Jon Stewart
Appearances
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Jon Stewart is back at The Daily Show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into Jon's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports, and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Jon Stewart is back at The Daily Show and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition Podcast. Dive into Jon's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports, and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Catch Jon Stewart back in action on The Daily Show and in your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Jon Stewart is back at The Daily Show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into Jon's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports, and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in-depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Catch Jon Stewart back in action on The Daily Show and in your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in-depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Catch Jon Stewart back in action on The Daily Show and in your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 164
Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in-depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Catch Jon Stewart back in action on The Daily Show and in your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in-depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
John Stewart is back in the host chair at The Daily Show, which means he's also back in our ears on The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend John Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews, and more. Now this is a second term we can all get behind.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Listen to The Daily Show Ears Edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Jon Stewart is back at The Daily Show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into Jon's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports, and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Catch Jon Stewart back in action on The Daily Show and in your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. From his hilarious satirical takes on today's politics and entertainment to the unique voices of correspondents and contributors, it's your perfect companion to stay on top of what's happening now.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Plus, you'll get special content just for podcast listeners, like in-depth interviews and a roundup of the week's top headlines. Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
John Stewart is back in the host chair at The Daily Show, which means he's also back in our ears on The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Join late night legend John Stewart and the best news team for today's biggest headlines, exclusive extended interviews, and more. Now this is a second term we can all get behind.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Listen to The Daily Show Ears Edition on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
Jon Stewart is back at The Daily Show, and he's bringing his signature wit and insight straight to your ears with The Daily Show Ears Edition podcast. Dive into Jon's unique take on the biggest topics in politics, entertainment, sports, and more. Joined by the sharp voices of the show's correspondents and contributors.
Behind the Bastards
It Could Happen Here Weekly 167
And with extended interviews and exclusive weekly headline roundups, this podcast gives you content you won't find anywhere else. Ready to laugh and stay informed? Listen on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Pivot
Trump's Big Speech, Trade War Roller Coaster, and Elon v. Jon Stewart
The guy who custom made his own dark MAGA hat... that he wears to opine in the Oval Office with the president who he spent $270 million to elect thinks I'm just too partisan. So I guess what I would say is this. Look, Elon, I do have some criticisms about Doge. I support in general the idea of efficiency and delivering better services to the American public in cheaper and more efficient ways.
Pivot
Trump's Big Speech, Trade War Roller Coaster, and Elon v. Jon Stewart
And if you want to come on and talk about it on the show. Great. If you don't want to. Sure. But can we just drop the pretense that you won't do it because I don't measure up to the standards of neutral discourse that you demand and display at all times?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
It's nice to see you again. The book is called American Grown. Look at this. You, as first lady, everybody has an issue. And you decided, I'm going to take on this idea of getting children to eat well. Wouldn't you have been more successful with, let's say, colonization of Mars? As a parent of two children, unless this garden sprouts cheeseburgers, What gave you the idea to do this?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Can I just very quickly? Kids, if you're at home right now... Daddy says you can beat that. Daddy knows... You're not average, kids. I want to see 10 hours from you today. My kids can do it. They can make it. No! They can... Oh, did I get that wrong? No, no. Oh, I have it backwards. Go the other way around.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Yeah. Well, we used to... You know, in the old days, they opened the back door, you went out, and you ran. But it is a different world.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
You know, it is... Absolutely. You know, you're trying to feed four people. You've got a dollar man who's got a lot of good food on him.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
It's very difficult. Is this, for you, more of a symbolic idea that they start to understand?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
The phrase, vegetable feast.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
And we've had kids... Is there a cheese faucet for this vegetable feast?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Or the ones in the bag that you boiled, but they were filled with that crazy yellow sauce. That they said is like a butterish substance.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Engage your children.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Do not leave them outside. You, as First Lady, you have an approval rating of, like, 85%, 90%. Like, it's through the roof. You're...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
But it is. Your approval rating is like your ice cream. Your husband's approval rating, it's like astronaut ice cream. It's vegetables. My point is, forget about politics. Forget about any of that. In just marital relationship, in just arguing, how do you not use that? And wield it. If I had an 80% approval rating and my wife was at 50%, I'd be like, really? We're going to a French restaurant?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Have you seen him change in his decision-making as it goes along? As it's gotten, you know, as the gravity of it has resisted, did it start out more dartboard-ish and then move? You know, what's... Right, exactly. Exactly.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Are you telling... Because I... What? I didn't know that. I was not... I have not been following this. Let me ask you this, though. Are there people in the White House that you go, like, I could do that guy's job, though?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
What about, like, a... I'm just gonna throw it in. Biden, kind of, Joe. Anybody... You ever think, like, well, okay.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Ah, I love Joe, too. Is it hard, though, to raise a kid around Biden? Because I would assume... That there's a lot of, like, Joe language. Or, like, he's like the uncle that comes over and like, oh, you brought them guns. Like, you know, that kind of thing. Like, is he, is that tough? No. No, he's... All right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
When did the Taliban come to Swat Valley? Because before then, you describe it as a paradise of sorts.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Has he always been the same? You know, we're reading all these stories now about your husband as in high school and in college. And, you know, when you met him... What was he doing? What was... Because this... You're a little like, what is that, the script of a Cheech and Chong movie? What the hell is going on?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
But then when you met him, did you put the kibosh, or had he already, like, sewn those and was done?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
You know, this president, George W. Bush, sort of went through his times where he was a little bit out there. I really related to that. It's the turnaround. That's the part where I was like, oh.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Don't worry, it's organic. You did very well. You did very well. I see what this man sees in you. You're very good. American Grown is on the bookshelves now. You're just saying. Eat a little healthier, get out there. It's not a dictate. And plant a garden. And plant a garden. You know, it's a good way to start. That would be very nice. First Lady Michelle Obama. Thank you so much for coming on.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
tonight. She is the president of Planned Parenthood and president of Planned Parenthood Action Fund. Please welcome to the program Cecile Richards. How are you? Fantastic. You know, I've been watching the news recently. Yeah. There is a tremendous discussion going on in this country right now on women's health issues, contraception, mainly amongst, I guess you'd call them, penis Americans.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
So we thought, why not bring in someone without a penis? to discuss how it affects the people that it actually are being talked about.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
You're welcome. No, has that been odd to watch?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
You mean religious liberty.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Are you... Does this put, you know... What is this? Do you fear that you are going back into a place where we have to have the contraception conversation all over again, that that was a battle that was fought?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
No, the 60s and 70s it was an issue. I mean, wasn't that when Griswold was decided?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
And now I guess what they're saying is the interesting thing to me is how it's been changed to be an issue about women wanting someone to pay for them to have sex or money coming out of other people's pockets so that women can have sex. It strikes me as a very interesting direction to take the conversation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
The caricature of Planned Parenthood and the one that I think is this idea of an abortion factory where it's the idea is that's how you make your money. and you're going to set up a drive-through, and there's no thoughtfulness, there's no morality to it. It is, you know, that is the type of evil place that it is. What's the reality of the place? What's the mandate?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
What would be something that you think maybe your critics would be very surprised to know about?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
On different people, I mean that. Obviously, that wouldn't be right to do to one person.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
What do you think, if Planned Parenthood was one of those things that was put to a vote in America, I get the sense that it would be a pretty popular place. In local communities, it seems like people understand it better than they do on the national stage.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
You describe in the book still no matter what they they took the signs off of schools they uh they went underground but they continued in the face of you spoke out publicly against the taliban what gave you the courage to continue this you know
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Who would you be running against again?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
When did you realize the Taliban had made you a target?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Welcome back. My guest tonight, she's an advocate for girls' access to education worldwide, is the youngest person ever to be nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize. Her new book is called I Am Malala, The Girl Who Stood Up for Education and Was Shot by the Taliban. Please welcome to the program Malala Yousafzai. Nice to see you. Thank you for being here.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
You know, I know your father is backstage, and he's very proud of you, but would he be mad if I adopted you? Because you sure are swell. We are back. We're talking to Malala. The book I Am Malala is on shelves right now. Your love of school reminds me so much of my children. OK, maybe not. The people of Swat Valley, when the Talib first came, they thought they're bringing order.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
They're bringing services. They established a court that was faster than Pakistani courts. And the people responded. When did that begin to turn?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
What? Wait, whoa, wait. What? What? What? Wait. You know... Malala... This was going so well. You were doing so beautifully. And then suddenly, bam! It's, this is the part that they, they began to say you cannot dance. Yeah. You cannot, the women cannot do these things. You say that many people believe this is a wrong interpretation of Islam, of the Quran.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Do you, why have the Taliban and these more extreme groups been able to be successful? Is it the fear that they bring? to these towns? Do they, is that why the people have had a hard time throwing it off?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
Malala, I'm from New Jersey. So I know a little something about paradise. The beaches. It does. It sounds magnificent. And it is heartbreaking because you see what these children want and what these people want is to just live in peace without having this imposed on them. And I think we don't know what to do to help. There are passages in the book about the United States. And we come out great.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
But there is, you know, there are attacks in SWAT and in those areas with drones. And they talk about a man, a CIA agent, who shot two men in Lahore, Raymond Davis. And this is... I think we have a common want and desire, but perhaps are not accomplishing it in the manner that shows the people how we feel. But in some ways, we don't know what else to do. What is your thought on that?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
It is an honor for us. I know me. This is... By the way, we talked a little bit before the show. Nothing feels better than making you laugh. I will say that. I enjoyed that very much. I am Malala. It's honestly humbling to meet you. You're 16. Where did your love for education come from?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Interviews Trailblazing Women
I am humbled to speak with you. I will say this. I don't know where you come from, but I am very glad you're here. Thank you for being here today. Please get the book, donate to the Malala Fund by visiting www.malalafund.org. Malala Yousafzai.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
You know where that would go viral? Social media. The one place the right will unequivocally protect free speech is the one place where the speech isn't actually free. Algorithms. It's speech incentivized for engagement and profit. It's manipulated. It just so happens that the same process that forces you to doom scroll somehow also draws you into Republican ideology.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Social media is a machine designed to stimulate the reptilian parts of your brain that would otherwise beg you to go out. It's like being impressed that casinos give out free food. It's not free. Social media isn't the town square open forum of ideas. It's got a plan.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I'll tell you what, we got a great one. Paul Rudd is going to join us. Paul Rudd finally had the balls to come on this show after weeks of calling me a propagandist. Know this, our interview will be unedited. Rudd's going down. It's happening. I'm going to give that dude an infection of the perineum. I should explain.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Now, Carol Smith is a completely fictional character, and yet her children have stopped talking to her. Although she was apparently added to a Pentagon group chat and knows the details about when they're bombing... Guys, social media isn't the same as free speech. Social media is free speech in the way that Doritos are food. It's ultra processed. It's designed in laboratories.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
It's the same mechanism that somehow convinced you that you should eat a 50 story skyscraper of potato ish. And the most disappointing thing, where are my conspiracy theorists at now that it's on the right? For God's sakes, billionaires are designing machines to manipulate our speech to control our behavior and rewire our brains.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
They're removing our regular speech and doing a, I don't know, great replacement of it to solidify their hold on power. Are you awake yet? Come on. You were with me on the lab leak thing. Remember what happened? Come on. You've barely even touched your Epstein binders. Doesn't this bother you at all?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Please stop with this foghorn, leghorn bullshit. He's got arms just the size of beach balls. But let me guess. How do you feel about other billionaires owning and manipulating our media?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Pass us all the motherf***ing sick buckets. When we come back, Paul Rudd will be joining us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
We come out early, I do a little warm-up with the audience, and for some unknown reason, and it really was not prompted, I was trying to discuss the relationship between asthma medication and a side effect of an infection of the perineum. Unfortunately, I have no one in the audience who was able to satisfy my curiosity on that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Welcome back to The Daily Show. My guest tonight, an actor. He stars in the new movie, Death of a Unicorn. Please welcome Paul Rudd!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
You know... Here's how beautifully you craft these bits. It took me a while to understand that that was an inflamed perineum. At first, if I may, the physical crafting you do and obviously the stage fighting classes you've taken and all the things, the control you have over your body, at first I thought, sciatica? It's clearly in the nether region. Yeah. It was the bowing of the legs.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
In many ways, isn't it? A delicate... Yeah. The bouquet. Yes. The aroma. Yes, yes. Did you know, in your life, first of all, the way you walk, it's the difference between just an actor and a craftsman.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
By the time you were done, my perineum hurt. That's how powerful it was.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
There is no way. Is that the one part of your body that is corroding? I think. Is that your Achilles perineum?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Those of you at home who may be looking it up right now, wait till the commercial break. But first, a quick update on an administration that is once again carrying out its plans with competence and professionalism.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I do hope you'll get that checked out.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Is there a painting in your attic about that you want to tell us about? The other thing that drives me crazy, they always say, and don't take it. Like, they've given you five reasons not to take this. I mean, you've got to be thinking to yourself, the accident was not that bad that I would risk my entire perineum. Would you rather have a little flaking on your arm?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
One kid at the beach, and he's like, on my elbow. And they're literally like, your balls will fall off, bud. So they go through that, and they think, like, oh, these five things will not have dissuaded you. The final one is always my favorite. And don't take it if you are allergic to it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
How would you know unless... Paul, I'm going to be honest with you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I didn't even know you still did movies. I just thought we just, I thought you were a WebMD doctor and I just brought you out here to talk strictly.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Strictly. Medicines. Medicines. Do you have I am I am at the point now where I like I'll read an article on biohacking and like and they'll be like, it's an injection of NAD and ultraviolet rays and you can't go outside for three months. And I'd be like, I would do that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Oh shit, you just got real. Oh.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I want to see how far this is going to go.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
It is a very interesting, you know, uh... Remember Anacin?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Looks like somebody lived in a nice neighborhood. I had St. Joseph's children's aspirin and I was 17 and had chlamydia.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Gorgeous. As Rihanna would say, shine like a diamond. You could eat off of that thing. And boy, did I try. We all tried. Can I tell you something? I've missed you. I've missed you, too. What? I haven't. I think the last time I... I see you every now and again at an event. Once I moved out of the city, once you move out of the city, for those urban sophisticates, you are a dead man.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I live out in New Jersey, and I would say to Paul Rudd... Hold on one second. Hard disagree.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
But I see you you are living now the dream that I sometimes think of like your Kansas City Chiefs to keep winning Super Bowls you're out there with your son on the field like celebrating that thing it's such a magical to our kids around the same age, so we're all there they're going through that they it's it's a big transition like do you feel the empty nest of it all like that's that's slowly starting to to dawn on.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
And I do feel... It's the whole... The thing for me, when I see someone whose kid is at that age where you can still do, like, the football hold. Right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Yeah, yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Yeah. It's a wild feeling when it washes over you, but it's also nice to, I guess, have them at that other, like, the conversations you can have with them. There's so much.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Yeah Fantastic great. Did you the one thing I didn't do and I probably should have done is make friends So They have to be there I own them mm-hmm but when they leave It's just me eating a Jersey Mike's by myself watching a game.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Look up for one second. I do this every time we're together. God, my life is f***ing horrible. Before I let you go, I want to show the audience something. I want everybody at home to look at this. Paul is older than I am. And if I go home right now, my guess is somebody has ruined my taint painting. You're tainting.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
He's got the movies, Death of a Unicorn. It's going to be in theaters everywhere. Friendship with Tim Robinson, who may be the funniest man. I laugh. He's amazing. Amazing. Tim Robinson. Tim Robinson, and you're in the movie Friendship, which will deal with the things that we were just talking about. Yeah. And then a movie about killing unicorns. Yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Which we're not probably going to talk about that much. Fine. We haven't talked about any of this. How do you, when you get, because the movie, it's wild, and you'll love it, and Jenna Ortega's in it, and she's great, and the cast is insane. But I can't, when they pitch to you, they go, Paul, there's this movie we'd really love for you to be in it. You play a lawyer. Oh, what does the lawyer do?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Well, he's around murderous unicorns. And is that when you go, like, look, I was in Marvel.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
You know, back in my day, if you were a journalist who wanted leaked war documents, you had to work the sources, meet them in a dark garage, earn the trust, pound the pavement. Now, you just wait for the National Security Advisor to be distracted by White Lotus while he's setting up his Von Yemen group chat.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
That's the beauty of the improv. That's it? Well, it is always a pleasure, and I hope that I host one day a week for the next 20 years, and you come back to see us again.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Gather the unicorns! In theaters every week! In theaters! All right! We'll be right back. You know, I got...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Before we go, we're going to check in with yours for the rest of the week, Mr. Ronnie Chang.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Ronnie!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Are those guys jerking each other off?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Jesus, I'm sorry. Oh, for God's sakes. Ron, you just group-texted me your entire DNA sequence.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Ronny Chieng, everybody. Obviously, I'm going to shut my real phone off.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Oh, also, March 31st, next week, one week from today, maybe, Night of Too Many Stars at the Beacon Theater here in New York City. Live comedy event benefiting autism programs nationwide. If you are in town, please consider buying tickets at the link below. Join me and really too many stars. I can't even name them all.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Please join. Here it is. Your moment is in.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
By the way, I might be in this group chat. I don't know. I don't check my group chats. Perhaps my favorite text of the entire group chain was the one from our defense secretary saying, quote, we are currently clean on OPSEC. For those of you who don't know, OPSEC means operational security. He said that in a group chat. A group chat with a journalist.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
The journalist said that he didn't think that the story was real until Yemen was bombed. Oh, did I bring you down? Let's move on. Because as you know, there are certain hypocrisies and absurdities that we find in our cultural moment that make for great fodder for humorous dialogue, a facial expression, a nod and a wink.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Then there are other pronouncements by our elected officials, actions by our government that are so baldly bullshit. Even though you know it will have no effect and that these powerful creatures have been genetically modified to resist shame, self-reflection of any kind. You just can't help yourself but to go old school daily show. I'm talking about the debate on free speech.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Now, as we know, conservatives have been very concerned about the loss of free speech in our country for a very long time.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
But luckily, our national free speech nightmare recently came to an end when we entered the golden age of Donald Jehoshaphat for Trump.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Thank God. We have a president now who believes in free... Just go ahead, roll 212.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I think Bravo should also lose their license. What they did to Dorinda on Traders, they... They should be sent to a Salvadorian hellhole. This is what I'm talking about. Generally, you've got to search the archives for contradictions on one's stated principles. Dig through policy papers to uncover private actions that are undermined by someone's public stance. But this is so... This is so blatant.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I can't wrap my head around it. It's not even the hypocrisy. It's that they so... fetishize free speech, this thing that they do not in any way actually practice.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Any cardiologist will tell you hearts come in chunks. Blood comes into the aorta to the right ventricle, passes through your speech chunk. But since coming into office, Trump and the Republicans have instituted policies that are a dagger right through many people's speech chunks.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
My chunks! My precious chunks. My lovely lady chunks.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
My chunks. My chunks.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
I'm not. You're making my perineum tingle. Here's the thing. These attacks on free speech, especially the one where they deported that activist, if there's one thing that I know about the powerful principles at our higher education institutions, they will not be bullied by a... Roll 212.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Some students protest the war in Gaza. Suddenly a whole academic department is on double secret probation with government oversight. And by the way, okay, Middle East part, African Studies? What the did they do? Sure, the African Studies professor's like, I teach intermediate Swahili. See, these guys don't give a f*** about free speech. They care about their speech. It's so blatant hypocrisy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
It's so old school daily show gotcha. You know what? I'm just going to put on the wig I used to wear during those years. Because the hypocrisy is just so... Here's Donald Trump on those who would criticize judges that he has appointed.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Yes, criticizing judges.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
It is interference. It should be illegal. Tremendous abuse. And four days later, not four f***ing days later, not a full French work week later.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
The hypocrisy, it burns. And are we really still doing the Barack Hussein Obama thing? Oh, free Harambee. Come on, people. See, what was the whole thing that they hated about the left on free speech? No one is safe from the left's ward police. No one. What exactly would an actual government-run word police organization look like?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
BIPOC and Latinx, I get that. You're not allowed to say sex.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
You can't say words like women or sex or hashtag me too. How can a lot of your cabinet members describe their weekends? You know, you can't protest in a way that. You can't protest in a way that offends the right. You can't teach things that the right doesn't want you to teach. You can't read things that they don't want you to read. You can't use words that they don't want you to use.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
But they love free speech. I guess fear not. At least we'll always have art.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
He's demanding they take it down because he believes this picture is unflattering, which really makes you think, do you think other pictures of you are flattering? At least in the painting, they blended the foundation into your hair. But painting is out. Oddly enough, there is still one area of free speech that the right defends non-hypocritically.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
He loves it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Why is it that they're so enamored with social media?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
The one area of free speech that they want to protect completely is the area that supports them and isn't actually free. Social media is algorithmic, and it advances with key demographics, or to put that in the most hilarious way possible.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
My work here is done.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Welcome to The Daily Show. My name is Jon Stewart. We got a great show for you tonight, my friend. I got a new tie. There's a chart.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Which Speech Is Free in Trump’s America | Paul Rudd
Perhaps I can answer that question. They are overwhelmingly coming in his direction because that is the direction they're facing. I don't know if you know how that works, but you really can't come in a direction you're not facing. Although, young man at that age, you could bank a shot. I could see one fly over the shoulder. Maybe a trick shot where they landed in a cup.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
But you know what's so horrible about our system now and the corruption that lays within it? We're so numb to it, we actually tout tiny cracks in that exploitation as victory.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Oh, can it be? The companies we subsidize with billions of dollars are allowing us the privilege to negotiate the price of 10 of their drugs? And 10 is all of them, right? It would be embarrassing if it was a small drop in the bucket and that the American people didn't expect that we should negotiate for all their f***ing drugs because we've already paid for them with our subsidies. Come on!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
going to the hospitals. What we do at pharmaceutical companies is like the worst Shark Tank deal in history. Well, we're asking for billions of dollars of your money. Oh, what do we get, 10% of your company? No. Do we get a discount? No. What do we get? Have you checked your perineum? We live in the upside down. And don't blame the corporations.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
They are profit-seeking psychopaths that need the lowest wages and the cheapest raw materials to drive their highest profits. But why do we, the taxpayers, subsidize their psychopathy? That's the waste, fraud, and abuse in our system. That's it. That's what we should be going after. Not the fantastical, over-generous terrorist condom allowances.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
You're delivering this speech in an elementary school? Why wouldn't... Why wouldn't they know what condoms are? Look, capitalism is by definition exploitative. It's how it operates. That's fine. But then government's role should be to ease the negative effects on Americans of that exploitation, not subsidize that treachery with our money.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
We're getting at a Diddy party and they're making us buy the baby oil. I want Doge to work. I want better efficiencies. I want to get rid of the alphabet agencies that don't do enough, make the Pentagon pass an audit. But we are dozing in the wrong place if we want to really change the system.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Companies like Walmart, McDonald's make billions of dollars in taxpayer-subsidized profits, yet many of their hardworking employees need taxpayer-subsidized public assistance. Airlines get billions in bailouts that they use in stock buybacks and bonuses. But if you're on food assistance, you're not allowed to buy hot food with it. Because apparently heated entrees are for winners.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
We are subsidizing the very system that makes workers' lives harder in the first place. All in the name of freedom and liberty. But the greatest restriction of freedom in this country isn't DEI and pronoun pressure. It's f***ing poverty and struggle. Pfft. and the government's role, I'm not done! Ya bastards! It's fine!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
The government's role should be to end the corruption that enables that exploitation. That's what the Democrats should be doing! Every day! Every day! Every day at 5 p.m. sharp, the Democrats should go live on Facebook and do the people's audit. Find the absurdities and the remedies in our exploitative system.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
They're saying Bruce. But I guess America doesn't want to set the precedent of opposing bloody land grabs. So green. And landy. But hey, Century being the good guys in America, you know, whatever. It's not the only thing Donald Trump is busy disrupting these days.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Get someone like AOC or Jasmine Crockett or Chris Murphy or anybody that doesn't sound like they're complaining why there's no more frozen yogurt at the cafeteria in the villages. I'm sorry. You have no riz. And we need something more than shouting. We need to do something constructive to anchor our hopes. A new acronym for a new age. It's not MAGA.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
It's something more like Make America Not Governed. in obviously negative... Oh, I'm bored! I'm bored! I'm bored! I'm kidding! No vigilantes, but do something. When we come back, Rupa Bhattacharya will be joining us. Don't go away. Welcome to The Daily Show.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
My guest tonight, a distinguished lawyer, served more than 25 years in federal government, including a special master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund. Please welcome to the program, Rupa Bhattacharya. Rupa! Hi. Rupa, it is so nice to see you again. Thank you. You too. You and I met in 2016.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
You had just, please explain, you became the, what's called the special master or the special paymaster of the 9-11 Victims' Compensation Fund.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Through DOJ.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
And your job was to take this program that had been appropriated by Congress and translate that legislation into action.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
So you were... If I may, I don't... And obviously, I don't mean to just paraphrase or those things. You were a parasite on the system.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
What do you think when you hear that kind of talk about those in the government that are there to try and faithfully execute what the legislation has already appropriated?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
And I was blown away. So I... You were trying to do your job, and I showed up in your office one day with a gentleman by the name of John Feel from the Feel Good Foundation who had lobbied very intensely to get it done. And we just showed up, and you were so gracious to us. And you showed us around the office. And I was so impressed.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
with the way that you had approached it with such compassion but also a toughness and you had a mantra on your and i know i feel like an idiot because i'm sure it's like a managerial like hang in there poster and you're gonna be like yeah it's a dumb thing that i put up but it was a mantra do you remember what i'm talking about I do. What did it say?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Come on. It makes me so angry I want to smash another mug. Oh, wow. This thing's really coming out. You know, in the commercial break, I had a lightsaber battle with one of the crew members, and that's how I got it. And you did it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
The program itself had very little waste, fraud, and abuse because your mandate was to make sure that the people who got it, who should get it, got it, and the people who shouldn't get it didn't get it. That was my job. So this week or last week I hear they're just cutting 20% of the staffs of people and the victims compensation was one of those offices.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
That's the one that administers health care to people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
And what are, in practical terms, and you know the people love a good conversation about administration and... and paperwork. In practical terms, what does that mean? Does that mean people wouldn't be able to access the program? They wouldn't be able to sign up for the program? They wouldn't be able to make their appointments? They wouldn't get their medications? What would it mean?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
