leading up to the election.