As you know, the Doge Project, the Department of Government Efficiency, headed up by the Nick Cannon of white people, Elon Musk, is in... It's in full effect. And it may surprise you. I, for one, happen to be, quite frankly, Doge curious. I'm actually somewhat Doge adjacent. So, Mr. President, if you would.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
The actual people looking for fraud. They got cut, too.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
What are we doing? For God's sakes. And then they were rehired. And then they were rehired, what, two days later?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Garbarino! By the way, for those of you in Long Island, come to Garbarino's, a fantastic Italian restaurant overlooking Long Island Sound.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Schumer and Gillibrand have been on it. Yes. Gillibrand especially had been on it forever. And Hillary Clinton, when it first started, was an incredible advocate for it. But the reason why I wanted to talk about it is because it's a very specific program. But in the specificity of it, I think there's something universal here.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
There's a ton of programs out there right now that don't have Republicans in a congressional delegation, you know, trying to fight for it. And they're gone.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Right, as long as it demonstrates fealty to the leadership or anything along those lines. When you were administrating, what are the frustrations within government? Is it... What makes it so difficult for government to be agile? Are there too many regulations? Is there too much paperwork? Do we need a moonshot to simplify things?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Because I think I would love the idea of more efficiency and a less adversarial role. It seems like any government program that's going to help people, and I know this from the PAC Act, any government program that's going to help people is adversarial. That the people become adversarial with the people trying to get the money.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I wonder, let me pitch this. Is there a way, if we were to make, because there are tons of people that qualify for food assistance who don't claim those benefits because it's difficult. There's a lot of hoops you have to jump through and all those things. If the government didn't use waste, fraud, and abuse as a default,
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
made that money simpler to get, like what it was in the pandemic, and then bolstered the money on the back end searching for fraud? Because it seems like we're making the 3% or 5% of fraud. We're making the 95% pay a price for that. Is there a different way to jigger those programs, make them easier to access, and bolster the fraud watchdog on the back end of it?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I mean, we... Okay, so that's... Five minutes of clothesline. I disagree with you a little bit. Whenever I have a situation like that, I rely on teenage boys. I find them judicious. and hormonally balanced. And I like to let them loose in an organization and just go, have at it boys. It must be so incredibly frustrating to see that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Cause I'm also like, I was very frustrated at the fights that had to occur to get people who had earned benefits, benefits. And I imagine that's, and to see how easily corporate interests have infiltrated our process through lobbying. The tax code isn't complex because working class people made it that way. The regulations aren't complex and difficult to do because small businesses want that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
That's all the result of corporate lobbies because they know how to game the system. How do we stop that part from infiltrating the part that you want to do?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Yes. Now, if you had woken up from a coma and heard nothing else that this man had said for the last 10 years, you might think to yourself, I like this guy. I, too, believe government needs to be more efficient to weed out waste, fraud and abuse and deliver the necessary services that Americans rely on more agile. So what do we do first?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
It's happening again.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
This Wednesday, you know, this Wednesday, they're going to reintroduce some legislation to get funding.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I remember that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
And it was thanks to you and thanks to a number of... To get it, all those people, they were tireless. And many of them were very, very sick.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
To give you a sense of what that is, in the middle of the VCF funding and the victims' compensation, if your cancer had just been, if you had the unlucky occurrence of having a cancer diagnosed in 2021 or 2019 when the fund had lost money, you wouldn't have gotten the full benefit. because they had to resource guard. But that's what's happening. You had to resource guard.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
It must have been heartbreaking.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
From an omnibus bill, they were going to sneak it into, like, a transportation bill or something along those lines.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
And again, this isn't just this program. This is happening across government. And this is what we talk about when this system must be torn down. The idea that people who need the funding, that's what government exists to provide. It doesn't exist to provide a smoother road for McDonald's. It exists to provide for people. And that's got it's got to change. And so I really appreciate you being here.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
And we're going to see. Hopefully we can get that. Rupa Bhattacharya, ladies and gentlemen. We're going to take a quick break. Hey, everybody. That is our show for this evening. But before we go, we're going to check in with your host for the rest of this week, Desi Lydic. Desi! Nice to see you. What are you going to be covering for the people?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Vault 84C? Why 84C?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Was that the sound of a gold bar falling out of your pocket?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Desi Lydic, everybody. Here it is. Your moment of death.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Report through the inspector general's reports that have addressed these things. Utilize computerishness to excise redundancies in the system. Find ways to more efficiently deliver the government assistance so many Americans rely on. What's first?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Have we determined if those are effective workers? Is it based on performance? Are you going in with a scalpel so that we don't hit any vessels and vital organs?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
So, straight amputation. We're just amputation. It's like we're treating public servants as some kind of underclass.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
F*** you! Guy who tests water for appropriate levels of fecal matter? What are we talking about? What? You know, this is a stark emotional whiplash from looking for efficiencies. But apparently our nation's civil service is now synonymous with waste, fraud, and abuse. And MAGA World is celebrating with Maximum Folksy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
First of all, there is no way you actually talk like that. No way. You're a congressman from Tennessee. You didn't spring fully formed out of a primordial cracker barrel. Oh, this here bureaucracy is a Chattanooga choo-choo to a prophet's boil on the flapjacks. I'm just stringing food words together like nonsense. Pew, pew.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
We are back from break. I drew a little picture. We are back. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to The Daily Show. My name is James Hurd. We have got a show for you tonight. I'm going to be joined later by Rupa Bhattacharya. She is the legal director of all. They know they're Bhattacharyas. Legal director of Georgetown Law Institute for Constitutional Advocacy and Protection.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I don't remember the spanking scene from daddy daycare. Oh, you must mean the gay porn film, Daddy Daycare. I get it, Jesse. I get it. You were watching the film that answers the question, what would happen if a bunch of dudes f***ed in a daycare? And it just stuck in your head. You know...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I got to tell you, I feel like you can make efficiency recommendations or cuts without necessarily demonizing the people who are only carrying out Congress's wishes. But I feel like that. They don't. Here's Donald Trump's new director of the offices of management and budget on his feelings about everyone who works for him.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Because these workers are the worst. A hive of scum and villainy. Star Wars reference.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Do you watch your show? Yes, you certainly want to be callous, like referring to someone losing their livelihood as being a child being spanked at daycare. But I guess that's just the price of efficiency. Doge is dropping force-guided bombs into the thermal exhaust port that is the Death Star of our bureaucracy. I love Star Wars. I just love the film. But... Doge is Jedi-level shit, man.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
When I said you were criminal parasites, I obviously wasn't referring to... I have the bird flu. Come back to work. Please. But that's fine. Staffing is only part of the Doge mission. There's other crazy shit we could cut.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I'm going to go with yes on that last one. I feel that I, not a scientist, can very confidently state, pre-experiment, if you are a Japanese quail with an eight ball, you are getting your cloaca sucked. Oh. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. That may be the most favorite thing I've ever said on this show.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I know her as the individual who took over administrating the 9-11 Zadroga Act Victims' Compensation and Health Care Fund for 9-11 first responders and all the people that live down at Ground Zero and Pennsylvania and the Pentagon. So, deep state. She is deep state. And I'm going to
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Now, obviously, that list of programs, some of them are being presented to seem even more ridiculous, and some of those were completely invented out of thin air. But the point is, why are we spending money on things that seem obviously stupid? Even though a government-funded study on Gila monsters is how we ended up with Ozempic.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
By the way, quick pitch, weight gain also would be solved by Japanese quail cocaine. It's really the Star Wars of drugs, cocaine. No downsides. You'd be having your cloacas sucked in no time. Even if this project of Doge is animated by malice for administrators and is seemingly rash and occasionally cutting off critical government functions out of haste, the savings alone will be worth it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
On the Doge website, they posted $16 billion saved just in canceled contracts. Interesting. if true.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Well, who amongst us hasn't lied about saying something is $16 when it's really $2.5? Billion inches. That's not true either. See, it seems that Doge is struggling a bit to get its footing from made up claims about 50 million dollars of taxpayer money going for gauze and condoms to billions in Social Security payments to dead people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
A claim that turned out to not be real, despite what you've heard.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
You can't argue with that if only it were happening. But it's not happening. We're not paying millions and millions of dead people Social Security money. And even if there was a 200-year-old man walking around, he wouldn't need Social Security. He'd still be in Congress. Guys, I'm going to tell you something. Cutting money shouldn't be this hard.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
I'm starting to think that we as a country don't understand where the real waste, fraud, and abuse in our system really is. Maybe the savings we gleaned from cutting VA nurses and iguana STD studies isn't where the real money is. Let me see if I can noodle. You know what? Let me join Doge. I'm going to see if I can noodle some ideas here. I want to get down some certain ideas. I want to do again.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
There you go. I got that. Let's see what I can do here. This is my want to be an accountant starter kit. So I got it off of Amazon for $5,000. My accountant told me not to get it. So we're looking to save taxpayers some money. And I know, let me think, we got the studies that are done.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Oh, how about we just take $3 billion in subsidies we give to oil and gas companies that already turned billions in profits. How long did that take? Oh, wait. How about we just close down the carried interest loophole on hedge funds? That's $1.3 billion a year.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
But first, today the United Nations marked the third anniversary of the invasion of Ukraine by doing the only thing the United Nations can do, passing a non-binding resolution asking Russia to please stop. Please. Take that, Putin! Interesting, though. Among the countries voting against the resolution were North Korea... Belarus, Russia, obviously, and the United States of America.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Oh, how about we stop the $2 trillion we've given to defense contractors to build a fighter jet that blows when everybody knows the next war is going to be fought with drones and blockchain, whatever that is. Holy shit. I can't believe it. I just saved us billions of dollars in 11 seconds. Just call me Big Balls. I'm sorry. I'm being told that that nickname is already taken.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Well, can I get a Doge nickname? Disturbingly low-hanging balls, really? Really? like you've never heard of gra- how would you even know that? Oh, I'm sorry. But see, this is where the real money is. The real money, the money our free market-ish system uses to prop up corporate profit at the expense of the taxpayer. Pharmaceutical companies get everything from our government.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Challenges DOGE's Reckless Budget Cuts | Rupa Bhattacharyya
Tax breaks, research grants, patent extensions worth billions of dollars. And what do we the people get for it? The highest drug prices in the Western Hemisphere. And for some reason, the possibility of an infection in our perineum. Why would you take a drug that would give you an infection in your perineum? And why are they telling us about it at dinnertime?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
I'm sorry. I'm having difficulty focusing on what you're saying because I'm terrified that you're a hard yellow light away from getting ready with Dan Crenshaw. Obviously, that is not meant in any way to diminish Congressman Crenshaw's service and how he was wounded in Afghanistan. making a Get Ready With Me video. Is that tonight? Comedy's legal again, right?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Perhaps nothing is as emblematic of this mismatch between the parties than the Democrats' latest viral offering. Now, I understand Democrats would want to showcase that some of their members have not had hip replacement surgery yet. And I hope you understand whatever that last one was. I'm fighting you while taking a shit. Well, just understand this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Over just the past few days, Donald Trump deported hundreds of Venezuelans to El Salvador, despite a judge's order, extraordinarily renditioned a pro-Palestinian Columbia student with a green card, declared that CNN and MSNBC should be illegal. By the way, I'm not against everything he does.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Whatever this is, is no match for the game Republicans are playing. When we come back, Senator Chris Murphy, don't go away.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Welcome back to The Daily Show. My guest tonight, a third-term U.S. senator from Connecticut. Please welcome to the program Democratic Senator Chris Murphy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
What is happening? So just in this CR for the budget. Yeah. There was great resolve and unity about what a disaster this was for the American people. Chuck Schumer, they need us. They don't have us. They don't get to pass it. And then he just flips. And I don't want to just blame it on him. Clearly, a decision was made within the Senate. Was there a meeting?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Was there a lunch where all the senators in the Democratic caucus had, I'm going to assume, mostly mushy food? Yeah. There is jello served at every single one of our lunches. I've been to the Senate. There is a chewing and digestion issue. Was there a discussion as to whether or not you would invoke the filibuster, not give them cloture? And how did that discussion go?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Well, you know, the idea, and I've heard a lot of it. I think you bring up a lot of very interesting points. But I hear a lot of the American people have to get involved. And it does feel a little bit like, well, we've gone to a Knicks game and they're getting their asses kicked. And in a timeout, they turn to the crowd and go like, you're in. Isn't the whole point.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
And I hear a lot of like, it's a billionaire takeover and it's a threat to democracy. What I don't hear a lot of is, What are the three things that in that CR, if Chuck Schumer had any leverage, what are the three things he would have asked for other than what would he have asked for? Because I follow it pretty closely, and I don't know.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Congress just authorized that. So it is authorized.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
So Chuck Schumer could have said, I am going to filibuster this unless you keep the power of the military purse with us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
That's the saddest thing I've ever heard.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Oh!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
He won the tournament at Trump International. How did that happen? This dude's whole life, he's like the Make-A-Wish Batman kid. Hey, look at that, Donald. You caught all the criminals. Look, I'm opposed to anyone rolling back American democracy, but I do tip the cap to any 78-year-old winning a golf tournament.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
I thought the paddles... I thought anytime you can take a page out of the Valentine heart candy playbook, little messages. Maybe this is begging the question. Maybe we need to step back and say, is the problem here not that the Democrats don't have a plan to fight it? It's that they actually don't have a plan. That they don't have a foundation of how they would... Look, this election was about...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
the American people repudiating that government was serving their needs. The Republicans have been working on this little Project 2025 for 60 years, and the Democrats feel like they were just caught off guard. So what is the foundational governing philosophy of the Democrats that addresses people's discomfort with the way that their government has been operating.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
They view the Democrats as having broken it. That's my my question is, is there a reflection on the Democratic side that part of what this is, is their theory on governance is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
is somewhat broken that you know let me explain this let me give you a more specific example if i'm a taxpayer i feel like i pay money i pay taxes but i don't get health care i have to buy insurance so if i buy insurance i get health care well not really i get access to a system that maybe will deny me my health care or maybe we'll do that have democrats thought about isn't that the fundamental problem with how people are viewing
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
their government.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
I think... Credibility, I think, is is such an important word here, but it's something that is earned. And I see a Democratic Party that is way too comfortable with corporate lobbyists, a Democratic Party that God bless that we can negotiate the price of 10 drugs and that that's a huge victory. Like if that doesn't. send the message that this party is utterly out of touch with.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
It's not a party that understands, it seems, the power and leverage that government can have to fight corruption. It seems altogether too comfortable being a part of the corruption.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
But didn't it before that, isn't it maybe it's Jimmy Carter opening up trade, it's Clinton deregulating the financial institutions? This is a long...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
And by the way, still having enough energy left to stroll into the command center in his golf attire to bomb the shit out of Yemen. Yeah. Now look, anyone can bomb the shit out of Yemen after nine holes, but 18? By the way, when he did that shift at McDonald's, did they just let him keep the headset? Is that...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
The point is simply this. The government subsidizes these corporations with billions of dollars and demands nothing in return. And isn't that the foundation of a governing philosophy? Maybe they could put it in a book. They could call it Project Something. Like, is that work not being done? Because right now, it looks like ad hoc people on TikTok making better brand for themselves.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
But the party seems utterly rudderless.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Practical ideas, common sense, easy ideas.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Clearly they have the money. Clearly there are think tanks. Is it because no one has brought the party together as an individual? Is it because the corporatist part of the party has been dominant?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Are you it feels a little bit like the Democrats are standing on 34th Street and they're looking up at the Empire State Building and they're going, we should build one of those. And we're like, oh, why didn't you? And they're like, I don't know. We, you know, opened up a Papaya King a few blocks down today. You know, how far back in this process do you think the Democratic Party is?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
And is there even a consensus about beginning that process? Because it doesn't seem to be even nascent.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
So there's nothing you can say to me that is going to wash that shit out of my brain.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Tell them to do it. You invited me here. Let me sit here. Yelling at the screen. These people, look at these people. Look how f***ing sad these people are. They're just sad. Every day I come in before the show, do you have any questions? What are you going to do? I don't know. I'm here on Mondays.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
While they're bombing the shit out of Yemen, he's like, hold on, I got fries at the drive-thru window. Hold on. By the way, by bombing Yemen, Donald Trump continued a presidential tradition dating back decades. It may have been what the Wright brothers invented the plane for. How much better do we have to make this for it to be able to reach and bomb the shit out of Yemen?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
If you have to put together the dream team tomorrow to start this project, who are what are the groups that you're pulling together? What are the people and how are they getting started on creating this cohesive governing philosophy that says government is still important as a counterweight to not just legislative power or executive power, but of corporate power and of world interventionist power.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
And we need it. Could you name three people that you'd put on that task tomorrow?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
We have got to bring... So, but three people don't come to mind. Because I can't see Bernie anymore... Sweet Bernie in his sweater, walking the Capitol grounds out of breath, going like, AOC and I, we're going to go. We're going to be in Colorado. We're going to be in Nevada. Come out and see us. I don't know what these people are doing, but I'm doing my best.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Like, there's got to be another answer to that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
I think what they want is a cohesive message that feels like it addresses what people believe were the corrupt and broken elements of the system that Democrats helped design and have to be honest with themselves that no longer are functioning in the way that they want.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Hold on a second. Make government work.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Oh, man! Hey, everybody! Hold on. Magua. Senator Chris Murphy. Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
But fear not, because Democrats... put on the back foot, finally have an opportunity to stand up and show their dispirited party they still have the principle and the backbone to face down this wannabe tyrant.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Hey, that's our show for tonight. But before we go, we're going to check in with your host for the rest of the week, Mr. Jordan Klepper. Jordan, what's on deck this week?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Jordan, the games haven't even started yet, so you didn't blow it. You didn't blow any of the money. The thing hasn't even... Who'd you pick to win the whole thing?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
You blew it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Jordan Klepper, everybody.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Also, oh, I meant to tell you this. March 31st, I'm hosting A Night of Too Many Stars at the Beacon Theater right here in New York City. Live comedy event benefiting autism programs nationwide. If you're in town...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Come see us! Come see us! It's gonna be an unbelievable lineup, many great stars.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
We'd love to have you there, raise a little money for these programs that are suffering, because as you know, when public money leaves, private people are . Here it is, your moment is in.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
It is on like Donkey Kong. It turns out the Byzantine Senate rules have presented a golden opportunity to the minority party because the budget the Republicans are proposing is a non-starter.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Can you be more hell no? Is that like, hell no!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
H-E double hockey stick?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
By the way, like, who's this dude fooling? You know that salty language isn't you, Merkley? Dollar in the swear jar, it's H-E double hockey sticks from now on. But this abomination of a budget shall not pass. Because, Senator Schumer, please remind the people what is necessary.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
You don't have the votes. You need congressional approval because you don't have the votes. Because the filibuster requires... I only saw the play once. You see, Republicans, your little evil budget plan might have worked if you hadn't forgotten that one Senator Schumer is Charles in charge of the Democratic Party. I'm afraid your diabolical scheme has been foiled.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
But, but you had, but you had to say it were terrible. And oh, oh, wait a minute. Oh shit, I know what's going on here. All right, I know what's going on here. You had me going, Chucky. You probably got a little something out of this, didn't you, old sea shoe? You wouldn't have given up that powerful leverage on the budget for nothing. My guess is Chucky got some cheese.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Senator Schumer, uh... No disrespect, but you are a disgrace to Jewish stereotypes about financial negotiations.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
That's just... I thought the whole point of us is that's what we do.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
But you're out there. How much is it? Five dollars. How about I give you seven? Like, what are you doing? And for those of you who may have felt like this was a total capitulation, Senator Schumer just felt like this wasn't the moment for Democrats to press their case because Trump is still too strong.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
You're going to keep at it. Keep at it, keep at it, keep at it. And what? This was it. This was the it that you would have been keeping at.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
The keeping of the it. It's not the keeping of the it. That's the issue. It's what the it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Don't you have to start it to keep at it? If this wasn't it, then what is it if this not be it?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
But apparently the grand plan is Dems keep fecklessly complaining until the 48 approval comes down to 40, which is a plan, but it's forgetting one crucial piece of information in Schumer's popularity calculation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
You've gotta get Trump to lose eight points of popularity just for you to get to the point where you're 13 points below him. Your approval is only seven points above where it turns red and goes into low power mode. Maybe you're not a numbers learner. Maybe a visual demonstration of where you're at. Let me meet you where you live.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
27%.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
This is them. Oh, I see. They're much higher.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Yes, they're much higher. And if you keep this up, you'll be wearing these on your dick. Do you understand? Jesus. Perhaps I'm being too hard on the senator. Although I am not. Perhaps he has insider knowledge of a quiet, smoldering, Republican-immune ability to compromise.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Perhaps underneath that hard shell of Republican intransigence is a soft, nuggity center of responsible legislative leadership waiting to be freed. Bargains! Driven in the hallowed yet marbled halls of power. Or maybe someplace mustier.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
That's your plan. I'm going to dangle my balls out of my shorts and maybe at the gym. Oh, you know, they're going to lose all their inhibitions on the equipment. You know, actually, Chuck, I would like to work with you on Medicaid reform. And also, I never told anybody this, but I once jerked a guy off in a park. Oh, this elliptical. I just lose my inhibitions.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
And, you know, I would probably be just a skosh more receptive to Schumer's theory of gym-based negotiation strategies if it had worked the last time.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Hey, welcome to the Daily Show. My name is John Stewart. We've got a great show for you tonight.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
You know, I'm not here to posture shame. But for a guy who seems to be spending most of his life in the gym, a little less talky talk, a little more core. Second of all, in the gym, they're only being agreeable with you because they want you to leave them alone. In the gym. On the stationary bike. Oh, sure, Chuck. Yeah, I'm definitely going to do that. But I have to tell you something.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
By the way, we were on a break for a week and I got my hair did. Looking pretty sharp. By the way, Senator Chris Murphy, Democrat from the great insurance state of Connecticut, will be joining me later to talk about how the Democrats... Ladies and gentlemen, I got to tell you something. It is Trump's world, and we're just cowering in it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Pedaling really hard and not going anywhere, it's a great metaphor for the Democratic Party right now.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
Really. Also, more so.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
But for some reason... There is a persistent fiction within the Democratic Party that if they just hang out with Republicans in the gym or wait out Trump's popularity or give them concessions on a continuing resolution they said would harm the country, that Republicans will finally see the light. And Democrats will be rewarded with productive bipartisanship or...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
If someone's been running a fever since the aughts, that's not a fever. That is their default resting temperature. This fiction that you are inventing, this idea that somehow, oh, they'll come to their senses. It allows Democrats to keep thinking that Republicans are actually the ones in the precarious position.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
It's a great message, except Republicans have gotten everything through. Every f***ing crazy appointment. The guy who wrote the children's book on Russiagate runs the FBI. Tulsa Gabbard, RFK, weekend Fox and Friends guy. They all sail through. Literally, the only one that has failed so far is picking a Chucky doll that runs on cocaine in Viagra for Attorney General.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
And that's just because the Republicans personally hated him. Probably for something he did at the gym. Look, you... You don't understand.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
These Republicans are committed to a plan born of ideological 50 to 60 year project to remake the United States and classifying it as a fever excuses you from having to propose an alternative, coherent vision and allows you to pretend that this is just an issue of messaging and not merit. Boy, are Dems busy fixing the messaging. Ambitious Democrats have a new game plan.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Knocks Dems' Lack of Vision Countering Trump Agenda | Sen. Chris Murphy
They're going to yak it up about sports and go on more podcasts or whatever the hell this is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
I really think I'm up to it. Bishop Desmond Tutu. Really? Drunk off his ass. Wow. You know who was not good? Democratic Senate leader Harry Reid. We had him on the show, and he was in a coma. Really? It was so weird. Have you familiar with him?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
He'd written a book about his life. I was asking about his life. And it was literally as though I was telling him a story he'd never heard before. Look at the house you grew up in.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
You're from Brooklyn.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
How are you doing otherwise? Are you, you would like to be the worst guest? First of all, Curb Your Enthusiasm is a great show. Oh, thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
It's not very sturdy. Are you jealous that I'm not wearing a tie? I am somewhat jealous that you seem very fit. You almost seem athletic. You see, you have like an athletic build to some extent. Can I tell you something?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Let me tell you why I would have been stymied if you had done that. Yeah. Because I don't know, I don't play with a ball that small. You were doing the gesture you were working with. If you'd be playing with a ping pong ball, you'd say, ha-ta, ha-ta, ha-ta. And I would be stupefied. So you feel if I went like that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Now I feel we're playing basketball.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
It's got no definite space. But please put your feet up. Foot up. Has anyone done this before? No one. No one has put their foot up.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
You're very... You know what I would say that you are, if I may? Not just athletic, aristocratic to some extent. I see you have a suede shoe, a suede sneaker.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
All of it? Underwear, I got the underwear. Would you have them do the underwear? Is that another, is that stepping up your relationship with wardrobe to a more intimate place? To say to them, you know, I enjoy... Yeah, I could go, Hanes 34.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
What was giving your druthers? Is this the outfit that you would or do you feel? Are you costumed? Do you feel or in life? Is this your show? Are these your show clothes? And right after this, you're like, oh, I can't wait to get this pullover off so I can put on my tuxedo. What's your what would you do?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
That's not how you dress. You're right. This is, you know what this is? This is, I run a funeral parlor at night. And so I always dress there, because when you see the families, and they're obviously grieving, and you don't want to show up, obviously, looking like a bon vivant.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Is that true? Yeah, yeah. They were telling me that earlier, and it's... Do you know what that is? If I may say it. You've got a runaway collar. No disrespect to you. It's a signal I send to my children every night. Let them know. It's sweet. I say, kids, watch your daddy. And if you see, I'm going to take one aspect of my clothing. That is so sweet. And I'm going to roll it up.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Carol Burnett had this. Yes, I know. I have this. I don't know what it is about talking to you, but I would like a piece of cake right now. I don't know what it is. I honestly feel like Passover is over and now we're going to have a piece of cake. Bring it out. Come on. Let's nosh. I remember, you know, Saturday Night Live is grueling.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
I was tremendous. I was so good, they said, don't come back. You would shame the other hosts. But, you know, I don't know if people realize the difficulty. You guys are putting on a 90-minute play.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
And it was crazy to see just the sets and the makeup and the costumes and the writing and just how much had to come together.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Technically.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Is that the error that everyone's trying to avoid?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Hamburger outfit in Oval Office. Done, I'm submitting it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
It was kind of a two-man horse race at that point, but now you got Colbert nipping at our heels. And I'll tell you what, I've seen that kid. He's the future of fake news. That's what I'm thinking.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Here's what I believe. I believe both could be flirtatious. I believe Colbert could seal the deal.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
I believe at the end of the day, Carell would say this. I don't want to go to Benton's.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
He'd be up there with the harpsichord.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
I'm doing very well. How is the, the corduroy seems thick.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
But see, I would... And again, this is nothing against the wife, but that is not... That's not a shirt. You're wearing... That is clearly some sort of coat-shirt hybrid.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
Now, it does seem like underneath the new... It's an older shirt.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
That's the key to a happy marriage. It's those types of compromises. Thank you. At what point in that... Because I've been married... We've been married probably around the same amount of... How long have you been married?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
So I've been with my wife for about 15 years, married for 10. And I am just getting to the point where I don't have to change my outfits.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
You know what I get in the house? And this is new as well. Daddy, I don't like the way you smell.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
That's nice, though. And also a concern for your health, because plaque, one of the bacteria, one of the leading causes of all kinds of distress they're finding these days. Absolutely. So I very much appreciate that. That's nice of her to do that. She loves her dad. You say she, but only one loves the dad?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
That was giant.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
I know you're a big Jets fan. Are you gonna stay around and watch, uh... I would like to see that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
That's a good one. I mean, I mean, you're wrapped in corduroy. You can't watch. I like you're like a shell of yourself. I mean, you're like a microwavable burrito in that thing.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Jon Stewart Talks to Comedy Icons - Part 2
That's when the boys come over to the house.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Emphasis on the... I'll just go now. Let's just... But first, the Super Bowl was last night, and, man... Oh. It was on television. It began with the teams being introduced from heaven. And it's just weird. And it ended with the Kansas City Chiefs in hell.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Well, it's been a good run, America. It's looked like we're becoming less like the constitutional republic it's been for 250 years and more like the monarchy that we all fought to escape from. But I think the important thing to...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Is that, wait, is that, hold on. Do my eyes deceive me? Is that, is that young John Oliver? Are you here to offer America your wisdom and counsel?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Ambassador Oliver. Go ahead. For a moment. Please. America, yes, we are having a bit of trouble with democratic governance. But I don't think we want to abandon our republic and go full empire.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
All right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
I appreciate you for stopping me on that one. Not to be short-sighted, but spoiler alert, John, things didn't end up so great for the British Empire.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
So congratulations to the people of Philadelphia who immediately, who immediately, I disagree by the way, who immediately celebrated their victory by attacking their own city. Killing their own city. Die, Philadelphia. They were mashing their own city, doing tens of dollars worth of damage. Yeah, that's right. I'm implying it's a shithole. Give Saquon back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
We really have become our father.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Thank you very much. Last week's tonight, premieres this Sunday on HBO. When we come back, David Remnick will be joining us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
My guest tonight, a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist, author and longtime editor of The New Yorker, which is celebrating 100 years with a special anniversary issue out today. Please welcome David Remnick, sir. Very exciting. 100 years of the New Yorker. And this, a special treat, ladies and gentlemen. I don't know if you can see this. It is their swimsuit edition. It is...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Was this... Is this the original cover from... That's from 1925.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Didn't arise. So... So... You should enter that in the caption contest, David. John Oliver warmed it up pretty well. Yeah, he warmed it up pretty good out there.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Yeah. What was it that turned it? Why in three months? Did something happen?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Really? At that time, were the illustrations the majority of it, or were the articles the majority of it?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Showbiz.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
And you know the writer was like, 500 words, I'll never make it. And it was awful. It was dreadful. Really? Yeah, yeah. And now, 100 years later then, when you're carrying the mantle of something that has been here for so long, though, it does present... an extra burden and challenge. You don't want to be the guy that's at the... Right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
You don't want to be the last guy out the building, and it's changed so much. So in this more challenging media environment, to do long-form... You buy this and you... I don't remember what that's called, but you look at it... And read. Read. Yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
I will say... For me, because the circadian rhythm of the news has become the circadian rhythm of Twitter, I almost think it's leading that sort of incentivized outrage and hate and things that I find great solace in long-form journalism. It really is a comfort food, but also... There's not a lot of people out there who are taking the time to contextualize things.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
They're mostly sports fans.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
I thought it was a singing group. It's exciting.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Not intimidated by the moment.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
But of course, my favorite moment was the inexplicable post-victory horse race where the winner stands triumphant atop the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum. That's not Photoshop. The horse ran up the steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum, reared up on its hind legs, and went, Adrian!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Is this, have you, you've been in this a long time. Yeah. Is this a media moment that is reminiscent to you of any other analogous?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Right. Totally different.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
As though they had a project in mind that they were going to. I don't know what year it was named for, but damn it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Is there a break glass moment for you in this? You know, we talked about it earlier with the audience about not overreacting to each individual outrage and moment. And is that frustrating? Do we do we keep ourselves on DEFCON? And I don't know which one is the worst. Nine, ten.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Yeah. No, we were talking again. Action is the antidote for that anxiety. The question is, what have you what have you learned from deterring this kind of executive action? Because the real moment to me will be that sort of Marbury versus happening. Madison moment where, you know, they'll say, well, enforce it. Well, who enforces it? I guess the U.S. Marshals. And if the U.S.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Marshals work for the DOJ and the DOJ is run by somebody who tells them, no, don't enforce it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
That might have been my favorite moment that I've seen, where he goes, like, what are the Democrats going to do? And he's like, I hope. Hopefully one of the Republicans will be like, this is crazy. We shouldn't. I want to lose. Yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Do you, as you, and you've spent time talking to people that are obviously very informed within Democratic Party, it's their beat. Do they sense there is anything, I look at this as, this is a 50-year project that the Republicans have run to reset the country to its not just pre-Great Society, not just pre-New Deal, but as even Trump is saying, like robber baron ethos.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Right. That's different. So what are... If you were going to say, you know, the people, there's going to be protests, there's going to be those things, but at this moment, it is broadly popular. The agenda that has been enacted is... If we had a revote today, he would probably do better than how he did on.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
I mean, that's for any president really in this day and age to have that kind of popularity is really unusual.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
OK, well, thanks for being here. It's incredible to me how there really is a rudderlessness amongst the opposition party.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
I'm going to say this right now. The editor of one of the most esteemed magazines in American history just told the Democrats, sack up. Shocking. You heard it here first. Shocking.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
I think it's, I don't know what they stand for. I don't know what their principle is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
I almost wonder, you almost want to say to them, you have to exist outside of him. It's as though they define themselves almost entirely by reactions to his movements, you know.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Well, it seems like that's the point of it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
If you were to come to me and say, I want to make government more efficient, I want to make it more effective, there's a lot of things in here in the way that we do it and it doesn't work, I'd be highly on board with that. It's something that I've screamed about it for years.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
THEY DON'T VIEW IT IN THAT WAY, THOUGH, SO I THINK THAT'S PART OF THE DISCONNECT IS Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
First of all, why do you fly around in a Hyatt hotel room? Second of all, define proclamation? You don't know what a proclamation... Or do you just want her to say what the actual proclamation... I'm sorry, I interrupted. Go ahead.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
, , , , . . . . . con con con un�.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
It's true. Bigger than the Super Bowl. In fact, my favorite thing about Gulf of America Day are the commercials. It's very historic. I'm sure we'll look back on this day fondly when America is swallowed up by the rising waters of the Gulf of America. You know, it turns out it's kind of a weird thing. Airplanes might not be the best place to make bigger than the Super Bowl announcements.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
even bigger than the Super Bowl.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
It shut him up, even for just a second. I think airplane pilots must be the most powerful force in the universe. I feel like the Democrats have to get themselves an airplane pilot. Sorry for the interruption, but you can't do that. Maybe they'll let Schumer. Schumer will be the pilot. But forgive me, I seem to have forgotten. What does calling it Gulf of America do? Do we get all its fish now?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Everything Trump does is all part of making America great again. Order one. Roll back everything from the previous not great administration. Regulations on the environment. Regulations on the Second Amendment. The Title IX guidance. And not just the big shit. You want to make America great again, you can't skimp on the details.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
You... Okay, he's right on this one. He... He is right on this one. Those straws are f***ing terrible. Objectively, I'm supposed to have some weird tissue paper dissolve in my mouth just because turtles can't figure out straws aren't food? No. Don't eat the tubes, you stupid turtles. So Trump is making America great again by taking us back to 2016.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
But obviously, if we're going to make America great again, we can't stop in 2016. We've got to keep pushing to that place when America was truly great.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
So, looks like it's the 70s. Oh, like you don't know who Burt Reynolds is. If you're going to make us great, you're going to have to roll further back than the 70s. What do you got? We're going to stop the destructive and divisive diversity, equity and inclusion. Yeah, the 70s won't fly. 70s was all about women's lib and Stonewall. Now, my friends, we got to go back further to make America great.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
And ladies, when we do go back, don't worry. It's all going to work out for you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
But ladies and gentlemen, we're gonna go back to the old days. With regular tits. Not the ones that disgustingly dissolve in your mouth. Jesus. But let's not stop in the 70s there, folks. Not even in the... Let's keep going. Because that sounds like the 50s, and the 50s are still too inclusive. I mean, by then, Italians and Irish were considered white. No, that's too far. Keep going back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
America's greatness awaits.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Okay. There we go. 1870s. Pew, pew, pew, pew, pew. And of course, while America presently is still pretty rich, apologies, Luxembourg. Point taken. Who wouldn't trade our current environment for America's 1870s tariff-driven, becandled, tuberculosis-laden, pre-industrial heyday? We were so wealthy, we had commissions set up. What to do with all the money that we were taking in?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Quick point of order, though. To the extent that we were at our richest from 1870 to 1913, it wasn't so much we as like four guys. And we called them robber barons as a sign of affection. Meanwhile, the rest of America, the leading cause of death was falling into a vat at work.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Welcome to The Daily Show. My name is Jon Stewart. And man, we worked almost all day on tonight's show. We've got a great one for you. David Remnick will be joining me later. He's the editor of The New Yorker magazine. They're celebrating. What an erudite crowd. celebrating their 100th year at the New Yorker, and he and I will be discussing the difference between umlauts and diuresis.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
And it got to the point where even the robber barons realized that the only way this glorious era in American history was going to end was either full-scale f***ing revolution or reasonable compromise, which is how we ended up with stuff like income tax and labor laws and workplace safety guarantees. So let's really tread carefully in the greatness way back machine.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
What?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
You were picking berries in a field before your bar mitzvah? I mean... By the way, how old are you if you were picking berries before there were child labor laws? Because you look great. Is the key to good skin working the fields as a child? Now, I hate to bring this up, but if we are going back to the 1870s and before, does that include every diversity initiative?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Don't bring us your tired and poor huddled masses. Do you have any mathletes? Any doogies, Hauser? We will take all of your Sheldons, young and old. For those of you at home who might fear that the president's desire to take us back to our nation's historic greatness may tread into unconstitutional action, fear not.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
because the brilliant design of our nation allows for the co-equal branch of the judiciary to stand as a bulwark against tyranny, as judged in the landmark decision of 1803 Marbury v. Madison, which, as you know, is when James Madison lost the historic Supreme Court case to Stéphane Marbury. Marbury ran him out of the building and established our foundational separation of powers.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Of course they're allowed to adjudicate the boundaries of that power. That's the whole f***ing point of the judiciary, to interpret whether those powers are legitimate. You went to law school, mother f***er. The alternative is that... Acting. The only alternative is that the executive determines for himself what is constitutional. At which point, there would be no guardrails against... Oh.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
Hey, Congress. Hey, buddy. You got a little separation of powers problem. I was wondering any chance you might be reasserting your authority. Opposition party. Democrats, you ready to do some oppositioning?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart & John Oliver on America's Trump Monarchy Era | David Remnick
That's the sales pitch. We just need someone on their side willing to lose everything for progress, like a Russian dog being shot into space. You can see the Democrats' backbone on our new show, America Backslides, starring Dan Goldman as hopeful loser. But fine. We have to rely on Republicans in Congress to be a check on Trump.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
We're supposed to trust this guy because he wrote The Art of the Deal. You ever say, I got the book. I got the book, Art of the Deal. Yeah, that's why we're supposed to trust him. You ever look at Chapter 9 in Art of the Deal? It's about how smart Trump is about his casino in Atlantic City. Oh, oh, yeah, Chapter 9. I built a casino in Atlantic City. I'm a business genius.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Whatever happened to the casino, Donald? Trust me. Look, you make a big announcement, but your reciprocal tariff formula was just the trade deficit divided by imports equation. And when you got busted on that, you threw out this ridiculous calculus problem that's just shapes that it boils down to the trade deficit divided by imports.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
which is the formula that got the rich country of Lesotho hit with 50% tariffs. Lesotho. Yo, your free ride's over, you denim-making fat cats. But we continue to blame everybody else in the world that we designed and policed after World War II. We're the richest country in the world ever. We're not the world's victims. If we have inequalities in this country, that's on us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
It's not a supply problem. It's not unfair trade for the most part. It's an investment and distribution problem. It's our f***ing fault. And I'm not saying we can't make adjustments and renegotiate things, but it didn't have to be this reckless. You killed the hostage and then went, so, ransom?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Financial destruction not seen since the pandemic. And this time, there's no controversy over how it all started. There's no wet market. You, Trump, released the contagion. It's your lab leak. And it's right out in the open. This is like if the researchers at the Wuhan Institute of Virology walked out to the Great Lawn with a Tupperware and went, we have an exciting announcement.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
When we come back, Rob Emanuel will join us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
My guest tonight, former two-term mayor of Chicago. He has worked for three Democratic presidents, served as U.S. ambassador to Japan under Joseph Biden. Please welcome to the program Rahm Emanuel. What's happening, man? You were back. You were in Japan. Yes. As the ambassador. And it's still in L.A., Oh, but until a week ago. I was going to say, check your phone.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Then you come back, and you recently just took a new job. What did you, what's your new job?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Terrence! Now, you might remember when Donald Trump was reelected, Wall Street was thrilled, excited about deregulation, tax cuts, and the fact that you could once again call people sugar tits.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
What's your job?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
And when you got there, let me ask you a question. When you got there, how was it going?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Yeah, tariffs. Was this a completely unexpected... I mean, he's been talking about tariffs forever. It seems like, did your bank... set aside anything for it? Did they know this was coming? Did they put... Is there a basement where they keep things?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
You think a trillion a week?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
I agree. He takes it very easy. Is this the colonic that we need? In your mind.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
No, no, no, no. We're robots.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
But don't we all... Doesn't everybody trade with everybody?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Right. But don't you think this is his MO? You know, I'm going to tell you a story. This is really the wrong direction to go in, but I'm going to do it anyway.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
What is this, the 40s? Yeah, yeah. I'll give you an Excedrin and a Paul Maul, and you'll be fine. Oh, you're lucky I didn't... For God's sake. I can give you something McKinley used. Here we go. Oh, don't do that. So I had a dog, and the dog would go outside, and he would eat whatever he could find outside, and generally things that a dog shouldn't eat. I'm worried where this is going.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
He comes back into the house. Everything's fine. And you would go out. In the middle of the night, he would wake up, and he would vomit on the bed. I would turn the light on, and I would look to try and go get stuff to clean it. Then he would eat the vomit... And then look at me and go, I did good, right? Do you see what I'm saying? Isn't that what this is?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Trump, I guarantee you, here's what's going to happen. Trump is going to announce he's going to eat the vomit and look at the country and go, huh?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
But they had Belt and Road. They were making tons of relationships with people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Party manufacturing in Malaysia. All over the world.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
I've never seen anything... I like my dog vomit metaphor much better than yours. I feel like mine was very direct. Yours... Now I'm thinking about seeding and everything else.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
The R-word and the P-word? Well, I can tell you today that that top banker is definitely using both of those words. Perhaps even adding motherfucker.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
His people were the majority of the voters in this country.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Let me tell you this, and from your whole rant there, no f***ing way you're 5'8". There's no way. No way. There's no way. I'm 5'7", and I could dunk on you. Come on, let's go. Not a chance. So listen to this. I play Jewish basketball. THAT'S WILL CHAMBERLAND. TRUMP IS GOING TO SAY WHAT HE'S GOING TO DO IS GO, I JUST MADE A DEAL. HE DID THE SAME THING THE LAST TIME.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
CHINA JUST SAID THEY'RE GOING TO BUY ALL OUR PORK AND ALL OUR SOYBEANS. IT'S THE BEST DEAL ANYBODY HAS EVER MADE. THEY DON'T ACTUALLY EVER DO IT. NOBODY EVER CHECKS ON IT. Even if you wanted to renegotiate our trade agreements or create a fair system or whatever it is you want to do, why would you do it in such a reckless fashion?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
That was the point of the whole story.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Now, let's do the other side of the coin.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Democratic policy has led us in some measure to this moment.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
And we got it. And here's the deal. Here's what we do. You want to be the DNC chair? That is a terrible, terrible bumper sticker.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
But in saying all that, then, can't you understand why a percentage of the population would be like, burn it down? No. I don't care.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
But that's not owning the Democratic failure.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
But even when they did it, I'm going to tell you, I was talking to Ezra Klein. We were talking about rural broadband. Billions of dollars invested in rural broadband. There was a 14-point plan to get companies to the starting line. to go to build. Out of all the companies that jumped in there, everybody dropped out but three.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Nobody got to the starting line by the time their administration was over. They invested in green technology. They didn't build the electric charging stations. How can you go out there and say, we need to raise taxes and money when people don't believe that you're going to spend it? Like, here's what's so upsetting about all of this. Trump is great at diagnosing the problem.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Doge is great at telling you we need efficiency. I think the way they go about it is actually haphazard, cruel, reckless, doesn't fix the problem. But they're not wrong in the diagnosis.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Wait a second. Even that. I'm not saying, look. But let's talk about 2008 for a second. We did bail out corporations. Yes. But people, homeowners, who went under, they lost everything. You're looking at the guy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Where's a Hawaiian shirt to an economic armageddon? What are we doing here? But they pull you in from the pool? Either Financial Channel's Rodney Dangerfield or something? I told my wife about the stock plunge. She said, oh, I thought you guys would never go down there. No, no, no. Haven't done that one in a while.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
It's hard for me to go like, oh, good.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
That's what you argue in the Oval Office? No. They're all like, what should we do about the thing? And you're like, beat them!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Do you ever watch what this president is doing and think, because you did. I do, but I put it on mute. Stop. You're in the overlap. You're watching him do all these different things. Do you ever think, because President Obama, and this is what he used to yell at me about. I don't know if you were there when I used to have to go down there and he would yell at me for a while.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Oh, is that true? All right. So do you watch what this president does in terms of at least the boldness of it, not what he's doing, and think, why didn't we push the edge? and get the things that we thought, rather than getting... If we ran on the audacity of hope, why did we govern on the possible? Is that something?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
It's not even an accusation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
I mean, I... I got it. I'm just adding up how many Americans you've called stupid tonight. I'm just going through the list. No, I start off with the Americans. Children, I want the bankers beaten.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
No, they're not vigilantes. No, it's a cheap high.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
This turmoil could have lasting effects on the global economy, on everyday Americans, and most worryingly, the stock portfolios of members of Congress. Mr. President, now is the time to soothe a worried nation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
The genius who gave us classics like Sleepy Joe and Crooked Hillary just shit out, you're a panic cat? How about hysterocrats? Rapussicans? How about cryontologists? Did the overseas factory you had been sourcing your nicknames from get shut down during the tariff war? So we're going to try this again, Mr. President. Can you ease the fears of this nation like a true leader?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Your economic policy has the same tagline as season three of Squid Game? That's supposed to make us feel better? Only the weak shall die in my economy. By the way, in case you didn't get the point that he doesn't give a f***. He spent the weekend showing, not telling. He played not a round of golf this weekend, a tournament of golf, a three-day tournament.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
812 holes of golf with his live golf Saudi benefactors. And in case you're wondering about the venerated journalists who are now allowed to be in the press pool, this was literally the first question he was asked on Air Force One in the middle of a financial meltdown.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
I'm a good boy. Good boy, good golf. I know the stock market is not the totality of the economy, but if I remember correctly, in the run up to the election, Trump seemed very concerned about the stock market.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
And anything she can do, I can do better. I can do it on my own. I won, Mom. Hey, Mom. Hey, Mom, look. Hey, Mom, look, no economy. Please love me. And it didn't have to happen like this. Trump had so many options to shape the world economy into the one he thought was fairer. He could have proposed some incentives to bring back manufacturing.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
He could have gone sector to sector, nation to nation, negotiate better trade reciprocal agreements. But he had to go to full Teresa.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
I was just... I was just... I was just... No, stop. Say, say, say. We got time. Can I tell you something? And I mean this sincerely. Ever since we started spraying the audience with cocaine before the show... Welcome to The Daily Show. My name is Jon Stewart. Great show for you tonight. Rahm Emanuel will be joining me later to remind me. He'll be out here.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
To be fair to the Trump administration, they did give it almost two months and no effort before they asked ChatGPT what it thought they should do. But for those of us who've been tricked into believing that an economic crisis is a crisis, Trump's people have an answer.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Live, laugh, love. That's what I always say. You know what I say to all you? It's 401k somewhere. And when did the right become so chill? Aren't you the Bud Lights turning my kids trans, folks? But economic meltdown and you're getting all philosophical? Losing money costs you nothing.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Except money. Losing money costs you money. It's the definition of losing money. And I know you go, well, it's going to be worth it to get the character of the country that we want back again. But we have no f***ing idea if that's actually what's going to happen. You're all acting like the tariff regime is a tried and true remedy. Oh, of course. This is the medicine that's always prescribed.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Except the last time it was tried 100 years ago, we had a Great Depression.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
So everyone relax. This is merely a routine rat poison colonoscopy. By the way, what's the right dosage of rat poison? Oh, if you get enough of it, hey, your headache will be gone. And by the way, I mean, this is slightly off topic, but the colonoscopy guy? His name is John Tobacco? That's a witness protection thing, isn't it? So here's how it's going to go. Your new name is John Tobacco.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Say it back to me. John Tobacco. Your name is John Tobacco. Say it back to me. John Tobacco. Your new profession is you do anus metaphors on Newsmax. Your name is John Tobacco. You do anus metaphor. Say it back to me. Say it back to me.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
By the way, if Trump wants us to stay the course with his radical plan, you might want to think of a strategy that inspires our confidence that you all know what you're doing. Like, for instance, these tariffs. Is this a negotiation?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Let me make this very clear. This is not a negotiation. This is not that. This is a national emergency. Okay, it's a national emergency. It's not a negotiation. Well, I don't agree, but at least I have some clarity now.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
So much rat poison. So is this a negotiation or is this permanent?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Reminding me just which one of the three brothers he is again. I don't know. Is he the one that owns UFC? Does it matter at this point? But that is later. First, as you know, our economy... Our economy is in the midst of a beautiful metamorphosis. Turning from a simple caterpillar into a dead caterpillar. So let's get into it with another exciting installment of Trade Wars.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
How much White Lotus did you people watch? What is permanence in this negotiated life we live? Have a pina colada. Forget about if they're permanent or not permanent. What are we doing? How will this bring jobs back? What are these jobs? Commerce Secretary Lutnick.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
This is all so that millions of Americans can develop the dexterity. I can't even get the lint out of the charging area on my phone. Now I gotta do-do-do-do.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
So it's not the screws, We're going to be robot mechanics. The robots do the screwing, and we're just there to make sure the robots are lubed and ready to screw. That is the American renaissance. We are robot fluffers. We are waiting. This is all...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
So if I'm an American manufacturer, how long do these onerous tariffs have to stay in place to convince me to build my army of automated screw and robot mechanics?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Jon Stewart from Popular Robot Mechanics. I've never built a fully automated robot factory before, but is days and weeks enough time? or too much time. Feels like it would take a month. Well, I guess that's silver lining number one of this trade war. Want something even more underwhelming? Here's the Treasury Secretary on if we've heard the good news on the stock collapse.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump's Botched Tariff Rollout & Market Meltdown | Rahm Emanuel
Blink twice if you want to be saved. I was very impressed that in the market crash, the building is still standing. You know, I was very impressed by the way that the Titanic just slid into the water. Almost like it was taking a bath. Just dipping a toe. Those drownings should take great comfort in the lack of backsplash.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Yes, I'm sure your heart, in quotation marks, is breaking. But in your little zero-sum formulation, you are correct. Total capitulation by Ukraine, loss of all their mineral wealth, and no security guarantees is still better than World War III.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
or now but you know everything sounds better if the only other option you're presenting us is world war three you can listen to the amelia perez composer freestyle another verse at the oscars or world war three eventually you will agree to hear another verse by a hair These guys are so up Trump's ass. They can't even admit that this meeting was Russia's wet dream.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Yes, people get terribly afraid when someone viciously takes their side. They must be quaking in their... What do Russians wear on their feet? I don't. Is it shoes inside other shoes and then they get very small? Until the last shoe that you take off is a tiny shoe and you're really, you're positive this has got to be the last shoe. But no, you're a little baby tiny shoe. You're a little baby.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
You're a little baby tiny shoe. You know what? Putin must be quaking. Let's get the this is the actual Russian state television view on Russia's fearfulness.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
show. How are you? My name is John Stewart. Thank you. Oh, man. Thank you. We got a great showboy tonight. I'm very excited.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Not only are the Russians not fearful, they're f***ing delighted. you know how hard it is to delight a russian there's only two ways to do it break up the western democratic order or bear on roller skates it's the only two ways or social media dash cam death three things really look none of this is to say zelensky handled this meeting well
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Everyone knows by now Trump's love language is subservience. If he calls your wife ugly, you praise him. If he calls you widdle, you run his State Department. And if you're a foreign leader who wants to be on good terms with America, you've got to butter Trump up like he's Texas toast. British PM Keir Starmer knows how it's done.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
As you can see, I am fully healed. This is what caused all the commotion. They glued it back together. Where is it? They glued it back together. Boom. That's all. That's it. That's what nearly brought an old man down. A tiny punctured wound that all the blood in my body went, let's go! We got a hell of a show tonight.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
That's how you do it, Zelensky! It's a legend from the game!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
It's got a wax seal on it! It was brought here by Harry Potter's owl! What a delight!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
The king is throwing you a ball, you'll be the bell of the ball, and then I'll sweep your chimney! Zelensky shouldn't have gone in there with Russia hasn't abided by any ceasefire agreements, so we can't trust him. He should have gone in there with a dessert cart and a Kiev hotel opportunity.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
So this meeting has deeply wounded America's alliance with Ukraine, as well as the rest of Europe and the punditocracy. It's having a hard time figuring out the strategy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
You poor, dumb bastards. It makes perfect sense if only you watched professional wrestling. Do you get it? It was a heel turn. I'll explain it again. It was a heel turn designed to create the alliance Trump always wanted in the first place. What's to understand? Trump and the Republicans like Putin better. Just listen to Putin.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Will and Grace reboot Amigama. It sounds like Putin is primarying Marjorie Taylor Greene from the right. A woman who, by the way, gives up the whole point of this realignment.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
By bombing other Christians. So everyone's wondering, why isn't Trump aligning himself with the West? In his mind, he is. Western civilization, not Europe. To most of us, Russia is not that. Because we, and historically everyone, has used the West to mean Western values. Europe represents the expansion of liberties advocated by great Enlightenment thinkers like Locke, Voltaire, and Rousseau.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
But to MAGA, This is Europe. It's f***ing gay. Super gay. When MAGA talks about Western civilization, they mean the Knights Templar. Still pretty f***ing gay. I gotta say. But excitingly so. But that's the thing. It's not democracy versus dictatorship or capitalism versus communism anymore. It's woke versus unwoke. And Russia is not woke. They're very tired. They're comatose.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
It wasn't decided in a particularly volatile meeting on Friday. You got to give credit where credit is due to MAGA architect Steve Bannon. They've been working on taking out the EU for a while now.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
My guest, sociologist and author Matthew Desmond is going to be... They love him. They love him. Fresh off his upset win as best supporting actor. And the crowd goes wild. But first, if I can just pick up something from the last time that I was out here. I made a bit of a critique of Elon Musk and the Doge program. Let me reset the scene. I am not allowed to have big boy mugs anymore.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Holy shit. What a concise, centrally planned social engineering scheme. But here we are, the end result of a scripted arc that culminates in America betraying its old alliance for the lure of a strongman partnership that carves up the world's rich bounties and places classic democratic values behind transactional convenience. So say it with me, conspiracy theorists.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
By design, it's a new world order. So Europe, sadly, if I may. When we come back, Matthew Desmond's here. Don't go away.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
What about the Daily Show?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
My guest tonight, he's a sociologist at Princeton University and a Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Evicted. His latest book is called Poverty by America. Please welcome to the program, Matthew Desmond. Sir! Thanks for being here. Let me say this. Fabulous book. Thank you. Filled with such interesting research and unusual and I think really interesting ideas. I mean...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Does America require poverty to function in the way that we do? Is it a requirement of our society? Yeah, no, I don't think so. No, no, no, I mean, is the system we run, do they require poverty? in the capitalist system, people in poverty to function at maximum profit.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
This system can work. You say something in the book that blew my mind, which is there's a part in there where you talk about the tax burden.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
And if we just collected the taxes that were owed, it would account for one point something trillion dollars. And your calculation of how we could end poverty in this country was how much money?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Just with and without levying other taxes, just collecting what we need. Right. I mean, so like... So, wah, wah, wah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Like, when you say that, I just go, no! Right, right. That cannot, that can't be. Right. But be. Right. That's insane. And it's not, the one thing I will say, it's not like we don't spend money on alleviating poverty. We do, the budget for America was what, 3.7 trillion 10 years ago. Now it's like 7 trillion. Yeah. We do spend the money. Are we just spending it inefficiently?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Our poverty levels are higher than almost all other countries in the industrial world.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
So it's... I don't even want to know what the German word for that is. But sure, it's very long and sounds like someone has bronchitis. Right. But this is the part that's shocking. We've done things. I'm going to go back to the pandemic, that there was the era, the rent assistance program and the child tax credits. Poverty dropped in the pandemic when people were really suffering.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
There was an actual meeting of the safety department of Paramount and Viacom that was like, no more ceramic for Mr. Stewart. So they wanted to baby-proof. So this is... Anyway, we had some critiques about Doge after the show Governor Musk tweeted, or X'd, I guess, that he would like to come on here and talk to me as long as the show airs unedited. So I thought about it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
So we naturally, at that point, had to end it very quickly, that program.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
And so I think the big- Is it a question of-
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
when we think about we always think like well for people below the poverty line, there's a ton of programs for them, but I'm a little bit above it and my parents are getting older and my kids are going to school and I'm in a tight squeeze and quite frankly, I don't want any resources that I might have to pay and are there too many people even above poverty who are struggling but feel like
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
I'M NOT GETTING ANY VALUE ON MY RETURN FOR TAX DOLLARS. ISN'T THERE A LITTLE RESOURCE GUARDING? AND BY THE WAY, NOT WITHOUT CAUSE.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Right. You know, here's where they go with that. And this is the thing that I would like you to talk about, which is what they would say is, oh, yeah, but the top 10 percent, 20 percent, they pay all the taxes. I don't think people understand. what a regressive tax system we really have for people, not just at poverty, but working class, middle class, that comes from sales taxes and everything.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
People pay much more percentage of their income at the lower levels, even though it's not federally taxed.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
So what is going wrong? If you were Doge, if you were there to say, how could we do this more efficiently to get people that are struggling to alleviate that? Because in many other countries, they do do that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
A trillion. A trillion. Yeah. Those poor people are getting away with a ton. Right. A trillion a year and alleviating poverty would be 200 billion a year. Right. Is there something in the system of federalism that means those dollars to the poor?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Like, if Walmart has a $5 billion or $10 billion profit, and yet still a lot of their workers are on public assistance or struggle, who might not be below poverty line, but just above it, how are we not penalizing them?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Is it that poor people need better lobbyists? Is that what this is? Like, how does this get done?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
And after a prayerful week with my family, well, a family, This is a family hall pass situation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Is there something, too, to getting the government to value labor again in the way that they value capital? Capital being taxed at gains that are much lower. There's a lot of rules that ease capital. Stock buybacks, you only have to answer to shareholders. Is there a way to get workers in on that? Because that seems like where the accumulation of wealth seems the greatest. How do we plug
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
labor into that stream without necessarily killing the stream, but letting it really, getting them into the flow of it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Why do they fight that?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
But don't you think the financialization of our economy changed that calculus? You know, we used to think about IBM, the blue chip companies. You would invest in them, and they would have steady growth, and they would give you dividends, and you would work for them for 40 years.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
You know, I was thinking, you know, if you were to reasonably watch the news networks, the little bug in the corner is... the stock market, right? If you go to a hospital, they plug you into a machine. It gives you your pulse, your blood pressure, you know, all that. You would be well within your rights to think, that is the measure of my health. I'm looking at that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
When you watch that, you would think, oh, that must be the measure of our economy's health. Is there a way to educate the public that that's not actually our economy? That's just a... tiny fraction that goes mostly to, I don't know, the top 10% own 50% of the wealth in the stock market. What other measures would give people a better sense of how we're failing?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Yes!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
How many people have parents that need elder care, but it's squeezing them because their kids are going to cut? Like, give a sense of that. By the way, I reopened that cut just by hitting like that. Oh, man. Just by doing that. I can't even do this anymore. Critique it now from the left a little bit. Are there things that the left advocates for or does that makes this realignment harder?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
We do. Wait, is it written on there?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Here's what I always worry about, and I worry about this with climate. It always comes down to, for some reason on the left, you people just have to be better people, and that'll put pressure on it. I feel like the whole point of joining as a society is that a system can alleviate that, like, I just don't know how we get out of it without it coming from legislation. I don't know.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
You don't want to know, and quite frankly, I don't want to know. But after thinking about his offer, I thought, you know, hey... That's actually how the in-studio interviews normally air. It's unedited, so sure. We'd be delighted. As a matter of fact, let me sweeten or unsweeten the pot. The interview can be 15 minutes, it can be an hour, it can be two hours, whatever.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
I mean, when you say, like, we've got to call our congressman, I'm like, I've been in that situation where you call congressman, it does diddly-poo. Like, they're not even answering, and half the time, they don't even know the ins and outs of what you're talking about. Like, the country's held together by hundreds and hundreds of legislative aides that are working tirelessly.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Isn't there... Can't we... Present them. I would love to see you lobby in Washington because I feel like you have interesting ideas that haven't tried. We're not walking down the same tired path. Right. Is that a possibility or no? Are they open to that? Me going to Washington? Yes. People like you. I don't know.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Yep.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
For real?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Yeah, yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
If you wouldn't mind. But doesn't that speak to that the systems then have to... Here's what I would say. We think of poverty as a vice. And we think of entitlements as a moral hazard for vice. Why don't we view it as investment? Why don't we view... Like, what a great economic engine for this country to take areas that have suffered entrenched poverty and rejuvenate them in a different way.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Yes.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
I got to tell you, out of all that argument, that to me was the most concise...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
and powerful because and it's one that i really haven't heard which is you don't understand like we're not just giving people uh money we're investing and getting a huge return and all these corporate subsidies are not getting us a good return right exactly that's that's fabulous right there that is anyone watching this i really appreciate it uh this book if you get a chance
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
It will open your eyes to a system that can often be well-meaning but not function in the manner that it purports to be functioning. And it's really a wonderfully accessible journey through that. So I really appreciate the book. Be sure to check out Poverty by America. Matthew Desmond, we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
I'll be honest, I don't think this network makes any other programming. So we can do whatever the we want as long as we rap before the new season of South Park, which comes out like May or June of 2026. So I am game. I think it'll be a very interesting conversation. But then I checked X again and I saw another tweet from Elon because you can't not.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
That's our show for tonight. Before we go, we're going to check in with your host for the rest of the week, Mr. Michael Kosta. Michael Kosta! What do you got for us?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
So shouldn't you have bought, like, Canadian and Mexican products? Hmm. Hmm.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Here it is. Your moment is up.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
And he then said, after saying, I'd like to come on, Jon Stewart cannot be trusted and that I am a propagandist and... You give me too little credit. And that I am not bipartisan. Again, the guy who custom made his own dark MAGA hat... that he wears to opine in the Oval Office with the president who he spent $270 million to elect thinks I'm just too partisan.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
I'm really not sure what he thinks bipartisan means, but it's generally not I support Donald Trump and also Germany's AFD party. That's not bipartisan. That's just the same shit. So I guess what I would say is this. Look, Elon. I do have some criticisms about Doge.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
I support, in general, the idea of efficiency and delivering better services to the American public in cheaper and more efficient ways. And if you want to come on and talk about it on the show, great. If you don't want to, sure. But can we just drop the pretense that you won't do it because I don't measure up to the standards of neutral discourse that you demand and display at all times?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Because, quite frankly...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
You know it. I know it. Bullshit.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
So let's get to the big story. Americans are still trying to process the global realignment that has occurred following the disastrous Oval Office meeting between the president, J.D. Vance, and Vladimir Zelensky. What happened, they say? Are we still America, they say? Whose side are we on, they say? It's complicated.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
The best way that I can explain what happened and show Americans how to process this new reality was with another shocking turn of events from this weekend.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
If that does not immediately explain to you our current geopolitical climate, you must have grown out of watching wrestling through the normal course of aging. I, on the other hand, understand this in my bones. This explains it, folks. All of your shock, all of your disappointment, all of your anger. It's in there. It's in the square circle. You see, Saturday night. Oh, we're doing this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Saturday night. John Cena, the good guy of professional wrestling, Mr. Hustle, the champ, the man who stood for everything, truth, justice, the guy who literally holds the record for the most Make-A-Wish Foundation meetings of all time. People would get cancer just to meet John Cena. Last weekend, Cena flipped the script and went from being a face, a good guy, to a heel, a bad guy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Now, if you don't follow professional wrestling, and I'm guessing if you watch this show, you do not. All right. But let me continue to bore you with this metaphor. So here's what happened. The current WWE champion is one Cody Rhodes. Seven people say around. Cody Rhodes is the people's champ, unquestioned bravery. He stands in for Zelensky in this metaphor.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
A couple of weeks ago, The Rock, the now evil owner of the WWE, Putin in our story, made Cody Rhodes an offer. The one thing that I want more than anything in this world is that I want your soul. He wants Zelensky's soul. But sir, but sir, I am smaller and weaker than you. It will take incredible bravery for me to protect my soul and the soul of my people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
But luckily, I am not protecting my soul alone. for I have the support of the great John Cena! So, Cody Rhodes, Zelensky, told Vladimir Putin, Rock, no soul for you, motherfucker! And that's when they met in the Oval Office. America went to hug Zelensky, but when America looked up, somehow, Putin said,
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
had given john cena the international sign for its time and rather than repudiate putin america smelled what the rock was cooking and through that borschty haze america delivered the nut shot the nut shot to the hopes and dreams of ukrainians everywhere and then for no reason america jumped on zielinski and started punching him in the face as many times as he could
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Too simplistic? No? This is it!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Am I being too simplistic, assigning to the delicate art of realpolitik a scripted outcome? Perhaps. But judge for yourself.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
It sure wasn't. But isn't that what you want from the high-stakes diplomacy and real-life urgency that ending war demands? And you know, even reporters got some nut shots in. Why don't you wear a suit? Oh, shit! No, you didn't! Let's do the dozens. Oh, Zelensky, you're so poor and war-torn, you're down to one Brooks brother. Oh, shit!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
You're so war torn, you've given up the meaningless protocols of business attire. If you think I'm pushing this metaphor, look at the stunned faces in the crowd at WWE when John Cena turned heel. I now present you the equally stunned faces of those watching this Oval Office pay-per-view.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
You broke Christiane Amanpour. The woman wanders unprotected through Taliban-controlled Afghanistan. Doesn't give a f***. Ten minutes of Trump diplomacy and she's like, is anyone else dizzy? Hi. My A1C is plunging. Now, of course, there is one big difference between the WWE and the world of politics. In the WWE, they seem very clear on who the good guys and who the bad guys are.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
Nobody walked out of the match pretending that the guy who got nut-shotted was the bad guy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
He was a real scallywag. You know what I would say if I was there in the Oval Office with him? I'd say, you better watch your tone, mister. I think it was Churchill who during World War II was roundly criticized for being a bit lippy. Excuse me, mister, we'll decide where you're going to fight them, whether it's on the beaches or not or whatever. guy, Zelensky, his nation was invaded.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
He's against all odds held off a much bigger army for three years. And we're like, would it kill you to smile a little more? Dress a little nicer. You're a beautiful country. Nobody would know. Show off what you got. You know what I'm talking about? Maybe some of those rare metals I've been hearing something about.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
But, of course, if you criticize Trump's very clear hostility to Zelensky and very clear appreciation of Putin as being suspicious or a repudiation of American values, as they've been outlined since World War II, Trump's people quickly set up straw men north of Richmond.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
We're not saying there should be no negotiations. We're just surprised at the side you seem to be negotiating for.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s Heel Turn on Zelenskyy & Elon's Interview Challenge | Matthew Desmond
I'm pretty sure everybody wants it. Everybody wants to end all... Hitler wanted to end the war, just not the way it ended. You're pretending that we have... we have no other options.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
aroused. For more on DEI and what it's going to do to our country, let's go live to the White House correspondent, Josh Johnson. Josh! Nice to see you, sir. Let me ask you, I know this is an important subject to you. Josh, what are you hearing about the DEI initiatives?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Wait, what's going on? I'm sorry, Desi, this is Josh's report.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
They're saying Bruce for no apparent reason. When Trump ran for president, he had an urgent message about the state of our country.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
I'm sorry, Desi, but what about the executive orders changes our current situation?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Isn't this the problem, guys? Trump's reducing us to rungs on a racial and gender hierarchy. We shouldn't be ranking our identities. Exactly.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Back to you, John. Thank you very much, Michael. You know, I guess if there's one thing that we've learned here today... Is it because of the Jewish thing or the age thing? Doesn't matter.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
When we come back, my guest will be Mo Ammer. Stick around. I'm Gentile Stewart.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
My guest tonight, oh, he's lovely. My guest tonight, a writer and stand-up comedian. He stars in the Peabody Award-winning Netflix series, Moe. Please welcome Moe Armour.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
How dare you? If anything, America is a recycling bin. Useless and made almost entirely of plastic. But that's it. We have to fight to save our country. And now daddy's home. And he's about to take out the trash. And two weeks into the Trump presidency, we have a better sense of the evil and powerful forces that have been dragging our once great nation into decline.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
The show's so good. Thank you. Season two. It just is out on Netflix right now. Right now. And people should watch. I binged it. And it's just. Let me tell you something that bothers me a little bit. And this is not. I'm not trying to, obviously, you know, get off on the wrong foot. And obviously, there's a lot to talk about.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Trying to keep things quiet. When you're so funny and your comedy is so good, and then I find out watching this show that you're also a great actor, and that bothers me. You're so good.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
You know, my kids don't even believe that that was me. That's how bad erosion has taken its course. No.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
You can get to, like, a very emotional place in this thing, in a way. And I've known you for a very long time. And I know that you cry all the time, just generally. Why are you doing this? How is that, like, to even get to that?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And it's also, you know, for those who don't know, so it's the story. Your story is complex. And it's, you're born in Kuwait, right? Yep. Then you have to flee. Correct. And you end in Houston.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Most people go from Kuwait generally to Fort Worth. But Houston is also... And so what's so interesting about your story is what's great about the show is you don't sugarcoat the absurd measures that we in this country have around our immigration system and the various questions and steps. There's one of my favorite scenes in the show in the second season.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
I love the first one too, but you're trying to get, he gets kidnapped and taken to Mexico. And now he's got to get back as a stateless person.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
You're there. You need this what's called a laissez-passer. Correct. What is that?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
You're in Houston.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Who cares? speaks English perfectly.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And you start quoting Hank Williams songs.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
But what it really demonstrates is the tenuousness that somebody who is stateless or on these asylum papers or in this process, like you can't f*** up. At all. Like you can't make one mistake. At one point they put the you get deported. Yes, because as it's a great scene and he meets the ambassador of Mexico because he needs the laissez passe.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
He finally gets him to see the ambassador to Mexico. And it's there. It's right there in front of him. And they happen to get on a conversation about Israel-Palestine. And the ambassador doesn't use the word occupation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And Moe, and this is so great in the scene because he's right there, just blows up the whole process and goes, that's it, I'm out.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
But even bringing that complexity, you know, you have this whole complexity of statelessness and asylum and all the process they have to go through through the first season. And a special needs brother who is fashioned out of your actual brother. Yes. Who's got on the spectrum but doesn't know it. Yes. And is almost 40?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Yes, in the show.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And in this season, you couldn't also escape the Israel-Palestine of it all.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And the complexity of that must have brought to the writers' room, to your heart. And you and I have talked about this a lot.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
They have no idea the damage tea was doing to our nation. Consonants! Because I think you'll agree with me, there is no tea in USA. If you spell it out, obviously that becomes an issue. And if you want a BLT for lunch, things can get ugly, but... Nothing will stop America's low T, like no T. What other changes are making us great again?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
I think what you did so well that I was so impressed with was... navigating all those artistic difficulties, what you seem to settle on was, and it's a show about statelessness and not belonging, and in that final episode, you show that connection to the land.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
that your family has to the land, that your father in that, you know, he has a videotape of his father, an actual real videotape of your actual father. Yes, that's correct. Who, unfortunately, you lost a while ago.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And to see that, it made it all, I thought it was such a beautiful moment that contextualized
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
this in such a way of of humanity of like oh right it's just people who live on a plot of land with some olive trees who've been there since their grandparents and their great-grandparents and and boy you did it just so beautifully mo i i can't give you enough flowers for and i know there's always that you just said like the pressure on you're the only palestinian chosen you have to do it right this way or you've got to tell the israeli story the thing about art
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
that you did so well was you told your story. Yeah. It's just one story. But boy, is it resonant. And boy, is it funny and complex and beautiful like you. And I just so appreciate you. Thank you. I appreciate you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
I've also seen you riding a moped, and that's very funny.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
That's right. Except when you're in Ohio.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Now, do you feel like this is completed and now it's off to the races for stand-up and all the other things that you do?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
It's explained in the show, actually. It's crazy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
You played it like an Abbott and Castello routine on the show. He's like, so I'm deported. Yes. But I can't leave. Correct. Yes. Were the reasons that you were giving in the show for that, are those real? Could you not be deported because they wouldn't send you to, because you're stateless?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Can I ask this? Was the ankle monitor thing... I know. Look at this guy. He's so confused. Oh, yeah. Jaw drop.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
The ankle bracelet, does it have a communication device? Is that a real thing? It is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
So... It was one of my favorite moments of the show. You're having... You have very painful discussions with your old girlfriend and you guys. And they have a really painful discussion. They break up, and you just hear from the ankle monitor, brutal. Brutal. Such a great moment. My brother. My brother. I love you so much.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
I'm so just delighted for you in your life and in your art and all those different things. And I can't wait to see what the next thing is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
I love you so much, John. My man. Thank you so much.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Consonants and pronouns. Your next prepositions. No more pronouns and email signatures. Good luck signing your emails now, President She. Or should I say President Him? Those are just the actions that this president has taken to prove that he's still kind of a dick. But believe me, he hasn't taken his eye off of America's true nation-state enemies.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Desi Lydic will be your host for the rest of the week. Here it is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
President Trump is reiterating his threat to, quote, take back the Panama Canal. Trump suggesting he could use military force to take Greenland.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Denmark, Panama, Greenland, the axis of, where are those? Now, lest you think that pronouns and Panama were the twin forces shackling America to a prison of national decay, there are also more powerful forces at play in this dangerous world, some of them closer than what you might have ever imagined.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
What is happening? The EU? Canada? Do we have any friends? I mean, Mexico, I get. Trump's been hate-f***ing Mexico pretty much since the escalator. That's the truth. But Canada? Canada? We're picking a fight with our most reliable and pleasant friend, the labradoodle of allies? Yes. But I guess that's Trump tough. You know what I mean? You gotta walk into the prison yard.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Walk right up to the one guy who really doesn't seem to be a problem at all. And just, yeah! Take that, best friend! Who has willingly signed up to fight in every ridiculous war we've ever gotten into. Let that be a lesson to the rest of the world. We are a terrible friend. Denmark, Panama, and Canada aren't America. We used to fight the Nazis. Now we're scouring the globe for easy marks?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
What are we, the Jake Paul of nations? I know. Is that what we're doing? No offense. I know China's out there, but Panama's a legitimate fight. In fact, I'm going to call everyone out in FIFA's CONCACAF division. Yeah! Oh, Trinidad and Tobago, you got a gang up, huh? That honestly, like, I can't believe you laughed at a CONCACAF joke. Soccer is back, baby!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Look at me getting all skewed in the tie. Now, in Trump's defense, he did explain today why we're going after Canada.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
They're so bad. So bad. The trade deals with Canada, they're so bad. He's just looking and saying, who made these? Ladies and gentlemen, don't get ahead of me. Ladies and gentlemen, for your dining and dancing pleasure, come with me into the Wayback Machine to 2018. I give you the culprit of the terrible deal with Canada.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
A deal done by Trump's greatest nemesis. Trump. Now, hold on. But President Trump. This trade war has awoken a sleeping giant. Not Canada, not Mexico, but the Democratic minority Senate leader. Release the Schumer!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Your response to the trade war is to tell us guacamole is made of avocados? Is that what?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Democrats, can you please stop f***ing trotting Schumer out there? Every time Trump traverses into the unreal, he's not good at this. What is the decision-making process here? Hey, who should we get out there to effectively battle one of the most savvy presidential media manipulators in history? I don't know. How about Schumer? He's uninteresting, but at least he's monotone. Oh, wait.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And Chuck, before you go out there, you look too young. Put on these readers and lower them on your nose. Perfect! Honestly, listening to Chuck Schumer speak on almost any topic makes me want to bomb Canada. Kidding, of course, by the way. We have a couple of Canadians here from Montreal, and I don't want to upset them because I'm going to need an apartment soon. Now, before we...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Before we get rattled by Trump's two to two and a half front trade war, please understand Mexico has already today received a 30 day stay on tariffs by promising 10,000 troops to the border. And we've promised to stop the inflow of guns. So self-invented crisis averted. But what can Canada do? I'm sure there's an equally performative gesture Canada could make.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
What I'd like to see, Canada become our 51st state. Mexico, you just sent a few troops to the border. But Canada, if you could, I don't know, cease to exist as an independent entity. Fair? What's that, Mexico? No, no, there's only 51 states. There's no 52nd. I'm sorry. Hold on one second. Washington, D.C.? Yeah, go f*** yourself. All right. What's that, Puerto Rico? No, it's Canada.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
I think you know why. I think you know why. Canada. All right. Of course, by the way, since we even were writing this show at like 4 p.m., Trump has already said now he's going to pause the tariff war with Canada as well because... Of course, it makes sense to wrap up the trade war right now so that we as a country can focus on the biggest thing that's weakening our great nation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Diversity, equity, and inclusion. Yes, DEI, diversity, equity, and inclusion. MAGA Worlds blamed this scourge for everything from the fires in California to the attack on Bourbon Street to inflation to the Baltimore Bridge collapse to why your children are confused about the race of mermaids. Because mermaids, boys and girls, are gingers. They've always been that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Let me tell you, we got a fantastic show for you tonight. We're going to do our program. Later on in the program, we're going to be talking to comedian, writer, director, auteur, Mo Ammer. That's coming up in a bit. Very excited about that. But first, if I could have just a moment of your time. Let's talk about America's Lord and Savior. Donald Jehoshaphat for Trump. They're not booing.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
The latest example being the plane crash in Washington. It was the DEI-ist. But don't take my word for it. Let's let MTV's Road Rules star and Fox & Friends B-teamer... Explain DEI.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
It is colorblind and merit-based. Look, there's a lot of reasons why the FAA is in a bad place. But these guys would have you believe that the main problem is that standards were somehow lowered to make sure that a black person or a gay person gets a chance to land your plane, even though the requirements to become an air traffic controller are the same.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
But by culture warring this tragedy, Americans spent that terrible night holding their breath that the pilot or the air traffic controller wouldn't be a woman or a black person or in a wheelchair. Because what they're trying to do is make the default setting on competence in America a white guy. That's what this is, a reset to the factory default.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Because, of course, these two are there purely based on merit.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
And it's just taken for granted. It undercuts every black person, person of color, woman in this country that the job that they have, they don't deserve. It's the mantra in the Republican Party that gives you brain turning moments like this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
Yes, merit and merit alone, says RNC Chairwoman Lara, hold on, let me get my glasses. Trump. It was a blind submission, never saw her name on the application. That's the irony of this whole thing.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
The people standing next to Trump on that terrible night, blaming DEI and trying to reinstall white guys as the only non-suspect pool of hires are themselves DEI hires for one particular identity that they possess, the ass kisser.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon on Trump’s Trade War, Attacks on DEI & Myth of “Meritocracy” | Mo Amer
D-E-I. Sucking ego inflation. Obviously, if you think of sucking as a compound word. But you can gaslight us all you want, because the one thing you didn't count on is our secret weapon.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
And President Trump has spoken about how important it is for this administration to own their mistakes.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
That old Harry Truman chestnut. This is President Trump living those accountability values. Here he is when he was first asked about the signal chat incident.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
I'm sorry, there's a buck now what? So I was just with you. Accountability. And you people bought it. No, no, no, my friends. Number five is... What? What? That's the get out of jail free card. When all other justifications fail, you can never go wrong with your last list on your doge. Five things you did this week should always be. I have no idea what the you're talking about. Hold on.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
We're gonna check in with our good friend, democracy. Gonna give him the old turn your head and cough. How's democracy doing?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
I think I'm getting a call. And Trump has deployed this strategy better than anyone. For instance, when asked if we're actually deporting like gay hairdressers with Real Madrid tattoos instead of Venezuelan gang members, the president stood on that principle.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Or how about the Justice Department's bizarre decision to pause its case against Eric Adams if he promised to cooperate on immigration? No, nothing about it. Well, OK, but those are just his central policies. Surely the buck literally stops with Trump with the launch of Trump's own crypto coin.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
I don't know much about it other than I launched it. The president of the United States, I don't know much about it except I launched it. Crypto coin, nuclear missiles, I don't know much about it. I just launched them. Hey, Mr. President, could you take this? Yeah, yeah, what should I do with it? Just launch it. You start to wonder, does the buck stop anywhere with this dude?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
January 6th is like your whole brand. It'd be like the hawk to a girl going, actually, I only do hand stuff. Now you're grossed out. So many things that Trump seemingly has no involvement in. Is it possible he's been severed? Is that what all the choreography and merriment is about? Now, maybe you're saying, hey, The man's pushing 80. Maybe it's not a matter of trying to shirk responsibility.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Maybe he legitimately cannot remember any of this shit.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Well, then the only other thought here is that the I don't know, I don't remember is a cynical strategy to avoid the buck stopping anywhere near you and evading accountability at all cost. If only there was one clip. that answered that question.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
I'm sorry, considering the option? What, are you trying to order off-menu from the Constitution? Oh, yeah, I see you got a, what do you got, two terms here, but can I get it animal style? What are you gonna do, a third term?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
When we come back, Oren Kass, don't go away.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
My guest tonight, he is the chief economist at American Compass. It's an economic policy think tank. He writes the newsletter Understanding America. He's the author of the forthcoming book, The New Conservatives. Please welcome to the program, Oren Kass. Oren. Thank you for joining us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
I wanted to have you on. I want to tell you, I really do enjoy your writing. I follow the, I don't know what they're called now, Substack Blog. Substack. Substack. And I read your books. I always find them. I don't necessarily maybe agree with all of it, but I always find it really interesting in really good faith. This is this idea of the new right on the economy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Can you explain what's the deviation from previous orthodoxy and sort of what that entails?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Now, when you say this at the meeting, with the other conservative economists? Did they go, leave us! Like, it really seems like that is fundamental heresy on, you know, I've listened for years. The reason we can't do sort of social engineering or social policy or redistribution of wealth is the government's not in the business of picking winners and losers. That is now off.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
The new right is saying, actually, we do.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Now, you started, though, you worked with Mitt Romney, who was considered the avatar of... Of that, was he open to this idea? Where did it start to find traction for you that a more activist government, this sort of idea of economic policy as kind of social engineering, when did it start to gain traction?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
In the meeting, what does it sound like when the monocles fall out of the eyes? Does it clink? It just feels like one of those, like, oh!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
There had been an incredible- Protecting that manufacturing base or our industrial center. And then I think in COVID, you saw everyone kind of paused and went, oh, we don't have supply lines to make paper masks. Like we don't have anything. Was that where you saw it really get a foothold?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
There are other methods. Did you try one a few years ago? There are other methods for staying in power beyond when you are legally allowed to be there. Historically, some of them involve catapults. Although maybe Trump has something more creative in mind with the Vance thing. Have you guys heard of the movie Face Off? Yeah. So here's how it's going to work.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
This was in the days of Japanese car makers were making cars that were cheaper. People were preferring them. They were dominating the market in America.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
I've read those mixed things about whether or not, like, that five years later, it actually gave too much leverage to these Japanese countries, and they got to drive very hard bargains for American labor in the South. For instance, they didn't build them in Michigan. They didn't build them where union labor was. They built them... They undercut union labor in some respects.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
And bringing that back and giving the country a resilience that that losing that base actually cost us. And this brings us to Liberation Day, which is April 2nd, April 2nd, April 2nd. Mark it down. Liberation Day. The Trump tariffs. We don't know what they are, but we know they'll work. And that we will live on Mars in, what, eight weeks? I don't know what's going to happen.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Do you know what's going to happen on Liberation Day?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
You know, in some respects, though, we regard. I think we're putting a certain. motive on China when, in fact, like these were corporations seeking the lowest water of wages and what they could pay people. And certainly labor can't travel the way that capital does. So.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
You know, I guess the idea is we levy these tariffs, and then these corporations that had been seeking this will all go, oh, okay, it's not worth our while anymore, and they'll reinvest in the states. Is that kind of the broad theory of it?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
And the government decides sort of what those constraints are. So they put guardrails around them. I guess the question I have is, tariffs feel I don't want to say whimsical in the sense of, oh, he, you know, dances downstairs in a tutu and says 25 percent on whiskey. Like, but they are executive actions. And if you're a business making a I assume their plans are five year, 10 year, 20 year.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
If they could just be repealed by the next guy and it's not legislation, is that really an effective incentive for bringing back all that manufacturing?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Trump will watch that movie as the military seizes power. Like, what the fuck? I'm sure at which point Chuck Schumer will say, I will allow it. Because in the third term, we think his popularity will go down to the 30s. So aside from the president saying, I'm not leaving... Is there any other image of the shambolic state of our democracy?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
But wouldn't like the CHIPS Act, right? Wouldn't that be another way of incentivizing without setting up barriers that might be more unpredictable or might be flimsier depending on the whim of an executive? Why don't they embrace that? In the same way, doesn't that add to getting the outcome you want, incentivizing, bringing those jobs back? Why is that unpopular on the right?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Would you rather see it through that kind of industrial policy or is it a real balancing of all those various levers?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Did it surprise you? Because we talk about China as being sort of this ascendant economic power. And by the way, it's not just the manufacturing base of America that has been hurt by that. All the countries near China can't compete. All around there, Indonesia, Malaysia, they're struggling with a very similar thing. But then why go after Canada? Do you know what I mean?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
It all seems so weirdly vindictive And then you're like, and then we're going to take over Greenland. Like, it does feel a little less like rebalancing economic inequities. And we've decided on a new world order where big does what it wants and nation states fall. we go back to a little bit of that colonialist model or imperialist or whatever it was. Is that the concern, I guess?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
But don't you think we're buying influence? I would say... So, his... The Trump view is they're abusing us and using us. I think the view I have is America wants to tell them what to do. And so by leveraging our military might, we have sway. But do we? What have we successfully told Japan or Germany to do?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Stop wearing the lederhosen? I think they've cut down on it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
because, well, the leverage is on when we want to go into Iraq. I guess what I'm saying is what we want them to do is... Well, that was great. That... Listen, I'm not saying it was right, but you have a guy like J.D. Vance goes to Greenland and shits on Denmark. Like, Denmark lost as many people per capita in those wars as we did.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Like, they talk about, you know, Denmark's not defending Greenland enough, like, and we'll do it, but aren't we doing it already? Like, they're in NATO, right? So I guess my point is like that stable world order hasn't mistreated the United States. I guess I don't see us as victims of a con game that Europe has been running on us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
And like the idea that we want Germany to be able to fend off Russia on their own places us in very tenuous position, does it not? Why? I have a book at home. about Germany and their position as a global military power where we didn't have sway. Right. And they did what they wanted. I mean, it didn't work out. Frankly, I don't put a lot of credence. I don't. And by the way, it's also...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Perhaps something that looks like what you might get if you fed the destruction of democracy into an A.I. meme generator. All right. Elon Musk. OK. The richest and most fertile man in the world went to Wisconsin where he came out in a cheese hat before giving million dollar checks to voters in an effort to influence the Supreme Court race in Wisconsin.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
You know what that's about? You know what that's about, Elon? Their culture is not your costume, Musk. Their people... Do not appropriate their dairy chapeaus. You can really get a sense of the fraying of our democracy by tracing the arc of its symbolic headwear. It's still a tri-corner, but it's not the same. Meanwhile, the process of streamlining our beautiful democracy continues apace.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Thank you. Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Thank you. Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
And a couple of months into Trump's second of his, let's say, four to seven terms, he continues to live up to his vaunted apprentice catchphrase, you're fired.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
And so many people, like, so many of the people that use those subsidies are actually working people. They're not, this isn't one of those, like, lazy people sitting on the couch coasting on the government dime. Like, working people with one, sometimes two jobs that still have to subsidize it because they're just not paid enough. And it's very, very difficult.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
But this is, listen, the book, the one...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
We're going to check in with your host for the rest of the week, Michael Kosta. Michael, what do you got for us?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Again, I think those are all digital. I think everything you mentioned was digital. Do you have, you know, like stocks and bonds and savings?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
In the administration's defense, those veterans shouldn't have been having affairs in the first place. That's on them. And by the way, do we need a department for that? The layoffs have been harsh, unpredictable, and needless to say, the mainstream media has been outraged. So what's the end game here? Killing American jobs?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Rooting for Americans to lose jobs. I'm sorry, that's empathy for Tesla workers. Apparently at Fox. Those are the only hardworking Americans whose jobs matter. But the question is, with hundreds of thousands of civil servants being often haphazardly fired, is there any corner, no matter how small, of our current government that is safe from Musk's chainsaw of efficiency?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Yes! Veterans Affairs, Department of Education, USAID, f*** you, f*** you, f*** you! Because all is right at the Department of Accidentally Texting War Stuff to Reporters. But fear not, regular civil service government parasites.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Perhaps this incident offers an opportunity for you all to get the kind of job security that clearly doesn't come from the quality of your work, but the assiness of your kisses. So, for instance, this Friday, when you, as a civil servant, have to send in your mandatory email to Doge listing the five things you did that week,
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
You can keep your job by following the same strategies that these careless Snapchatters employed to keep their jobs. Number one, don't write down, what did I do this week? You know, I took my federal car and went to Hooters and cried there for seven hours. No. You want to save your job, point the same finger of blame that they did for their indiscretions.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Number one. I repaired the damage done by Joe Biden. How could I be up now at my job considering how bad Joe Biden up before? It's not possible. You need to be in your job to repair his damage. You were at the Hooters because Joe Biden wouldn't. Or couldn't rage eat that many wings. All right. Now, you might be thinking, these Doge guys are slicker than that.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
They're not just going to fall for blame Biden. That's why we hired you. You're sharp. It's not your only move.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Hillary Clinton's bit bleaching. Who amongst us hasn't tried to bleach our own bits? I think... Obviously, I'm referring to anuses. So, what are we talking about? Biden doesn't work? Throw a slash. Oh, f***. All right. Number one, that's where you fill in. Blame Biden gets you 80% home. Hillary drives you the rest of the way in the trunk of her car shouting Benghazi. All right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Now, I know that's a bit of a big swing for your number one thing because here's the problem. Neither Joe Biden nor Hillary probably work in your office, which is why for the number two thing you're going to write to the Doge folks, you're going to bring that finger pointing technique a little closer to home. The Yemen text group chat understood rule number one of self-preservation. Me?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
No, it was that guy. Because remember, you don't have to be faster than the bear. You just have to be faster than your slowest coworker. So CIA director Ratcliffe, who are you faster than?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
By the way, nothing like the director of the CIA going, I read in the paper the Secretary of Defense was the guy to blame. I don't get reports. I just read the New York Times. I have no f***ing idea. He's blaming the Secretary of Defense. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegg. Seth, what do you say?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
My biggest weakness? I'm glad you asked. I think it's that I rule too hard. I may be too awesome. Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, maybe you should have known if this was classified or who was on the text chain.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Oh! The National Security Council has entered the chat. That's you, Mike Waltz. Do we have ourselves a blame census? J.D. Vance.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
That is the coldest my dear friend Mike I have ever heard. Anyway, Brutus, you were saying about your dear friend Caesar. Now, President Trump, do you want to join the pylon?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Why are you asking me? I'm just an innocent passerby. I didn't see the accident officer, but I got to tell you, it looks like classic Mike to me. Well, there you have it. Looks like the bottle stopped spitting on Mike Waltz. Time for you to take responsibility and French kiss that Doge chainsaw.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Unless you've obviously got a more plausible explanation for how a journalist ended up on your incredibly sensitive text chain.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Normally, that's a disqualifying position for this administration. But go on.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
It's not somebody's contact. It was your contact. And he wasn't sucked in by unseen gravitational forces. You added him to the chat. Which brings us to number two. Number two on your Doge list. What did you do this week? I did a ton of stuff. All of it was right until it was tricked by the lamestream media. Can I tell you something? It's very hard to write backwards.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
My name is John Stewart. Welcome to the Daily Show. We got a great show for you tonight, ladies and gentlemen. You're going to be most pleased with this one. Our guest tonight, economist Oren Kass, is going to be here later to discuss tariffs. You're going to have a conservative economist bucking laissez-faire. Just f***ing watch it. But first...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
All right, that might save your job if you're a low-level staffer. But what if you're the department head and Doge wants to know the five things that you did? How are you going to keep your job when it's your name on the bombs? Well, it's step three. Confidently and definitively admit nothing. Thank you all for coming.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
You get it? We didn't endanger troops in a war plan. We endangered them in an attack plan. Who's the asshole now? You know, he must be so upset that every time he lands, everywhere he goes, the reporters keep finding him at every stop. He's probably like, shit. Did I mistakenly add you guys to my travel group chat? Number three. What did I do?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
I would tell you, but you're probably too stupid to understand, but it was awesome. I'm awesome. That's number three. So now, one, two, three. We've got two more to go, right? Four and five? 60% of your work week is done. We're past hump day and cruising to TGIF. And that sweet government cheese continues to roll in.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Maybe by day four, it's time you stop justifying your actions to Doge and start celebrating your actions.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Not to be that grammar guy. But a Houthi is not a place. You can't... But the point is, for number four on the list, if they're not buying one through three, what did you do this week at the Department of Agriculture? I bombed the shit out of the Houthis. That...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart on Trump’s 3rd Term Plans & Signalgate Lack of Accountability | Oren Cass
Now, obviously, these strategies may lead to some of your superiors saying things like, so just bombing the Houthis stops the whole problem? Because I think we've been bombing Yemen for decades. Do we have a follow-up plan to that? And will journalists be on that follow-up chain, too? At which point, case, we turn to number five. It's a Hail Mary.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
That is bad news for gold investors and also a terrible movie sequel. So it turns out gold reacts to supply-demand fear and hubris like every other commodity in the history of markets.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
So, the choice is clear. Either an irrationally overpriced commodity had a totally normal, predictable price correction, or everyone in the world's free markets, media, and government is lying to trick us into selling our precious pot of gold.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
You are absolutely right. Just out of curiosity, let me see here. What does God say about idolizing gold as if it has supernatural powers? Let me see here. Job 31 right here. Job 31. If I have put my trust in gold or said to pure gold, you are my security, I would have been unfaithful to God on high. That's kind of ambiguous. All right, let's try another one. Ah, Exodus, my favorite. Chapter 32.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Oh, what a great sin these people have committed. They have made themselves gods of gold. Or, in other words... Idolaters!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Tomorrow, of course, the Dow will be down 500 because we are being f***ed with. But no matter what happens, there's still good fun to be had during these tough economic times. I know it's rough, the economy, but there's going to be an amusing tidbit if you just look hard enough. For instance, how about an unbelievably inappropriately named financial analyst?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
You are still a millionaire, right? You are still a millionaire, right?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
It's ridiculous to think this random substance has some intrinsic value that's immune to market forces. It's completely ridiculous, John.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
It's burning my hand! Wow, that's an intriguing product. I can't help noticing you're losing some hair now.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Thank you very much. John Hodgman, everybody. We'll be right back. John Hodgman.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Art f***ing Cashin? How beautiful is that? And after Art Cash-In, we go to Rob A. Bank. That's the best thing I saw in all this terrible news. Cash-In! Oh, I shouldn't laugh. Actually, my real name is John Smartass Douchebag. Stein. And financial advisors don't just have funny names. They're also presented on the financial networks in a humorous fashion.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
A few weeks ago, we showed you CNBC's incredible Octobox technology. Octobox. It's named, of course, for its creator, German scientist Heinrich Octobox. That's right. That's another funny name. We're working on Columbus Day. Where you at? The Octabox, of course, unveiled when seven commentators couldn't properly analyze the situation. But these are tough times. What if eight pundits isn't enough?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
What if the enormity of this economic collapse is so huge that even eight of the financial industry's smallest-headed people... Can't figure it out. Ladies and gentlemen, for the first time ever on CNBC, behold the majesty of the DECA box!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
I cannot believe we ever as a society got by with just eight. Now, I know what you're thinking. I see nine or more boxes at the same time. I better see Bruce Valanche in one of those squares. And who knows? Maybe he's in one of these boxes. I can't make out any of their faces. Maybe ten is too much. Maybe we're just not ready.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Maybe one of them has to go, and there's really only one fair way to do it. All right, Chuck, you ready?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
No whammies and stop. That was a long walk for that joke. Anyway, that was Vince Farrell, CIO of Soleil Securities Group Incorporated, who I thought had added a lot to the conversation up to that point. So what are we going to do to ease the credit crunch and get banks loaning money again? Well, last month, Treasury Secretary Paulson made clear what we won't do.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Stupid Japanese. Always injecting money. Perverts. Besides, we all know the Japanese solution didn't even work. Their economy's been stagnant for 15 years. There's no way we're ever going to be so desperate as to try.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Turnin' Japanese, I think I'm turnin' Japanese, I really think so. I'm a bad dancer. For more on the financial meltdown, we go to senior financial analyst Wyatt Cenac. Wyatt, thanks very much for joining us. We very much appreciate you being here. Tough times. This wild market activity we've been seeing, Wyatt, people are scared.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Why the volatility, Wyatt? Why?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
So what is stable, then? If it's all fictitious, what about gold?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
And... No, no, it's true. Things are delicious.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Are there any other tips for investors other than survivalist mantras? Anything to keep them calm?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Wyatt, do you even own... Wyatt, do you even actually own any stock?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
The continued confusion of the worldwide economy is the subject of tonight's Cluster to the Poor House. You know, during an economic crisis, Americans need steady, sober leadership. Now, they say that some leaders are born great. Some achieve greatness. Some have greatness thrust upon them. And then there's this guy who...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
who couldn't buy great at a great store that was going out of business and had to get rid of all their great. Thank you for the warm welcome.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
A dreamer? I run an office supply store. Don't patronize me. You underestimate my dreaming capacity, Mr. President. I sell highlighters, but my dream is to play professional poker and to bang the Olsen twins. Please.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
But with the economy vacillating between disastrous and disastrous even for South America, the president proved he still wasn't afraid to take questions from a carefully selected group.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Hmm. Guernsey office products. What could that be a front for? In fact, only one person there had the guts to take President Bush to task.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Welcome to The Daily Show. My name is Jon Stewart. I hope everybody had a great weekend there. For a second, I thought everybody was leaving. Tonight on the show, we got a good one. Author Amity Shlaes is going to be joining us. She has written a book on the Great Depression, or as it's soon to be known, the First Great Depression. GD1.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
And don't get me started on your foreign policy. You're like the anti-King Midas. Everything you touch turns f***. Then the Secret Service forcibly escorted the president away from himself. Now, obviously, the economic crisis has real consequences for real people, which is why it's surprising that the news networks will only explain the crisis to those real people's children.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Like the pizza. I have a hard time visualizing your point.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Our economy is six dominoes. Hey, that looks pretty good. They seem very stable architecturally. They're all standing upright. No! No! Oh! Did not see that coming. But if I understand your analogy correctly, and I think that I do, you're saying that for America's economy to get better, we need to space our banks further apart.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Or perhaps build them, build the original lending institutions in a pre-flattened state. Ranch-style banks, if you will. All right, so you've explained the economy to nine-year-olds, but I know a six-year-old with a lot of money in the market, and he finds the domino explanation obtuse.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
I like bouncing things. Can anyone explain this to me? Look, I don't run a hedge fund, but my brain is attached to my spinal cord. Anybody? Our economics correspondent, Paul Salmon, will now explain. Thank you, PBS.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Seems to me like the economy is so bad that this guy had to move back in with his grandmother. Paul Solman, are you putting the zeros on the coffee table again?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Now, it might seem strange to be discussing an economic downturn today as the Dow Jones Industrial was up nearly a billion points. It was up 1,000 points on rumors that money does, in fact, grow on trees. That's what they were spreading around. It was very exciting. Everybody was excited for one day to see the stockbrokers jumping up into their windows.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
You know, we just went through an insane week. Everything seems very unpredictable, even terrifying. It's good to know there's one thing we can always count on.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
You know, that convicted felon makes a lot of sense. Although if I recall, he didn't think he or Nixon would ever go down either. Gold! It's the ultimate fear hedge. When the dollar fails and the world plunges into a dystopian nightmare of vicious tribes warring for dwindling necessities, you'll always have gold. Excuse me, good sir! You look like a man who appreciates the finer things.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Stock Market Meltdowns
Might I interest you in some Krugerrands in exchange for some of your processed combustion engine fuel? No? Well, how about then I become your wife? Fortunately, that's never gonna happen because gold goes up, not down.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
But this time, just as the virus is about to metastasize, a breakthrough. The FDA today approved swine flu vaccine. We're safe. Hail Zeus, the Greek god of timely pharmaceutical research. Back to your homes, people. Nothing to see here. The H1N1 vaccine will finally become available. Is it safe? We finally contain the swine flu outbreak. But can we contain the doubt break?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
What are you doing to us? Is this a deadly poison? Is the vaccine a deadly poison? And are we running out of it? Will you take the vaccine? Give it to your children. How much do you trust your government? I think that's the main question.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
I always thought the main question was, does the vaccine promote the growth of H1N1 antibodies that could help ward off infection? I think the virus is more interested in killing you than the government is. But I guess I'm just one of those pasteurized milk drinkers, you know. I'm sure the vaccine isn't perfect. Science certainly isn't perfect. But does everything have to be so stupid?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
O'Reilly, you've become Fox News' sane guy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Really? You talked about your ass surgery on YouTube and now you're holding back on it? Now you've decided it's time to be a little bit more discreet and lay like... Come on back!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
He's right. On the for side, it protects against a potentially fatal disease, was found safe in clinical trials and can keep you from infecting those most vulnerable to the flu. Whereas on the against side, the government's out to get you, science is out to get you and oh, look behind you. We'll be right back. We move on now to the subject of health.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
And believe it or not, if you've been seeing long lines of elderly people standing outside in the cold lately, it is not all-you-can-eat-buffet-related. Rather, it was a product of the flu vaccine shortage fever gripping the nation.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
With serum in short supply, state and local health departments have been forced to allocate supplies only to priority patients like the elderly, healthcare workers and babies. In cases where there's still not enough vaccine to go around, babies in old people will ration the shots based on a best of three takedowns. You know what's interesting? That baby looks genuinely surprised.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
I don't understand what's happening. It's gotten so bad, at a children's medical center in Colorado, thieves stole 62 boxes of the vaccine, which this worker was not too happy about.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
I guess really, that's the difference between New York and Colorado. I live in New York. I once saw a guy get his prosthetic leg stolen while he was walking. Go, go, go. Tough town. The shortage arose. The shortage arose after one of the two companies that make the vaccine had to throw out its entire batch due to bacterial contamination. Hindsight is, of course, 20-20.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
But maybe we shouldn't have given the vaccine contract to Vincent Gallo's House of Vaccines. Now, I just feel it's not the cleanest place to manufacture vaccines. He is haunting. As the shortage threatened to become a campaign issue, Health and Human Services Secretary Tommy Thompson sought to preempt panic.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Vice President Dick Cheney offered his own unique diagnosis for the vaccine crisis, or as he prefers to call it, flu-portunity. Campaigning in West Virginia, Cheney observed, quote, the problem we have run into, producing vaccine is not a very profitable business. That's a dead-end street.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Next thing you know, you're building houses for seniors and all you got is a bunch of warm, dry old people with nothing to show for it. You know,
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
If you watch this week's CNN Tea Party Amerigasm, you know that Minnesota Congresswoman Michelle Bachmann scored some points in the debate on Republican frontrunner Governor Rick Perry concerning his state-mandated HPV vaccine order.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Our chief medical correspondent got the virus during a recent trip to Afghanistan. Sanjay said it was the sickest he's ever been. You were quite sick as well. The cough was the worst cough I've ever had and it like even hurt my heart while I was coughing.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
And now I am repeating that assertion unchecked, assuming there is a body of evidence to back this up. I'm sure there is, right? For more on the vaccine controversy, we're joined by Daily Show Senior Women's Issues Correspondent Kristen Schaal. Kristen, thank you very much for joining us. What? How does the vaccine work? How does it?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Let's skip ahead to after the hugging, the vaccine part.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
You know, it seems ironic. Michelle Bachmann came out against the vaccine for women, while Rick Perry, the man, was sort of standing for, I guess, women's health, fighting HPV.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Is that your truck? Because you drive a truck with truck nuts on them?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
I understand. But isn't Bachmann saying the HPV vaccine causes mental retardation? Experts have pretty well debunked it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
I had explosive diarrhea. How about you? I'm telling you, my underwear looked like the mud flaps on a swamp buggy. Back to you, Anderson. But of course, the main symptom as always, fear.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Nein, das ist schrecklich. Das sind ihre Augen.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Ich bin nicht sicher, ob das die Augen sind. Sie sahen aus, als wären sie vor der Kamera. Ich bin nicht sicher, ob das sie sind.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Because they'll be more likely to get cervical cancer?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Vaccines
Did you just turn a big mouth Billy Bass into a singing vagina?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
And this is, I have, they, a lot of times when a movie is coming out, they'll send me a little something like a Nerf ball with the name of the movie on it. Your people sent me a dead guinea worm. I bet it's dead, yeah. Can we get that over here? This is what it looks like. It looks like that is the thing that comes out of people's, oftentimes their feet, yes? Their feet or their toes? Feet, toes.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
You know what I would do for Delaware as a reward for that? Buy the entire state indoor carpeting. Because here's the thing.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
The first time I saw it, one was coming out of a nipple of a woman's breast. Unbelievable. And just terribly, terribly painful. Now, in 1986... When you begin this program, how many cases of guinea worm are occurring throughout? Where did it mostly have, Asia, Africa?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
So that's what that is, that soft, cushy feeling. When you're deciding to do something like that, do you have to go out and immediately hire the whole coterie of consultants? Is that the thing? And do they immediately tell you, the essence of you that has made you a popular politician? Lose that. Is that the advice that they give?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Because doesn't it strike you that Hillary Clinton is now, they're saying to her, let me suck you dry of any rough edges so that you can be palatable like cottage cheese.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Destroy people if they had to. Destroy people. Come on. who would make phone calls to other people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Does it give you pause that, for being in the Senate, it seems so frustrating because the Democrats right now are reduced to, I'm going to hold my breath until you stop bringing up these names. Do you know what I mean? Does that make you... give you pause in terms of getting into the national arena?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Nicely done, sir. You may end up going against a Senate colleague, perhaps McCain, perhaps Frist.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Boy, I would love to see politics be shaken up in a way that just completely blew out the ramparts of partisanship. That would be a wonderful situation. That's what we like to see. Whether it be any Democrat or Republican, I like the pairing. Thank you for coming by. I know you're on recess.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
I'm excited. Go have yourself a nap and a little sippy cup and be on your way. Senator Joe Biden. Thank you so much for coming by. Appreciate it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
3.5 million cases. That's what we found. This year, now we are 1986 to now, is not going to do them.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
But here's the crazy part. So here's the thing. So we always think about, well, these types of scourges that hit these areas, and we have to develop the right medicine and the drug, or we have to create some sort of program. How was this solved?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
All of this was education. You went there, and they showed... Now, were they resistant to that type of... Yeah, some of them were. It's changing thousands of years of how they were doing this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Unbelievable. And this is just with the gauzes. Now, today... Do they now create the gauze themselves? You've got to keep going through there.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
And that's the thing that you have to get to.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
So you've eradicated, I mean, do you, now you got, you got, you know, Bill Gates is out there with malaria. Do you ever, you see him, you rib him a little bit? You'd be like, hey man, how's it going with malaria? Well, we work on malaria too. Because I've been kicking guinea worms butt for about 25 years now.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Oh, that's what I meant. I meant they're very good people. Yeah, they're really good people. That's what I'm doing. I'm really one of Bill Gates' greatest admirers. When you go in there and you've earned their trust, are there other things that you want to accomplish in these villages?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Oftentimes, diseases of sanitation, diseases of simple 21st century, 20th century hygiene.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
My guest tonight, the 42nd president of the United States. His annual Clinton Global Initiative meeting now in its 10th year kicks off this Sunday, September 21st. Welcome back to the program, President Bill Clinton.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
I'll tell you this, and I'm going to say this, and it's nice you were here to witness it. I live this every day. Just the ovations. You're good, too. But thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
We just can't help ourselves. Exactly. 10 years of Clinton Global Initiative. So you have this thing all planned out. You've got these tremendous speakers, all your things in order. Something like this Ebola epidemic jumps up. It probably represents the confluence of all the various things that you can do at Clinton Global Initiative. How agile can you be when something like that arises?
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TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Can you address it even at this year's conference?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Nice to see you. So here you are. Here's what I didn't realize. Okay, so you have this thing that you start in 1986. Right. Carter Center goes and they say, this guinea worm is a problem. Explain very quickly what it is, because I can't do it justice.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Right. Is the idea to, since you have people on the ground, you know, if organizations that are not as familiar with the local and provincial authorities down there, you know, one of the big issues is trust. The local communities are very frightened by this, justifiably so. They should be. And they may not necessarily trust outsiders that come in, the United States coming in.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
How is it that can your organization build through those more local authorities and build the trust you're going to need?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | President's Day
Right, right, right. Unbelievable. Well, it's nice to see that the infrastructure paying off in the future. When we come back, we're going to figure out how to fix the other parts of the world that are broken.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
A tattooed version of the Barbie doll called Butterfly Art Barbie has come under fire from parents, prompting Mattel to stop production. The toy giant finally agreed the tattoo spoils the natural purity of Barbie's non-existent mons and 48DD knockers. Mattel says... Mattel says it only included the tattoo at the last minute to cover Barbie's teen C-section scar.
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TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
Though butterfly art Barbie is selling well, Mattel has also pushed back the release of iron butterfly art Barbie, which comes in the back of a crumpled van at the bottom of the Malibu Dream Canyon.
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TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
The dolls are part of the Generation Girl series of Barbies, which, according to a Mattel spokesman, are cool teenagers who go to an international high school in New York City, which of course means they will all date Nairobi Ken just to annoy their parents.
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TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
Arabs get their own Barbie doll. Dreamhouse faces Mecca. If you happen to be in a Kmart in Cairo next year, be sure to look for Layla, an Arab version of the Barbie doll, who will be dressed in modest head-to-toe Islamic attire. A spokesman said that Layla will admire American Barbie for her strength and worldwide dominance, while Barbie will only hang out with Layla for the oil.
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TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
Manufacturers insist the dolls are safe, but children clearly state in the warranty that all defects will be blamed on Israel. The Layla doll will be only 10 or 12 years old, still in little girls underclothes and too young for a boyfriend, which is important as she's already been betrothed to 68-year-old spice trader Ken Al-Ghabibi. Huh. Taiwanese man marries actual Barbie doll.
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TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
Yes, that's exactly right, Brandi, because class is all about telling people you're classy. Tell me more about this fabulous woman. You are the best. Happy anniversary. That was Barbie's role model, Dick Clark, who's also made entirely out of age-retardant space-age polymers. Oh, is that a microphone?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
Promises to have and to hold until death or errant space heater placement do they part. Believing it would appease the restless spirit of his dead wife, a Taiwanese man, Shang Shi Shum, married a real plastic and in no way living Barbie doll last Sunday. Religious scholars say according to the tenets of Buddhism, in this life, Chang has been reincarnated as an idiot.
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TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
The happy couple enjoyed a lengthy ceremony surrounded by relatives and embarrassed loved ones. many of whom were also present when the groom met his current bride at the factory where he made her. After the wedding, the happy couple drove off to the reception where they will dance as the wedding band plays the standard, I knew the bride when she used to be a lump of unmolded petroleum.
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TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
The 46 year old groom had been hoping to remarry ever since his first wife's death over 20 years ago. But Chang never met the right woman until Mattel released the embodiment of my first wife, Barbie.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
And though Rosie had only a few Barbies, every morning they were forced to sit on the couch and laugh at her jokes for a whole hour. According to Mattel, somewhere in the world, a Barbie doll is sold every two seconds. And every five seconds, a little girl starts to hate the way she looks. Tattooed Barbie outrages parents. Barbie exclaims, I was drunk.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Happy Birthday Barbie
Belly up to the Barbie. Some of Hollywood's biggest stars turned out to honor a hunk of molded petroleum as Barbie turned 40, making her too old to play the girlfriend and too young to play the mother. Here's Brandi singing the Barbie marching song, Be Anything, with a chorus of future divorcees. She looks just like Moesha. And here's Brandi talking.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
In Pennsylvania, thousands of spectators waited all night in the rain to see the world's most famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. Phil did not see his shadow this year, but as usual, did set eyes on a whole bunch of people dumb enough to stand in the rain all night to watch a soggy rodent get pulled out of the dirt.
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TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
In Nebraska, Unadillo the groundhog did see his shadow this morning, forecasting six more weeks of brutal winter weather, which is bad news for Midwesterners who look forward to an early spring so they can get a jump on the hot, muggy summers that bring tornadoes and flooding. Not yet.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
And because they can't go a single day without making children cry, PETA spokesman Dan Matthews objected to the treatment of the groundhogs, saying, quote, this poor creature is dragged into the daylight with people screaming at him. You only have to look into his eyes to see how bewildered he is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Matthews reportedly then added, much like I am, every time I'm told to stop alienating people at parties with my freakish obsession with animals. Matthews went on to say, quote, these animals haven't volunteered their services and should be left in peace. True.
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TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
But Dan was unable to then explain how an animal who genuinely wanted to would go about volunteering for a yearly experiment to predict the weather. And that was our continuing coverage of Groundhog Day 99.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
As you know, today is Groundhog's Day, which means we get to find out how much longer this brutal winter will last. We're going to quickly take a look at the photo of Puxatawney Phil to see if he saw his shadow. And, oh, that's not good. Guess that means six more years of winter, and we're gonna need to do Groundhog.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Let me tell you something about Shepard Smith. The guy knows how to deliver a line. I forgot, we're actually still using groundhog-based technology to predict our weather. And obviously, Groundhog Zero is Puxatawney, Pennsylvania, where the Doppler 3000 of rodents was greeted by cheering throngs and gobbler knobs best Zac Brown cover band. You know, I kind of feel like that guy in the audience.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Hey, I'm freezing my balls off. Just get to the f***ing groundhog.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Yes, a shadow I see. Oh, did the groundhog see his shadow? Could mean there's gonna be six more weeks of winter, or that you'll pretty much always see your shadow when you have the place lit up like the set of Transformers. Those are Klieg lights. Anybody would see their shadow in Klieg lights. You know what? That's fine. It's a cherished tradition. There's more winter.
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TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
The groundhog saw his shadow. What are you going to do?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Well, I guess we'll have to teach the controversy. Or some groundhogs are lying. Why would groundhogs lie? What do they have against us?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Did you hear that? They said him dropping the groundhog may or may not have contributed to the groundhog's death a week later. May or may have not. He dropped a groundhog off Mount de Blasio. It's right there on the video. Can we get a grand jury? Staten Island. God! The point is, after years, after years of this treatment, some sort of uprising is just a matter of when.
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TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
You know, that's what you get for keeping grub worms in your ear.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
For more on this story, we go to our own senior meteorologist, Jordan Klepper. He's been monitoring the forecast with Westchester Wally. Jordan, thanks for joining us.
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TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Are you okay? It looks like, was Wally mad at being dragged out of his hole this morning?
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TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
Glad to hear it, Jordan. Maybe next year he won't give you as much trouble.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
You're in a lot of trouble, Jordan. We'll be right back. Thank you, Shannon.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Groundhog Day
And now for our continuing coverage of Groundhog Day 99. Yee-haw. The rodent less taken. Today was Groundhog Day and weathermen across the country took a break from using state-of-the-art Doppler radar to get their forecasts wrong and instead turned to a rabid marmot that eats its own stool.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
That is kind of weird. That's weird. But it's always, you find in these leagues, the owner is typically white. The athletes, typically African-American, the athletes who are African-American had to fight to be allowed to play. And even now, still have to fight for rights. This idea that, okay, you know, you're allowed to leave after seven years, but you have to put in this amount of time.
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TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Do you think this is, could be a turning point in that relationship?
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TDS Time Machine | Baseball
As a player, how do you handle that? You know, these guys are in the midst of a playoff run. Yeah. Now, you played in New York. There was a tremendous amount of distraction, a tremendous amount of media. They're the same in Los Angeles. Is it even possible for an athlete at that high level to still compete with this type of emotion under the surface?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Do you see what I mean about you having the maturity? Look at me. I'm ready to fly off the handle. Just walk away from the game and you brought me back. Here's what I think should happen. Yes. Okay. The Clippers rally around this. Uh-huh. They play unbelievable basketball for the next month. They win the NBA championship. And in the locker room, in the jubilation, the trophy is handed to them.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Donald Sterling is right there. And they get the tallest guy. Let's go with Blake Griffith. He's about 6'11". And he just holds the trophy up like this. And Donald Sterling... Can't get it. And done. They don't let him have it. Are you still able to get together with some of the fellas and reminisce about it? You know, tragically, Gary Carter, of course, passed away. Great character guy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
It turns out, yeah, it turns out the New York Post cameras can take a picture of my soul. But it's not over yet. Apparently, everybody thinks it's over, but if we can just get the Earth to reverse rotation, this thing can be played again. So there you go, New York Mets. Motherfuckers. First, before we get into anything, I have a question for you. You ever been fired? I've been fired.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Are you able to get together and still sort of revert back to form from the 80s and have a great time together? We don't want to go back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
That's what reminiscing is all about. That's what it's all about. And who would have thought that that would be the last championship the Mets ever won? Well, it's an absolute pleasure to see you and to have you here on the show. Get yourself Mookie, one of the greats. Mookie Wilson, ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
I've been fired a lot. I've been fired. I've been fired from bakeries that I worked at. I've been fired from women's clothing stores. I was once fired by my brother. My brother fired me from a horse. But one thing that's never... I was fired by Stripagram once. One thing that's never happened to me is that I've been fired at 3 o'clock in the morning... 3,000 miles away from where I live.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Willie Randolph, the New York Mets manager, my beloved Mets. This guy, okay, the Mets suck, fine. But they could have fired Willie Randolph at any point over the last year. So what they do is they wait before he takes a trip to Los Angeles. They fly him all the way out to Los Angeles. He wins the game, and then they fire him that night at 3 o'clock in the morning.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
When you get a call at 3 o'clock in the morning, that's for sex. That's not for being fired. He did not deserve that. It is classless. Here's how bad it is. This is the New York Post. Tiger Woods. They didn't even have time to put Willie Randolph being fired. Classless. I mean, maybe they flew him out to Los Angeles because they thought, well, we're going to fire him.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
He should at least get his frequent flyer miles. I don't know. Bastardos. And this is the worst part. We have a tape. of the call of him being fired. You cannot believe who they got to fire him.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Not right! Willie didn't deserve this. World Series is Wednesday night. Tampa Bay Rays facing the Phillies in the World Series starting Wednesday night. Both these teams, and this is the key part, from crucial swing states. This is going to put the candidates in a bit of a pickle. Tampa Bay, of course, from Florida, and the Philadelphia Phillies are from...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
the festering sore on the end of my taint. I don't think that's right. Who wrote this? Mr. Met! Damn you! Obviously very upset that the Mets did not get into the World Series. Now, obviously, the candidates don't want to anger people by taking sides in this World Series. What would be the best way to navigate these treacherous waters?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Et tu, Messiah? The local sports franchise pander? Come on, man! You've got to do better than that. You know something? I smell a Mac attack.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
No offense there, Senator McCain, but once you said a guy's a terrorist, you call him a fair-weather fan, it doesn't really hurt.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Nailed it! Nailed it! You gotta get up pretty early in the morning to sneak a sports flip-flop past the McCain-Palin team.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Team Panda! She's done it! The triple! The triple crown! Been over one year since Arizona Governor Jan Brewer signed SB 1070, a controversial anti-immigration bill that some call tantamount to racial profiling, into law with some unintended consequences.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
That's the only way in this country that we decide who gets home field advantage in the World Series. Unless someone, you know, flips a quarter. Anyway, for more on the impact of SB 1070 on the All-Star game, we go to Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, with senior Latino correspondent Al Madrigal. Al.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Alex, you're supposed to be covering the protests about the law in Arizona, not enjoying the game. I thought the Latino community was furious about this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Alex, so are there protests? Are you covering the protests? Sure.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
So Latinos love baseball and dog whispering so much, they'll look past any injustice done to them.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
So Adrian Gonzalez is doing well and he doesn't want to miss the game? Is that it? What's your excuse?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
I don't know what you did this weekend. I hope you had a nice time. What did I do this weekend? I went out, took the kids out to the park for a little bit and had a nice dinner with my wife. We had a lovely time. And then on Sunday, I had my, what was it, my heart taken out of my chest and then eaten in front of me.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
I'm talking about how you called the vendor for a beer and then... And then just apparently took it from some f***ing guy that was standing over there. Anyway. I didn't realize.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
Last year, Al, you were... Last year... Last year... Wait. This is really important. Last year, you were really angry about this issue. Roll the tape.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
So, Al, there's going to be zero acknowledgement of SB 1070 at tonight's All-Star game?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
An honor to see you here. All right, great. Thank you for being here. Thanks for having me. This is really the last time in many years that I can actually say that to a New York Mets fan. It's been rough times, huh? It's been some rough times. This really was, you know, you write about 86. There is something truly indelible about a championship season. that makes it worthy of remembrance.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
My beloved New York Mets, after I went through the trouble all day Saturday of teaching a three-year-old the Meet the Mets song. Meet the Mets. Meet the Mets. Is that good, Daddy? Is it good? Love me? I want the third stanza done with heart, boy, with heart! The Mets lost in a historic collapse. I don't know if you saw this picture on the cover of the Post.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
What was it about the 86 team when you guys won the World Series? Besides the dramatic fashion, you wanted it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
More of that? Yes. But you were, you know, the 86 team had Doc Gooden, Darryl Strawberry, Keith Hernandez, Gary Carter. But you were a beacon of maturity Oh, that's good. Don't you think? You were the one guy everybody loved and nobody ever worried about. You always thought Keith Hernandez, at some point, 6 in the morning, somebody's going to be like, where's Keith?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Baseball
no kept it all together and that chemistry yes and it brings up an issue so everybody is talking about this donald sterling this relationship between a racist owner sports really is an unusually almost paternal situation with the owner they can ship you out to another city do the players feel that relationship
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Even more shocking, 10% of female spring breakers had public or group sex that they later regretted. Which means 90% had public or group sex that, in hindsight, they were really glad they did. Ooh.
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TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Psychologist Robin Goodman told CBS The Early Show debauchery is a major issue.
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TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
How dangerous a problem is it? Well, to put it in perspective, this is the story that it came right in front of. Danny Lesko and Robin Goodman, thank you very much.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Switching gears to travel, you know, at this time of year, many young people have a particular tourist destination on their minds. Tonight, Dan Bacodal heads south to join in the fun.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
The world around us... Let's be honest, we've got some of our own problems right here in America.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
America's oldest hall monitor, Sean Hannity... dedicated not one, not two, but five different shows on the horrors of spring break, including the entire hour on Friday, featuring a panel of outrage experts there to expose this annual event You will believe what they found because you know.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Shortly after filming that piece, that young woman blew out her left butt cheek. Doctors say she may never twerk again. Perhaps she'll have to file for Twerkman's comp. So you did a week of shows on this. What wisdom did the panel impart? My daughter, there's no way in hell she's going there. Well, that makes sense. I assume the same goes for your sons.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
But with my sons, I hope they have a great time.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Okay, let's just all agree that that is sexist. And just move on to the more pressing issue here. A hundred bucks? He's going to spring break, not Dave and Buster's. Look, you're gonna get a call three hours into spring break. Hey, thanks for the hundred bucks. It got me to Delaware. Now I'm just sitting here blowing truckers trying to get down to Tampa.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
I don't know what I'm going to have to do to get home. Tell mom I love her. Now, some of the more skeptical viewers might think this is less of a news story and more of a reason to spend a week running wildly inappropriate TNA footage alongside pundits tisking said footage. But you'd only be 99.9% right. You see, this is also an in-depth cautionary tale about what can happen when children
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Folks, it's spring break time. I know many of our college-age viewers are watching us right now from the vomit-strewn comfort of a day's inn in Panama City. But I want to let you know out there, there are dangers lurking in the seemingly innocent world of underage bacchanalia.
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TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
What kind of rotten, neglectful parents would allow their kids to even go on spring break?
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TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Right? Oh, you do. So, what kind of parents let their kids go to Spring Break? Oh, right. Your parents. So you just don't want kids today doing... You clearly don't want kids today doing the terrible things you have such fond memories of doing. And I guess if they are going to do it, there is one thing you would like them to know.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bend your knees a little bit. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, show them how terrible it is. Honestly, it's the weirdest week of TV I've ever seen. But perhaps, as always, the best advice on staying safe came from Fox News liberal Robert Beckel.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
So remember kids, stay in school, get better parents, and don't go to spring break. But if you do, bring your cocaine from home. I can't stress this enough. When you go on spring break, Bring the cocaine you use at home, the cocaine you trust. And that's the more you do blow.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Spring Break
A new study by the American Medical Association reports 40% of female spring breakers passed out, half got sick, and 13% had sex with more than one partner. But only after a gang of crafty nerds rewired the sign at the Hotel Coral Essex. Nerds! Nerds! Even though you shout nerds, they keep with their tomfoolery.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
On a lighter note, today is Valentine's Day. And for more on love, that most mysterious of human emotions, we turn to our resident expert, John Hodgman. John, thank you so much for joining us. Thank you, John. Let me put this to you, if I can. What is love?
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TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
So you're saying love is, what, a social construct or an idea without any physical basis?
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TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
February 14th has long been a special day for people who aren't drowning in a sea of loneliness. But have we forgotten its true meaning? Nate Corddry investigates.
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TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
Thank you very much. Happy Valentine's Day. John Hodgman, we'll be right back. If a news story falls through the cracks, Lewis Black catches it for a segment we call Back in Black.
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TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
It was black. We'll be right back after this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
Yes, my friends, it is Valentine's Day, and if today is about anything, it's about pleasing your loved ones. And let's face it, no one does that quite as well or as often as a veteran porn star. And that's why a rabbi in Southern California has hired former porn actress Nina Hartley to teach an adult education sex seminar for his congregants at Temple Beth Ami.
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TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
By the way, the key word on that sign? Reform. The rabbi, Mark Blazer, surprisingly that is not his porn name, that's his rabbinical name, explains why he couldn't lead his congregants to the Promised Land.
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TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
Rabbi Blazer was then given the coveted Understatement of the Year Award. Rabbi Pornstar. So why Nina Hartley at a synagogue? Well, for one, she's Jewish. She does have 18 years of lecturing experience to go along with her religious background. Not to mention she gives great kepi.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
Yes, my name is Shlomo. I'm a 25-year-old Talmudic scholar. My question is this, Ms. Hartley. Is it permissible under Judaic law for me to be masturbating right now?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Valentine's Day
Hartley stresses to Jewish congregants that sex is indeed an important part of family life, and she even gives tips on how to enjoy edible underwear. The great part is whatever underwear you don't eat, you can wrap up in tinfoil and keep for later.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
I mean, not for nothing, but if this is the diplomatic 9-11, sack up. I'll give you its diplomatic mischief night, maybe. But most of the in there is non-policy chit-chat and things we already knew. And quite frankly, Ahmadinejad is Hitler? I think he might take that as a compliment. A peace offering towards a detente. I mean, transparency is a good thing.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Government wrongdoing should be ferreted out. Although, just because something's secret doesn't necessarily mean it's nefarious. How's Secretary of State Hillary Clinton dealing with the blowback?
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Is she embarrassed? Were you alive in the 90s? Do you have any idea who you're dealing with? You know she's married to this guy, right? I think she's built up a bit of an embarrassment tolerance. It'd be like splitting a Mike's Hard Lemonade with Keith Richards and going, should I call you a cab? Are you too up to drive? Not that there weren't some embarrassing details.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Offering foreign leaders face time with the president in exchange for taking a Gitmo detainee. It could hopefully be more effective than Obama's original, take a prisoner, leave a prisoner jar. So ultimately, very few took. A lot of people left. Ultimately, an interesting yet somewhat less explosive and less than searing indictment. So why Assange? Why? Assange. I'm sorry, Assange.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
I think you're underestimating how cynical Americans are about our government already. We've engineered coups in Chile, Iran, Guatemala, etc. We sold arms to Iran and then used the money to fund Central American revolutionaries. We sell weapons to our enemy's enemy, who somehow always then becomes our enemy and forces us to defend ourselves from our own weapons. That happens a lot.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
An intelligence breach of this magnitude must have been coordinated by a conspiracy of high-level masterminds with ninja-like powers of concealment.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
In fact, you know what we call that? The number eight. It takes a lot. To unimpress us, you really should read up about the we already know about us. So unless in these WikiLeaks we're going to find out that the aliens from Area 51 killed Kennedy, stop with the drama. For more on the story, we go to our senior intelligence correspondent, Asif Manvi. Asif. Thank you.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
You're not, you don't get to, I'm not gonna let you see my penis.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
But, Asif, that's not transparency. Transparency is being open to the public on important issues and processes so that the public can make informed decisions.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
So your, your, your, my penis is a metaphor?
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
You know, should everything, Asif, be out there? If there's total transparency... we won't really see anything.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Well, the Pentagon Papers exposed blatant lies about how the government got us into the Vietnam War, how they continued to mislead us about the war's progress. Even the most cynical reading of these documents I don't think rises to that indictable level.
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TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
That seems like a relatively banal point to be made. Not all information is equal, though, Asif.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Your fly is down? Always. Thank you, Asif. Asif Manvi, everybody. We'll be right back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Brad Ass 87, really? The incredible super mole spy went by the name Brad Ass 87 and told the computer hacker that he was in Army Intelligence. Let me take a whack at trying to solve this. Maybe I've been watching Bones too much, but computer, search through the files looking for an Army specialist named Brad who's 87 years old. No, wait! Born in 1987.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
How did they do it? Well, in Sherlock Holmes. By the way, Brad, you also might want to delete your armiespecialist.bradmanning.com backslash leak guy at itwasme.bradmanning.com. Does Brad Ass 87 have any idea what he's done to the American military? Not to mention what he's done to the life of Dove soap heir Bradford Assington the 87th. Hasn't he suffered enough?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
For Christ's sake, the 87th generation of Assingtons. All the money in the world can't change that last name. That's why he's a douchebag. Is that, I'm just curious, is that a stock photo? I'm hoping. Probably a guy somewhere going, I thought that was a modeling job. Look, maybe Manning didn't need a secret name. Maybe his data collection skills were that stealth.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
I believe the obvious question here is, how does a soldier sit around lip-syncing to Lady Gaga all day and not run afoul of Don't Ask, Don't Tell? That has got to be a substitute for telling, no? So Wikileaks.org has posted 92,000 classified documents about the Afghan war online. Well, let's take a look. What is the, is it, oh. Okay. Wow.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Apparently our worst strategy in Afghanistan is being encoded in Justin Bieber's Twitter account. Any news organizations out there taking the time to maybe wade through these documents and boil it down a bit for us?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Pakistan is doing, we give them billions of dollars of aid. Pakistan is funneling that money to the Taliban. One of the chief financial contributors to our enemy is us. We have ostensibly put a hit out on ourselves. This is insanity. Or to put it another way,
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
I'm reacting to the upedness of it. What does it take to get you guys fired up? What does it do? Seriously, what all these documents are doing is exposing the existential trap we find ourselves in in Afghanistan. I guess it's no kid may or may not be in balloon. That was crazy. That whole afternoon I was like, is he in there? Have you heard the news? Extra, extra.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Future President Hillary Clinton may have to pardon former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Oh my God, oh my God, oh my God, oh my God. What did she do? Did she funnel arms to ISIS to pay for a land deal in Arkansas? Did she sell Alaska back to the Russians in exchange for their silence on Benghazi? What did she do? Pad her resume with fake countries she supposedly negotiated treaties with? I should have known there was no such thing as Pantsudistan.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
It's the biggest leak in U.S. military history. Really? 92,000 pages? I would hope that would be the biggest leak. seeing as that beats the Pentagon Papers by, I don't know, 85,000 pages. Perhaps this might be an appropriate time to let leakers of military documents know it's not a competition. So, uh, some, uh, some top secret , hm?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Oh. Is that against the law, not to have an email? I mean, it seems less of a scandal and more of like a nerd snap. Like, oh, she's so old, she doesn't even have an official email account. I mean, what's the big deal about not having an email account? Or what am I missing here?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Oh, okay. Well, that's not nothing. She should have done that, right? But don't we have a facility in Utah that collects all of our email anyway? Solving the whole archive problem? Can't you just ask them or they don't talk to you either? Why is this coming out now? Wasn't it clear to anybody who emailed Secretary Clinton during that time that her email address was her personal email?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
And did it not also raise a red flag in the West Wing that her personal email was, don't tell anyone about this account at secret slash shh dot definitely not gov? Come on, it's not like the State Department didn't eventually get all the Clinton emails that Clinton decided they should get.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
I believe it is a sign that you have been in government too long when you write memos about your daughter's wedding. Re the happiest day of your life. Your father and I look very forward to sharing the event with you. We love you very much. Dictated, not read.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
I think the concern there is that the aides are the ones who get to decide which emails are appropriate to be shared as opposed to an independent arbiter. That's why Doritos doesn't get to decide which ingredients consumers need to know about. Or why you don't get to tell the cops which pockets to search. Wait, officer, not that one. That's my weed pocket.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
And those other two gentlemen are my balls. Is there another reason that she didn't need to archive her emails with State?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
But I think the regulation started in 2009, no? Wasn't that four years after Powell left? And I mean, if Colin Powell was using a personal email address, they didn't really have rules on personal emails yet, because back then, email wasn't really as prevalent. Laptops may explain why Powell felt the need to install one in his office.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
How can we know that Clinton even turned over all her relevant emails?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
A million. And it's not as big as the number of pages Clinton actually had, but that's the crazy thing about numbers. You know, you can always top them. Somebody be like, you have 100 Dalmatians? That's a load of Dalmatians. I can't imagine anyone having more than 100 Dalmatians. And then some lady being like, 101. That is a lot of Dalmatians, actually.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
But if that's, you know, how everybody feels, why not just say that Secretary Clinton did turn over all her emails?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
If you were in her email, you'd be starring in the most boring Tron sequel of all time. Tron 2, the inbox.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Today, once again, by the way, we begin our program with a continuing saga of WikiLeaks, a 250,000-page document dump that, like most post-Thanksgiving dumps, is endless and fascinating to pick through. And if you know anything about my family, should, of course, remain classified.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
I was worried. I thought it was top secret. It's just secret. That is a much lower security classification than top secret. It actually goes, army classification wise, secret, then top secret, and then, of course, I believe, pop secret. That is where all of our military information is encoded in fluffy and delicious butter-coated kernels. Oh. So pernicious.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
The release of many embarrassing and possibly damaging diplomatic cables has introduced the world to a new supervillain. WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Assange. Shep, am I pronouncing that right?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Assange. Thank you, Shep. Assange is the founder of WikiLeaks, a site not to be confused with WookieeLeaks, where for $10.99 a month, you can... Self-explanatory, really. This is Wikileaks, a website whose sole purpose is to expose information. So who is this asshole?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | It's Classified
Assange is Osama bin Laden crossed with Magneto and the albino from The Matrix with more than a scooch of the Dyson vacuum guy. Yeah. It's mostly the Dyson vacuum guy, quite frankly. Anyway.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Here's what happens. We all drink Manischewitz, get in a line and march. Actually, it's not really a parade. More of an exodus. Yeah. Yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Lucy came up with the idea after her mother got upset with her for partying with friends one night and said to her, and if your friends painted themselves green and jumped off a bridge naked, would you do that too? Lucy... Lucy, you got some splaining to do.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
She then reportedly added, which is a miracle, because after 15 years of binge drinking, I don't remember much of anything. Here, Lucy explains how she built up the nerve to jump.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
She then reportedly added, and another few drinks after, for a bit of Greek love. And that was Headlines. As we just reported, today New York City celebrates St. Patrick's Day with its traditional parade.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Our own Vance DeGeneres is there live as we speak, and he'll tell us that behind this parade is a rich Irish culture celebrating centuries of accomplishments and contributions to the tapestry that is America. It's not just one drunken mob scene. There's more to it than that. Vance?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
As in past years, the parade has banned gays from marching. Is there any backlash to that?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Thank you very much, Vance. Excellent reporting. Please drive safely and remember to take your hand out of your ear. The nation celebrates St. Patrick's Day. Sawdust and Lysol manufacturers celebrate day after St. Patrick's Day. Saturday was St.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Patrick's Day, and throughout the land, proud Irish Americans poured into one of three million bars named the Blarney Stone to drink green beer and to pretend Van Morrison's moon dance takes them back to the hills of old Dunkilgarni Derry. All in all, it was a day celebrated with parades, parties, and the traditional wearing of the green for the traditional camouflaging of the vomit.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
New York's parade, the country's largest, featured all the fixins. How pleasing. To the delight of those gathered, the Backpipe Ensemble later took requests to play their other song. Which is actually that song, just faster. This year's parade once again excluded Irish-American gays and lesbians, and once again, they were not pleased about it.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
We're Irish, we're queer, and so are some of you! All right, may not rhyme, but a quick note to the protesters. Next year, come up with a chant before the pub crawl.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
After the parade, many in the group made their way to the city's only gay Irish pub, Fisty McCramden Hands. There's old Fisty. And of course, again, cowboys drink free. And in Washington, President Bush met with Irish Prime Minister Bertie Ahern to discuss the peace process.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Ahern then turned to Bush and said, and of course a true friend wouldn't keep trying to get me to say they're magically delicious. I'd really appreciate that if you wouldn't. A recent poll found that while most Irish Americans know that St. Patrick was the patron saint of parades, few were aware how his parade has become the subject of great controversy.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Mo Rocca reports on how sometimes the luck of the Irish isn't enough.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Morocco, ladies and gentlemen. Well done, well done. Do you think that the St. Patrick's Day parade will change if gay people march in it?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Yeah, but Mo, not all parades. I mean, what about military parades?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Thank you, Mo. Mo Rocca, we'll be right back. As we know, our streets are boiling over in anger at these AIG bonus payments. John Oliver joins us now with more. John, we had you out there. We had you out there talking to the people. What was the atmosphere like? How are people feeling?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Some people just command respect for their people, don't they? But not everyone celebrates the same way. Meet Lucy McLaughlin, an Irish woman living in New Zealand. Lucy's stupid. For her St. Patty's celebration, this plucky Irish lass had someone paint her plucky Irish ass, and then she jumped off a bridge.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Are you positive that that was a populist protest? Because it appeared that you might have been at the St. Patrick's Day parade.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
John Oliver, everybody. John Oliver. We'll be right back after this. Are you all right?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
Welcome back. Before we go, we're gonna check in with our good friend Stephen Colbert. Stephen Colbert on the floor.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | St. Patrick's Day
I'm excited for another St. Patrick's Day and then, obviously, the Passover parade for my people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
Hawaii has awesome health care, right?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
And Thanksgiving of all times. Yes. All right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
John Oliver, we'll be right back. The Dodd-Frank Act is now one year old. And here to discuss the effect it's having in reforming a damaged financial system, we're very lucky to have with us tonight, H.R. 4173, the Dodd-Frank Act, everybody!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
Just hang on there one second. What? I'm sorry, Dodd-Frank. Uh-huh? What? What the hell happened to you? What do you mean?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
No, not just yet. It's been a year. Come on. What about Elizabeth Warren? Wasn't she supposed to be the director of this thing? What happened there?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
Just because Republicans don't want to talk about health care with the president doesn't mean they don't want to talk about it. When John Oliver visited the RNC winter meeting in Hawaii, he found plenty of people eager to chat. He filed this report.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
Well, you know what? That's great. How are those new 400 rules working?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
I'm sorry, but 38 is a magic number because Dale Wilkinson makes it a magic number? Yeah. You've heard of Dale Wilkinson? No, I have not. The Clippers guy, until you mentioned him just now. No, I have not heard of him.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
Why weren't the rules written, John? Stick me.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
This isn't even mine! I'm sorry, I had no idea, Law. I had no idea, Dodd-Frank. that you have been through so much.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
The Don Frank Act, everybody. We'll be right back. I have no idea. The debate, of course. Being out tonight in Hempstead, Long Island at Hofstra. John, thank you so much for joining us. Ain't no problem, Johnny. Least I can do, all right? Obviously, make or break night for John McCain. How did the candidates do, John?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
Oh! You know that, I'm pretty sure that that doesn't mean anything.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
Any reaction from the people of Long Island to the debate?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
I don't know when you changed from a Long Island accent to some Serbian thing, but... Hey, are we talking?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
I thought we were talking. John, how long have you been out in Long Island?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
I'm going to ask you. I'm going to ask you right now. Please return immediately to the studio. All right, John?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of John Oliver
John, please get me out of here. We'll send someone to come and get you, John. Quickly! All right, John. Thank you very much.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
And then Mississippi went to see Django Unchained and tried to take the ratification back. Lincoln or no Lincoln, how are you just getting to this now? Didn't the release of Mississippi Burning push to revisit the issue in any way? I mean, to be fair, the state had already taken steps towards banning the controversial practice of people owning other people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
The Mississippi's legislature did sign on in 1995, but did not file the proper paperwork. Oh, red tape.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
They tried to ratify the 13th Amendment all the way back in 1995. Inspired, no doubt, by that year's blockbuster, I Know What You Did 130 Summers Ago. And then there was, obviously, the 18-year-long paperwork malfunction. By the way, what did happen with the paperwork?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
I'm sure he meant to file the paperwork properly. In fact, here's my impression of him mailing Mississippi's 13th Amendment ratification to the Federal Registrar.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Okay, two things real quick. A, the founders didn't write the 14th Amendment. That happened in the 1860s. And actually, Ben Franklin very much wanted to fly and have babies all around the world. That's why he invented the sex kite. Anyway, um... Does the Constitution need changing? For answers, we turn to John Hodgman in his segment. You're welcome. John Hodgman joins us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
So who cleaned up the mess left by former Mississippi Secretary of State Dick Mopas?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Delbert Hoosman cleaned up for Dick Mopas, huh? Can't wait for next year's Mississippi Secretary of State race between Smert Nickeldom and Cleavage Stickbutt. We'll be right back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Thank you very much for joining us. I appreciate you being here.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
My guest tonight, a journalist and an author. His latest book is called The Year of Living Constitutionally, One Man's Humble Quest to Follow the Constitution's Original Meaning. Please welcome to the program A.J. Jacobs. Sir! Constitutionally. AJ, so how did the year of living constitutionally, a humble quest to follow the constitutionalism, how did this come about? Why would you consider this?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Is that a constitutional greeting? Yes, absolutely.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Now, as you go back and you revisit sort of the mindset of the founders, are you struck by how human they were? You know, we've deified them to to a large extent. But when you learn about them, do you think like, oh, a couple of these guys might be idiots?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
With the Grammarly mistakes, did you correct it or did you think, oh, that one, no, let's pass that one through? How did you... Did you dismiss the Grammarly questions?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
I think many of them would be in their discussions. Did you as you looked back and saw the discussions that they were having? My understanding is they never really thought that partisan politics would work. YOU KNOW, BE THE THING WE WERE FIGHTING OVER. THEY THOUGHT THE BRANCHES OF GOVERNMENT WOULD FIGHT EACH OTHER, THAT THE EXECUTIVE WOULD FIGHT THE JUDICIAL, WOULD FIGHT THE LEGISLATIVE.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
I DON'T THINK THEY THOUGHT PARTIES WOULD TRY AND WEAPONIZE EACH DEPARTMENT AGAINST THE OTHER PARTY.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
They were very understated in the 1700s. It is somewhat timely.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
They said, are you jesting? I'm paraphrasing. I'm paraphrasing. Are you jesting?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Almost like the court. The presidency and the court would be similar. Not a unitary executive. Not a single person.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Are you drawing on the... Okay. Yeah. How are you going to get young people involved in the Constitution?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
It took a while, but it's here. What do we mistake about them? You know, now, do you watch the arguments that you see about the founders' intent differently? Does it make you a little crazier knowing what the actual arguments were?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
But they were... There were responsibilities with them.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Right. And that we've in some ways exploited those conversations to just get what we want or do what we want. Right.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
None of them had ever said that, but, yeah. What about the level of discourse? Because I'm always struck by, you know, even in this situation that we face now with the debate and all that, the way, the gaslighting that occurs, the lack of trust in Americans' instincts or ability to take complex issues and hear about them honestly. Right. But I imagine their conversations were very frank
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
You wrote the book with a quill pen?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Do you consider yourself a method writer? Is that what this is? That's exactly it. I love that phrase. Thank you. So you did. So it was a quill pen. And is there something about using the quill that is more deliberate and allows you to think differently?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Can you imagine with the, you know, all men are created equal, LOL.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
And they even they baked it into the cake as far as they they really thought amendments will be necessary. This has to be a document that can change with the consent of the governed. Exactly.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Actually, there's one reason I can think of that that wouldn't really be a good idea. Too late.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Yeah, but the founders established judiciary. Now, just to abolish it because you don't agree with it, that seems... What?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
That's a fascinating document. I'm sure we'll stand the test of time. But it's hard to take arguments for changing the Constitution seriously when some of those same people that you're showing normally talking about how the Constitution is sacrosanct.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
See, that's the whole thing. They talk about the sacrosanct nature of the Constitution when they like what it says, then suddenly they say, hey, that's not what the founders meant. They don't want to do that. They want to pick and choose the parts of the Constitution that they want. That's the problem with this original intent business.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
We have the founders' words, but no one really knows what they were thinking, and they're not monolithic to begin with. No one, John?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
John, in the unlikely event that a powdered, wig-wearing skull doesn't provide the guidance we need, what then?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Talking about the Constitution when it suits them, the Bible when it suits them. It makes it sound like the Constitution is an amendment now to the Bible.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
And what about separation of church and state, which is in the Constitution? What's that, Mr. President? Excuse me?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Thank you very much. John Hodgman, everybody. We'll be right back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
The National... The national immigration debate is more contentious than ever, with growing fears of these anchor babies we talked about earlier. Terror babies. Muppet babies coming to our shores. By the way, you should check out the new Muppet character, Anchor Me Terror Baby. Adorably destructive to our country.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
The trouble stems from the Constitution itself, specifically the 14th Amendment's promise of birthright citizenship.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Welcome back. As you know, America is like a boy band. Yes. That is the premise we are starting with. Each of our 50 states has a distinct personality. We've got the cute one. We've got the rebel, rides a Harley with no helmet. We've got the one that pretty sure has a drug problem. But the thing about these states' reputations is they're hard to change.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
It makes you feel bad for someplace like Mississippi, which every time it opens its mouth, you know, because of its reputation, you're like, please don't say the N-word, please don't say the N-word, please don't say the N-word. Why has that state had such a tough time shaking its rep for bad race relations?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Greetings and salutations. My name is Jon Stewart. And given the times, I'm obviously neither Jewish nor on television. Our top story this day in 1865 is that the state of Georgia has voted to ratify. We had over the shoulders in 1865? The state of Georgia has voted to ratify the 13th Amendment. Oh, delightful.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
Being the 27th state to so vote, the amendment is nationally adopted and slavery is abolished in these United States. Oh, bully. Of course, there still remain a few stragglers who've yet to ratify the amendment. I'm looking at you, Magnolia State. I mean, those square liters in Georgia ratified it. How much longer are you going to wait?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
148 years? I mean, that'd be ridiculous, wouldn't it? After 148 years, the state of Mississippi has finally ratified the 13th Amendment.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | The Constitution
And... And that's why... That was unpleasant. But that's why Mississippi can't check its rep for bad race relations. So Mississippi, two things on the recent ratification. First, better late than never. And second, this is pretty late. Why the sudden ratification?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Sobering reality check. And the hope part?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Let's begin with a big story. Last night, President Barack Obama's not State of the Union address. Yes, the President's first speech to a joint session of Congress after being sworn in is not technically a State of the Union address, which is nice because this is probably one year you do not want to complete the sentence, the State of the Union is.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Hope, there you go. Nice agenda.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Okay, easy there, fella. Let's just... Let's keep our feet on the ground here. Let's just... Cure for cancer in our time. What are you, a wizard? Slow down!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Just say the word and I'll throw a lasso around it and pull it down. By 2010, we'll have Cinnabons that make you skinnier. 2012, we'll have a boner pill that gives you a four-hour erection that you don't have to notify your doctor about. Now get out of here, Zuzu. What makes you think this in any way, shape, or form, Mr. President, could happen? This is America.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Have you met America? Have you been to America? We don't do what's easy. Do you know what e pluribus unum means? Easy and unnecessary. We're the people who invented the Roomba because the other automatic machine we invented to clean the floor made you do this. This was too much. This is a popular exercise in our country. We invented this. This is real. It's called Bacon A's.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
It's bacon combined with mayonnaise. For people who want heart disease but are too lazy to actually make the bacon. So in your little plan there, if you're wondering whether to go with necessary or easy,
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
That is good news for taxpayers and bad news for Armando's house of fancily draped private jets. You'd think Armando would put a shirt on in the private jet business, but apparently not. Now, with Obama's speech still ringing in America's ears, it was time for the Republican response. Luckily, they had just the man for the job.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
But although times are tough, it's still important to make an entrance.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Ooh, all right. Big Republican rising star, the GOP's very own Shia LaBeouf.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
WHAT WAS THAT? WHERE HAVE I SEEN THAT BEFORE? That's right. I saw that in my childhood. But of course, this is the governor of Louisiana. He's not going to talk to us like some besweatered friend of the trolley people.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Can we have candy for dinner? I believe that I can do anything. I want to be an astronaut that kills and eats firemen.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Oh, yeah! Here he comes. How you doing there, brother? Nice to see you, Chip. Nice tie. Oh, damn. What's up, Holmes? Oh, yeah. Oh. Oh, it's you. Oh, I see you. Looks like we made it. Left each other on the way.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Bacon-ays! America can do anything, and I mean anything. Like say, I don't know, the same great taste of bacon and mayonnaise in a bacon-aise light. They actually make a bacon-aise light. Half the fat. It is unbelievable. You know how I like to have bacon-aise light? And I really, I can't resist it. I like to have it with a pancake wrapped in a sausage on a stick.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
I choose the blueberry pancake on the sausage on a steak because I'm kind of a health nut. But that's what I like to do. I like to... No, don't make... May I say something to the makers of Bacon A's? I know we've mentioned your product a lot on the show tonight. Don't send us any more of it. I can't even believe it. I think my tongue just took a sh**. Jindal's task was not an easy one.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
So because a Republican administration screwed the pooch, a Democratic administration shouldn't even try? What other lessons did Katrina teach you?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
So your other lesson from Katrina is what good could possibly come from monitoring for potential natural disasters? Who cares about lava? That's like a levee over topping. It'll never happen.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Actually, Hillary had given Obama a heads up that she'd be the one wearing the retina-searing coat. Although Obama was greeted warmly, the night's speech was no small task.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Presidents Meet Congress
Obama's challenge would be to convey to the American public the sobering realities of our current situation while maintaining an optimistic tone for the future, all while desperately, desperately, desperately trying not to turn around for a quick game of whack-a-mole. Interesting fact about Nancy Pelosi, she is one-eighth gopher on her father's side.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
There are over a million species of animals on this earth here. Here to show us a few of the more exotic ones, our own zoological expert, Steve Crocodile Carell. This will be fun. This will be great. This will be great. Uh, Crocodile Carell. How you doing? I'm doing well. I didn't know that you had a nickname.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
Crocodile. I'd never heard that before. I didn't know that was your nickname.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
Is there something I should do? Should I get out of the way? Should I?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
I'm excited about this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
I actually, I'm noticing something else. It's a superb specimen. Are there others? Exotically, that might... I mean, unless you have some other information about this wild beast.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
Look at that. Kind of thing you'd maybe win at Coney Island.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
It's not. I had it appraised. Well, do you have anything else? Anything exotic, perhaps?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
You know what, Steve? I'm sorry. That's the same dog that you had before. That's where the batteries go. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
Steve Carell, ladies and gentlemen.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
Ladies and gentlemen, Steve Carell. I have to tell you, Steve, to me, this story continues to be remarkable, but somewhat frightening.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
No, no, we have 16-foot lizard aliens eating children that have been sold into captivity by Bob Hope, so... No, well, John, if you had been listening, the lizards are only 12 feet tall.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | Best of Steve Carrell - Part 2
Well, 12-foot lizards, 16-foot lizards, whatever. You know, the other thing is... Bob Hope is one of the most beloved institutions in America, so you should consider that as well. Really?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
All right, so Pakistan, France, and Germany might have a few tiny reasons to be mad at us. We can cut back from this.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
So what are you guys saying? We have a problem? We're somehow addicted to paranoid snooping on everyone and everything around us? How dare you? I am so offended. I bid you good day. But as a parting gift, if I could just leave this right here. It's an innocuous toaster. Don't use it. Just when you're saying things, if you could make toast, we would, rest of the world, meet me at camera three.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
So you guys are all upset we're spying on you and drone striking you and you're really upset. But I just have one question. Have you met us? Meddling in your affairs for our national self-interest is kind of our thing. What part of everything we've done since the Monroe Doctrine don't you get? I mean, bugging your phone's pretty weak tea for us.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Do you know how much cigar shrapnel Castro is still pulling out of his ass? Besides, it makes you feel any better. Our government isn't doing anything to you that they're not doing to us. See? Right there. Boom. Boom. They're spying. Get this. They're spying on our studio. And I'm literally saying that into a camera that is going to broadcast. It seems kind of redundant. I don't even know.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Okay, I didn't even know about that one. Did not know about that one. So look, world, you want an apology? Fine. We're sorry that you forgot that we are kind of dicks. But you know what? All nations act in their own self-interest. Don't act like your don't stink. It does. And we know because we have a super secret program that goes through your .
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
A strong message to send. But the Iraqi government owes us. I mean, they owe their life to us. Certainly, the president's message will be delivered. Here's Ahmadinejad getting off the plane. Obviously, they're going to hit him. No sugarcoating, just direct and stern. Listen, mother----. Wait, what? Okay. There appears to be kissing. All right, now here's where they execute him.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
By the way, Germany might want to ease up on the everything you eat and drink. France, you don't like our hubris now? You sure liked it when we were handing off the Vietnam War to us. Hey, can you guys hold this war for us for just a little bit? We just got something to do over in Algeria. And Pakistan, we know that some of those drone strikes were at your request.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
And by the way, when were you going to tell us that bin Laden was crashing on your couch? And you, Germany, yeah, you. Do I really have to justify myself to a country that invaded Poland because they thought Poland was looking at them funny? So get over it. Or better yet, turn that frown upside down. Don't think of us as an overly aggressive, paranoid superpower.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Think of us as what anyone's looking for in a partner. A good listener. A great listener. The best listener in the history of the world. So before you say thank you, I would only ask one thing. Can you say it a little closer to that toaster? We'll be right back.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
No, he's being greeted by a child with flowers. Okay. A red carpet and a child with flowers. Okay. Okay. To the untrained eye, that may appear to be gracious. Maybe even a warm welcome. But I do want to point out that that little girl gave him chrysanthemums. And everyone knows he's an orchid guy, so that's a bit of f*** you. Okay, that's a nice reception there.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Let's compare that to what happens when our president visits. He has to arrive unannounced under cover of night. Is it me or did Al Qaeda blow up the sun? What? It's just nighttime? Phew. I say phew out loud. Phew. Not a lot of people read that. Phew.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Not only did Ahmadinejad announce his arrival in advance, but he was able to drive the infamous airport road that our people can only chopper over, walk flak jacketless outside the green zone, and visit some of Iraq's holiest sites, which we are not allowed into. Hey, Iraq, can we... What are you doing? It's your old buddy, U.S.,
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Maybe we didn't make this clear, but we think the guy from Iran is a bit of an Ahmad-dick-in-a-jod. And we're out there all day with the surging, and you're back there sharing sweetbreads with Johnny Leisurecoat? Did you think we wouldn't find out? I don't want to say anything, but one phone call and you get this. That's right! We can put those statues right back where we found them, mister.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
After we built you an entire green zone, we could have gone with any color, but you wanted green. We wanted lavender, but no. It would be nice. when our sworn enemy visits your country, that you give him a slightly tougher reception than the one he gets at Columbia University.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
You know, it's things like this invasion clearly strengthening the hand of the person our president believes is the greatest threat to the world's security that makes me think maybe this whole thing was a mistake.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
For those of us invested in the U.S. economy who aren't able to consistently avail ourselves of the urgent contradictory mumblings of the CNBC oracles, times have been tough. We're down in the dumps, feeling like perhaps this time there'll be no rabbit to pull out of the hat. And perhaps America's time is over. But you know who's hearing none of that talk?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Now, whoever our next president may be will face many challenges, especially in the foreign policy arena, the greatest of which may be how to deal with the overwhelming volume of goodwill left over from still-President Bush's, let's call it, two-term democracy-spreading jamboree.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Our best pal, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown!
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Now get out of bed, slugger, and go out there and invade the subcontinent. How must we be When Britain is trying to cheer us up, that place gets like two hours of sunshine a year. It's like a coffee-less Seattle. Not that we don't appreciate the effort. Clearly Brown likes Obama. But what type of relationship will they have? Will they be unlikely partners like Bush and Blair?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Inspirational allies like Roosevelt and Churchill? Or will they have more of a cool black guy, white nerd vibe to them? Like Hitch. Or Silver Street.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Gordon Brown's not going to be copying Obama. Or is he trying to horn in on Obama's mojo?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
What are you, a Barack Obama cover band? Gordon Hopefoot and the Yes We Can Five? But in this buddy comedy, it was the white guy who taught the black guy something. Prime Minister Gordon Brown showed up to Washington like any decent house guest, bearing gifts.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Brown brought Obama a pen holder made from the timbers of the Victorian anti-slave ship, the HMS Gannet, which is the sister ship of the HMS Resolute, from which the Oval Office desk is carved. That is a fantastic gift.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
thoughtful, unique, entrenched with layers of deep meaning that connect Barack Obama's ancestral past to the lineage of the presidency, interwoven with the centuries-old special relationship between the United States and Britain. It is a gift wrapped inside a present, stuffed inside a thoughtful gesture. It is a hallmark turducken.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
You gave the guy a DVD box set? Guys are visiting head of state, not a PBS donor. You live in the White House. It's a museum. Give him some from your new house. Harding's chair, the Eisenhower spittoon, the Taft toilet desk. More of a necessity than a luxury. He couldn't move very fast. Of course, the UK is just the tip of the Obama world reconciliation plan.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
We're also trying to reconnect with Russia. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had a meet and greet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov. I wanted to present you with a little gift. Please don't be DVDs. Please don't be DVDs. Please don't be DVDs.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
To examine the bounty one of these lucky contenders will be reaping, we check in with our new segment, Fruits of Democracy! Tonight, our latest Democratic offspring, Iraq. Did you know our baby turns five this month? And you're not going to believe this, she's already having play dates.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Oh, and one more thing. Putin's father was killed by a red button. Other than that... So, did the button work to reset our relationship with Russia?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Our top story, new reports that could make our already icy relationship with the country of Pakistan colder than a witch's frozen dessert treats. Ticked.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Oh, I'm sorry, Pakistan. I didn't know you didn't like your citizens being sky-sassinated on the whims of a foreign superpower. We thought you were cool. I guess it's unfortunate. But the good thing is I guess we can just lay low for a while and then just get back in touch with Pakistan when the wounds aren't so fresh, you know?
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Boy, that's the sort of meeting when you really need old Bo in the room, you know what I mean? Just to have something else to talk about. Like, yeah, I know those drone strikes are f***ed up. Hey, look, he loves that bone, though. He really loves going for that bone. Oh, look at that. He's licking his own ass. What were we talking about? I'll tell you who Obama wishes he was right now.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Secretary of State Kerry. Because when this went down, Kerry had the good luck to be visiting our ally, France. Kerry's timing could not have been better.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad became the first Middle Eastern leader to visit Iraq since Saddam Hussein fell. Of, let's say, natural causes. Now, obviously, a visit from the Iranian leader to Iraq prompts some concern. And still, President Bush has a clear message he'd like the Iraqis to deliver to Ahmadinejad.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Oh, what'd we do, France, to cause a controversy? What'd we drink out of the bidet again? What happened? Did we call sparkling wine champagne again? We know the difference. We just don't give a ****. Did we make a mockery of your most cherished athletic event by having an American win it seven times in a row through a sophisticated blood doping scheme? That last one we did do, actually.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
This ambassador knows what I'm talking about! Actually, that's not really what he said. This is really what he said.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
By reviewing the way we gather intelligence, we mean from now on, we're going to try and do it secretly. In our defense, though, our monitoring 70 million French conversations wasn't espionage. It's just French phone calls are all so hot. It's like a nationwide sex line. Even French people talking about their mortgage payments.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
It's all like, oh, monsieur, when can we... Oh, the 2.5% APR, my loans, they pay for your deposit. Your other bank, you must never tell her. And by the way, all right, we're spying on France. Not like we're spying on our other allies.
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Ladies and gentlemen, my impression of how that phone call went. Hey, how are you, Angela? What do you mean? You know how I am. Although it is impressive that we managed to put a tap on the actual chancellor herself. Who could have gotten close enough to do something like that? I mean, it's... Oh, my God! That's what it was! He was planting the bug! Unbelievable. White House...
The Daily Show: Ears Edition
TDS Time Machine | International Diplomacy
Is not monitoring, will not monitor. I think you're missing a tense there. You got your present progressive there, and you got your simple future, but you're missing your past progressive, a.k.a. the we were not progressive. Where's your past progressive tense, Jay Carney? By the way, that joke brought you by grammar. Grammar. Yeah. Grammar. It's the rules what make your mouth feel dumb.
The Dan Bongino Show
What Did Zelensky Know? When Did He Know It? (Ep. 2426)
Look, they're kicking progressive ass right now. And if progressives don't organize their media, their think tanks and all that, it's going to continue to happen. It's chaos.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Liberal Meltdown Means They're Guilty In This Scandal (Ep. 2420)
There is a lot of waste, fraud, and abuse within a system.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Liberal Meltdown Means They're Guilty In This Scandal (Ep. 2420)
Then please educate me on what the difference is.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Liberal Meltdown Means They're Guilty In This Scandal (Ep. 2420)
So in my world, that's waste.
The Dan Bongino Show
The Liberal Meltdown Means They're Guilty In This Scandal (Ep. 2420)
If I give you a billion dollars and you can't tell me what happened to it, that to me is wasteful. That means you are not responsible. But if you can't tell me where it went, then what am I supposed to think?
The Megyn Kelly Show
Shocking DOGE Findings, Elon vs. Sen. Kelly, and Hillary's Hypocrisy, with Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer, and Dan Turrentine | Ep. 1037
an initial proposal to the NTIA, then- Is that the result of their $5 million planning fund? This initial proposal?
The Megyn Kelly Show
Shocking DOGE Findings, Elon vs. Sen. Kelly, and Hillary's Hypocrisy, with Mark Halperin, Sean Spicer, and Dan Turrentine | Ep. 1037
Oh my fucking God. At step 12, after all this has been done, I'm speechless.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
All right. We're going to take a quick break and we'll be right back.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
All right. We are back. You know, we sort of have two tranches there. One is the wildfire and the other is kind of the day-to-day. Jesus, when I want to apply for something, I have to go through 10 pages. And by the way, you know, if we were to have a moonshot, rather than going to Mars, I would like to see all of our best engineers and technicians on a bureaucratic moonshot.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
to try and do a manhattan project of ridiculous fucking paperwork and and how you you simplify that in a way that that makes sense so i have i have great sympathy for that the wildfire thing is slightly different in my mind because that also speaks to a larger you know everybody wants to stop these things uh and react to them like los angeles and climate change and no water.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
And I guess the most recent shock and awe is all the money. Let's just stop the money, just real quick. I'm just going to... You know what? What are we doing there? What are we paying for? Let's just... let's just stop the money real quick and just take a,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
There's a lot of factors that when a tornado comes and there's a fire, I don't know how many trucks you could park near the area and how much water you could have that would have stopped what was something that from a lot of the firefighters I talked to out there, they thought was inevitable. That when you put that many houses in that dry a place, With those high winds, this is going to happen.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
We're willing to scream at Los Angeles because they hired a lesbian fire chief and a black mayor, but nobody wants to talk about the way that these disasters have been exacerbated by climate and all kinds of other things.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But it's still hubris. I mean, there is still a certain extent like, okay, Sandy hit, so we learned our lesson. Everybody eight feet up on stilts and let's put a berm up. But like God is going to come in and go like, really? Stilts? You think stilts? Like we have to have a certain acceptance of our vulnerability on this. I think we can always do a better job. There is no question in my mind.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
that there were things that could be done. But when we focus so much on DEI and all this other dumb shit that they think is determinative, like they built...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
take a look at it i imagine you could just keep paying the money and take a look at it while it's happening but but i guess they wanted to stop it they don't see it in motion apparently now they've rolled back they're putting back in i guess meals on wheels and a couple other things that but you know they don't want to kill old people but the rest of us anyway this is it's it's it's a lot it's a fucking lot and uh to help us uh get through it you know uh i can talk
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
um it makes it creates an easy straw man john for for folks who are looking for someone to something to blame right i understand but so so let's let's break that down a little bit because i think that's that is a an incredibly powerful thread that's been going through our society for a long time that this idea of dei is anti-merit you know it takes our meritocracy that we've
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
worked so hard to fix, which says, when were we a meritocracy? At what point is diversity less competitive? Introducing more people into the system who have different skill sets and come from different things. Hiring is subjective. There's no objective test. It's always subjective. Let's look at the Secretary of Defense. Right? Yeah. Well, now we live in a meritocracy. We've restored it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Lloyd Austin is the DEI candidate, even though he had, I don't know, 40 years of experience running large organizations. If you got those two resumes between he and Pete Hegzeth, which one would be considered of merit?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But where is that done? I'm trying to think like my experience. You have experience hiring as well, right? I do a lot. I have experience hiring. What I found was hiring has a certain inertia to it, right? Generally, the people that kind of
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
started whatever industry or whatever office did generally hire close to people that resemble them so and i'm not even talking about white black what i'm talking about like i'll just go with late night comedy right David Letterman revolutionized late night comedy. He did it with a lot of Harvard, Lampoon, SNL, same way writers.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
So the comedy writing industry was for a long time, not necessarily out of malevolence or prejudice. The inertia of it, the status quo of it was nerdy white dudes from Harvard and the other Ivy League's. Very bad to say about Conan. That's horrible to be. Terrible to say. Saying that about Conan, John.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But even when we went to like, oh, we're going to do blind submissions, what we didn't realize is all the agents are also steeped in that same status quo. So all the resumes, even when we would get them, still predominantly when we went specifically to say, now this is what you would consider DEI. Give us not that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Open it up to make sure you give us women, people of color, other writers, so that we can at least see what that is. And all of a sudden, we found these incredible writers. Now, you could say, oh, you put diversity over competence. But that's the red herring. We didn't. We opened up what were stagnant pools, pools that were incestuous. And we opened up those tributaries.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
with the home team as much as we want. I want to get some insight on somebody who really knows Donald Trump, has spoken out against Donald Trump, has also collaborated. He's done the collabs and spoken out. But let's get to him right now to hopefully get a sense of where this thing may in fact be going and what are some of the darker undertones that are behind it. So without further ado...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
And isn't that what increases competition, not decreases it? Here's another example. All this talk about meritocracy. Vivek Ramaswamy comes out and says, all right, well, we need these engineers on H-1B visas, right? They're very talented. And everybody freaks the fuck out. How dare you prioritize these, what, better engineers? Like, what are we actually talking about?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But that's the point of DEI is not there to just change the color scheme and the palette. It's to look at a broader. And by the way, it includes hiring veterans, people of different socioeconomic status. Like it's not just race. or gender, diversity brings a resilience to your organizations that it might not have otherwise.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But without that, when has merit ever been implemented in that way. Legacy admissions to colleges, legacy admissions to the big firms. Why do we assume that the so-called meritocracy, the way that things were done in the past when America was great, was an objectively meritocratic system? It wasn't. It's rigged. It's always been rigged.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
It's more rigged by that than any measure of bringing on somebody whose experience for the position may be slightly more unorthodox.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But that's where we disagree. All right, a little quick break, and then we're coming right back.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Governor Chris Christie, 55th governor. 55th? Yeah. Of New Jersey. Obviously ran for president 2016, 2024.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But you just told me that's what you did in the prosecutor's office.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
No, I know, but that's because there's been a purposeful dismantling of anything that looks to repair the damage done by what were the legacy and the exclusionary practices of
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
of the past that's purposeful the the the backlash against dei is not uh a populist uprising against hiring it's the purposeful uh framing of that through political actors that's i mean that's what christopher ruffo that's what descent is like that's what these guys are doing intentionally this isn't the world suddenly saying oh my god what happened to our competence like
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
there was something about they wanted a diversity program in hiring pilots. And everybody was like, why don't they just hire the best pilots? And the idea is like, you really think they're out there just going, give me a black guy that doesn't know anything about the qualifications needed to become a pilot or won't study to become a pilot.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
It's just another way to retreat from, I think, the added competition of diverse populations.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But you saw that was a huge story on the right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But they're getting blamed for the government's lack of agility and responsiveness. So where I object to is now suddenly we go, I appreciate the diagnosis, right? Government not responding to the discomfort of the people in an agile way. Right. What I don't appreciate is that that is being blamed on DEI and illegal immigration.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Listen, the best example of that was after George Floyd died.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
when the democrats gathered i can't remember where it was in the rotunda like in kente cloth yeah you know it's nancy pelosi standing and i agree with you a lot of it can be performative right yes in gucci shoes and kente cloth you know i mean it's good exactly it's it's it's a little bit it's distasteful doesn't mean that it's it's it's not necessary and i think and this ties back in let's and this will bring it back around maybe to to
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Donald Trump and sort of how this is going. Make America great again. You're not quite sure what they mean. Do they mean return it to the default setting, which is, I guess, as you said, white male and competent? Is that the idea behind this? And is that what people are voting for? And in your mind, is that Donald Trump's vision of this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
You don't think it's more purposeful than that? I mean, the co-opting of the language of like America first. I mean, it's got so many... Look. Well, those are two different things. But they've really... put them together. What did he say in his inaugural speech? I will always put America first. He must be very aware of the evocation of that, no?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Years. I believe years.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
So then let's talk about then the people around him. I definitely view the way he runs this country as, look, he has run the Trump organization. It's not a publicly traded company. He runs it. He is the emperor of that empire. He is the king of it all. And I think that's where he's most comfortable being, obviously.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
And he is looking at the federal government to reflect that ethos, that he is steeped in that kind of imperious way. What I am seeing is our system is not very well prepared to handle somebody who's going to push it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
There's enough cracks and air and loopholes and things within our system that if you want to push it, and by the way, he's nullified Congress because now he's got the House and the Senate and he's got the judiciary. Like everybody wants to say, okay, this is, he's a fascist. What I'm looking at it as, haven't we handed him the keys to that type of ruler? He's been handed it democratically.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Like that's what's most frightening to me is you always think of the last bulwark is the consent of the governed, right? He has that. And the Democrats are in utter disarray. So how do you realistically stand up to a person that is very comfortable operating at that imperial level of our government at its kind of The founders didn't think of it that way.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
They thought it would be a check and balance between judiciary and legislative and executive. I don't think they viewed it as two parties fighting each other and a president that's going to push the shit out of this. Unitary executive. I mean, they almost made it that the president was like an eight-person board. So I've yet to see what is the effective response to...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
So why, you know... You've known this about him. How long have you known him for? Many, many years. 23 years. 23 years. Okay. I don't imagine that the pettiness, vindictiveness and anger and those various things that you talk about in terms of character just recently surfaced. That he went through some sort of midlife crisis and ended up With some personality tics that old people get.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
So, and this is the question that gets back to what we talked about originally. And it's not a gotcha, it's not meant to the thing. You were one of those people. You knew. In 2016, you knew what this guy was. You knew all those things. You had rationalizations for why you didn't act upon that and call it out earlier. It's not even that you stepped back. You actively participated in there.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
So you, I think, rightly have identified something. But very clearly, it's... It's something you yourself, I think, fell victim to. And you can say, well, in 2020 when he finally wouldn't concede, that's when I knew. But you did know. And these people know and they don't do it. So what do you say to them and what do you say to yourself?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Wait, when do I have to be?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
All right, fair enough.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But you weren't running against him. You were running for president.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
You really, you really think it's going there. You think it, Do you think the chaos is purposeful to start invoking some of those more emergency type powers? Is that where this is going?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
We've known this for a very long time. And by the way, you were one of his. Boy, he enjoyed making fun of you, right? Oh, yeah. Still does. But in 2016, you helped him. You helped him in the debates and all that. What is it? That keeps people in the orbit. Is it a fear that you will lose your political career if you go against him? Is it a close to power? He makes people supplicants.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
The Secretary of State and the Secretary of Defense is going to be like Meatloaf and Gary Busey arguing in the boardroom?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Yeah, he sees them on TV.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
He will always take the cruelest option he can possibly come up with. Absolutely right. So that brings us to, and I'm cognizant of your time, and I really do appreciate you being here, and this will sort of bring us back around to the end. When I look at that, his pettiness or his cruelty or his... his comfort in chaos.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
I feel like the arguments against him have been litigated now for 10 years through the public and through the courts. We've gone through 10, 12 years of, he's terrible. He's a threat to democracy. He's an autocrat. And Americans saw that. They saw January 6th. They saw everything. They saw the convictions, the felonies. And they went, yeah, we're good with that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Not only are we good with that, we're better with that than we were the last time. And we've talked a little bit about you know, your idea that Republicans have shown their character by not in any way standing up to that aspect of it, even if they might agree with them philosophically on certain areas.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
So now let's talk about the Democrats because this is the team I consider my team and I feel they are utterly rudderless. They've litigated the he's an autocrat and he's a dick argument. It hasn't gone anywhere. And it seems like they are utterly unprepared for this onslaught and are still just shouting autocracy rather than, look, this guy walked into office with a Project 2025 book.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
This is a 50 to 60 year project they've been working on. How is it that the Democrats are so flat footed here? And where is their counter to this? That idea that Americans feel left out of the government. Why are they just status quo-ing it?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Why are they just sending out Chuck Schumer to put his glasses down by his nose to look down and read a statement in as flat a monotone as you could possibly muster about the existential danger we face of this autocrat and then like take a quick call from his kid and laugh about, my grandson lost a tooth. And then he goes back to like,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Why is Obama shit, you know, laughing with him at a thing is it all feels performative. And, and what is the actual, where's the book that says, this is what the relationship with the government is. And here's how we're going to fix it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But the Republicans are very good at – they've lined up a lot of their think tanks with their media, with their –
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
uh political arms they have fights too they've got a freedom caucus like right now the democratic strategy appears to be let's hope chip roy is so fucking crazy that he'll just stand up and make it impossible for the house to pass anything rather than you can't just tell people to steer away from that crash you have to give them a direction to drive into and i know that's being reductive
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But they don't seem to have that same infrastructure or leadership.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Oh, I don't. I mean, if your idea is like the Democrats lost because Biden was too progressive, I would. No, no.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Which is entirely the opposite of what reality is. He's a guy who says, I'm the free, free speech is back. And by the way, somebody should remove MSNBC from the air and CBS, and I'm going to sue everybody. Like there's, it's incoherent.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But don't you think reconciliation allows him much more leeway through the Senate? I mean, he's going to push everything to reconciliation.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
See, here's where I think he's going to get around that, and I truly believe this. I think they're being really shrewd about this. I think they actually are going to be ruthless in –
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
cutting spending and i think you're seeing that now with the freeze on everything else like i think he's i think he's calculated that into their project i think these guys again they've thought this through they have a game plan in my mind this really is and maybe it's just because it's my team i'm so frustrated with their inability to mount any coherent opposition
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
other than I'm telling my lawyer, we're telling our lawyers to file an injunction. And I mean, come on, guys, this is autocracy. And it goes back to the only path I see out of this really dark tunnel that we're in, and I do feel like it's dark and going to get darker, is they have to have at least one of the handles of power.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
And to get that, they have to present a convincing, authentic, coherent, and directed and led vision, not of I'm a progressive, I'm a conservative, I'm a thing, I'm a that, of how to make this thing work, how to make it work for people to agilely respond to They're paying money in. What are they getting back? And what does that mean to their lives? And if they can't do that, we're royally fucked.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
That is the premise.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Now you're talking my life. Now this is all bringing it back to sports radio, baby. Let's go. Offense and defense.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
And look, and I think ultimately, you know, you as a governor, I think ultimately what's going to happen is the states are going to have to the system is still federalist. And I think we're going to see power returning to some of the states. And I think you're going to see governors profiles. raised within that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
And I think they're going to come up with really creative solutions to protect the people most vulnerable to a lot of the shit that's going down. And someone, I have faith that someone may not rise out of the legislative arms of the party, but out of the executive arms of the party, you may start to see some changes made and some things come up.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Even in that moment, when he's doing things like, you know, he makes the whatever it was, the Oreo joke, or he makes you a supplicant. And this is 2016. And then you watched him as president. You know, you were part of his transition team. You know, he went out of his way to kind of shame you, right? Mm-hmm. Why go back in 2020?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But ultimately, I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us today and giving the insights into what you were given. So thank you for being here.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Chris Christie, former governor of New Jersey. Thank you so much, presidential candidate. And we really do appreciate you coming on today.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Chris Christie. I want to thank him very much for the conversation. For those of you who didn't, See, before we got started in the conversation, we talked about Mets, and I don't think I've ever seen him as animated. I think that's the key, is you bring up the Mets, and Chris Christie goes. So I want to also point a quick note.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
We taped a separate little piece talking about an Afghan resettlement program for allies of the United States. who had been in Afghanistan, who are having trouble now with the program that was set up to get them into the United States safely. And we talked to Sean Van Diver, who is heading up a program called Afghan EVAC, about the status of that program. You can check that out as well.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
I think we're going to put that out as a separate piece, so as rather not to make your podcast listen as long as possible. I don't know how far your car ride is, is what I'm trying to say to you. I don't know how this goes. So anyway, we appreciate you sticking with the program, listening to it. Please keep sending all your suggestions and such. And we'll check you out next week.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Like, what was it that made you still stick with, you know, it's one thing to say, okay, well, that I didn't really know in 2016. In 2020, you clearly knew. So what is it then?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
As always, lead producer Lauren Walker, producer Brittany Mamedovic, video editor and engineer Rob Vitolo, audio editor and engineer Nicole Boyce. researcher and associate producer, Jillian Spear, and our executive producers, Chris McShane and Katie Gray. Thank you guys so much. Could not, could not do this thing without all their hard work. Really appreciate it. And we'll see you next week. Boy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central podcast. It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
You went with the one that was fatally flawed character-wise.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Had you had dealings with Biden at that time and that's where you drew that conclusion?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
I wouldn't not at the same time. No, but fair enough.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Not to use the bridge, by the way, sensitive topic. I don't want to go bridge.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Yeah, you got to really reach for metaphors when I'm talking to ex-politicians here.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Look, this is, it's, I feel it in my bones, a certain fright about where this thing is going to go. And The most difficult thing for me to reckon is that moment that you speak about, that from November to January, that inability to concede the election results without any shred of legitimate court-tested proof, anything that has evidentiary standards.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
As you know, the court system was really the only thing that held up. the fact that January 6th happened, not as a moment of, you know, a crime of passion, but as the result of careful weeks and months of planning by his legal team as to which obstacle he next had to reach. Like, I think what they said was, this is your final shot. If we can't stop this electoral count, it's over.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Hey, everybody. Welcome once again to The Weekly Show. My name is Jon Stewart. It is end of January, I'm going to say, 2025. President Trump has been president forever or an hour. The confusion, the chaos, which I'm assuming is the point, has been stunning. Even for those expecting there to be this kind of, I mean, they said shock and awe.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
If we can't somehow make it chaotic and get it thrown into the house, right? The most anti-democratic thing you could possibly achieve, at least in my mind, in an election in America. He was not punished for that. He was rewarded for that with not just an electoral college win, but a popular vote win. So what are we now to make of this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
We've all got in our minds that Chris Christie moment, a bridge too far, even for someone that I had doubts about, character flaws, all these different things. He finally crossed for you the Rubicon. And America is unmoved by the character argument and the autocrat argument. So what are you left with?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
But let's go, you know, it's interesting because you talk about it in terms of the people, right? And you say, well, it's a binary choice, this person versus...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
this person but i think there's something uh deeper here about a system of government that people no longer feel is responsive enough for them that democracy in and of itself has gotten sort of sclerotic and and is not is not agile in the way that it needs to be and Is it that, you know, I don't necessarily disagree with Donald Trump's diagnoses. The system is rigged against people.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
Powerful interests have the ear of our politicians. The government is not responding necessarily to the discomfort of its, let's call them customers, right? I think it's a Trojan horse. it seems like what the Republicans have in mind is kind of an undoing of the relationship that we have established between the people and the government since the New Deal.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
And further than that, the Immigration Act of the 60s and the Civil Rights Act of the 60s. These are the things that this Project 2025 wants to disassemble. It's sort of like Project 1929. Is that their aim? And all... Everything else is sort of noise. Is the signal here a refashioning of the relationship between the government and the people?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
The Cons & Cons of Trump with Gov. Chris Christie
They were coming in with shock and awe, which really is not a phrase that you expect to be deployed on your own country. I was under the impression that it was the kind of thing we would deploy on countries we had hostilities with. But it turns out the hostility is with us. It's the people, the American people that are going to get the shock and awe.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
End of the process, meaning they've actioned it, they've built it, or now they've gotten the- No, no, no.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
They had been approved for the money. Yes, basically. How many of these obstacles are – let's try and tease it out a little bit because I think the more specific you get here, Ezra, I think the more helpful it is for everybody to understand.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Yeah. You're very granular and it's fascinating. So I want to tease out how much of this is also local and state issue. How much of this is litigation? How much of this is kind of the liberal instinct of, You can't solve anything unless it also solves everything, meaning it also has to be carbon neutral and hire only disabled contractors and also small businesses.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And Donald Trump, this is when he is at his best, when he gets that quick onset dementia. Anytime he gets caught in a situation that would require some accountability, he immediately goes into the, I don't even have a...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
You know, what is the percentage of this that really affects
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
what you think is a blueprint forward for for democrats and what is other kind of noise i'm trying to see if i can pull up where i actually have to get granular with you um somewhere i have from derek the actual chart derek by the way the co-author yes who should and and again this is not in any way a criticism grow a beard because it really he does
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
in the interviews, appear to be your enthusiastic intern. He looks 17.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
His youthful visage, I find a little bit distracting as a grizzled veteran. All right. We got to take a quick break. Be right back. We are back. All right, here we go. Ezra's Googling as we speak. And he's pulling it up. I'm going to do this like a golf announcer. Ezra Klein, he is coming up on the 18th green. He is pulling up examples.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
The 180 days is just them notify, they have to notify people that there might be this opportunity.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And I hate to even break this down even further because this is just- I'm so glad we're doing this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Ezra, I think it's so important for people, though, to really get an understanding of just what is the bureaucracy. It's this faceless thing. Right now at Doge, it's demonized as though the people that are running the bureaucracy are the evil ones. Like they're just executing what they've been told to do by Congress.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
text i don't i've never heard about it this is the first i've heard about it you know they confronted him on there's classified information going on text change and there are it's it's not secure they're on fucking snapchat or wherever they're on and they've got a journalist on there and he's like i don't know what you're talking
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
These are just hardworking, smart people trying to do the right thing by what's been legislated.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
It's still at the first step. Yes. Just out of curiosity, what is the half a year? What's going on in the 180 days between when this is passed as legislation and when they're going to notify people it's been passed and it's an opportunity?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
hey man that's not me i do everything goodfellas style i go outside i go to the phone booth i talk to one person on the phone or we pass notes i don't do any of that kind of that kind of stuff he did the same with i think the deportation orders you know these deportation orders that The Justice Department says that they were illegal.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And also, by the way, going to make it impossible. for anyone other than larger corporations to comply because the expense that it would take for smaller, more agile, more local businesses, they would not have the manpower, the financial resources.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
You are excluding an enormous amount of the American economy in terms of building things by laying on compliance costs that would drive most companies into the ground.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Meaning you can't apply unless you live up to those.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Well, whoever did them is in a lot of trouble, and I'll make sure to talk to them about it if I ever figure it out. I didn't sign it. I don't even know what a pen is. I don't have a pen. I don't use writing. I don't have hands. How could I have done it? It really is just a remarkable game of, hey, man, it wasn't me.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
I'll give you something else, Ezra. Yeah, please. This, I think, is also an important part of the process. Congress people are very busy. And so the space between what they have the capacity to do to delineate these things versus what lobbyists in these industries have to do. In other words, a lot of what's in these wish lists are industry wish lists.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
The lobbyists who have the time, industry is writing a lot of what's in these bills.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And the one thing nobody's actually really talked about is the crazy arrogance in this text chain and confidence. This whole like, fuck Europe, fuck these freeloaders, like all these countries. What did they ever do for us other than sign up to go fight in a war that we started over an event that didn't happen to them? Fuck them. I mean, it's just... The most myopic, selfish, arrogant.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Ezra, I just want to say, if you were going to design a machine That would keep people from getting broadband. Yes. If you were to design a machine that would, it's almost as though they have designed this to make sure that people in rural areas, by the time this is around, Musk will already have the chips in our brains. We won't even need it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Is that the result of their $5 million planning fund, this initial proposal?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And what the fuck did they apply for? What was their nofo?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
These are motherfuckers, these regular, this is crazy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
For this bill. They wanted this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
My hair was dark when we started this process. I was a young, healthy man. I had the bone density of a- Your VO2 max was amazing. Of a stainless steel. I didn't need any supplements. And by the way, I want to make sure that everybody understands each one of these steps I'm sure, and pardon me if I'm being presumptuous, each one of these steps has an amount of time that they write into.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
So in other words, it's a 90-day waiting period for these challenges. It's a 120-day review process. There's already, without anybody even submitting anything, that they could have seen on a macro level Two and a half years of nothingness built into the plan.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
I feel confident knowing what the public comment times are. Like you always have 90 days, 120 days. They have a 30-day review process. They have an 800-day, you know, it's all of this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Okay. Got to take a quick break. We will be right back. We are back.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And then this whole idea, I guess we got to bail these fuckers out again by what? Bombing the Houthis? Like how many years are we going to be bombing the Houthis? Like you didn't solve anything. These guys, maybe the new attacks on shipping in 2023 or 2024, maybe they'll chill that out for a little bit. But I mean, the Saudis have bombed the shit out of them. They did a blockade against them.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Oh my fucking God. At step 12, after all this has been done,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
I'm speechless, Ezra. Honestly, like it's A, far worse than I could have imagined, but the fact that they amputated their own legs on this is what's so stunning. And just for fairness sake, I'll give you the flip side of that, which is the PACT Act, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
It's the burn pit bill where soldiers who had been exposed to toxins who had slept near there were getting all these illnesses for the VA to cover them presumptively for these other Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
They're acting like, okay, finally, daddy's home and he's going to throw a couple of missiles at them and that'll cure everything. Like that hasn't been the solution to everything we've been doing over these past 30, 40 years. Oh, we'll just throw a few cruise missiles into Libya. That should fix it. It's just, man, arrogance is, but here's what I like about the show we're going to do today.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Today we're going to be talking about Ezra Klein, and I love his podcast and I always learn a ton. But he's written a book that has angered some people on the left because it is self-critical. It is looking at the things that the left can do to maybe improve their case for people. And it couldn't be more timely. And people are talking about it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And I'm happy to have him on because I think it is a fascinating... And the beauty of it is in the specificity of it. This is not some broad polemic about... This is a... a deep and interesting dive into just the mechanics and guts of how a government accomplishes something. And it's really, for me at least, for somebody who loves this kind of stuff, is fascinating.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
So I'm just gonna, I'm gonna get to them and we'll get this thing damn started. We're so excited to have this gentleman as a guest on the program. We're going to get right to him. New York Times podcast host of the Ezra Klein Show, co-author of Abundance with Derek Thompson, staff writer at The Atlantic. It's Ezra Klein. Ezra! John!
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Boy, that's a good point.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Spending money, that's a thing. We did that in finance and look what it did to the world economy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
What is... Man, I feel like this book... First of all, congratulations on the book.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And a lot of it is also, to be fair, state and local. Even without the federal government intervention, state and local zoning restrictions, environmental law, all these different things are also there. Ezra, I want to ask you, like,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
A fabulous reception. People are really interested in it. I think there's a real thirst for this kind of blueprint... And the type of things, but I have to tell you, the first thing that pops to mind is you are like the Timothee Chalamet of the book world right now. This press tour, it is the complete unknown of economic blueprints for a path forward. I'm mostly following this analogy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
What do you think about even stepping back a bit further than that, which is, you know, we're talking a little bit about the priorities of a more progressive agenda, the things that they want to build. Is there even a more basic step that needs to be addressed first? Because one of the issues that I think afflicts maybe more progressive policies, which is we need $500 billion to build this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
We need to tax billionaires to get the money to do this. But the public does not trust that that money will be attached to a value that directly impacts their lives because they haven't seen it for a couple of decades or so. And on the flip side, the Republicans come in with a Sith and they're chopping it in the name of efficiency, but again, with no eye to value.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Do Democrats have to almost take even a step further back and simplify the case for value? and making that case to people and competence.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Cass Sunstein in the back room writing all the things.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Perhaps that's the order that went around. I've got to stand up on this situation for just one moment. A, this is why I don't do group chats. They're so fucking annoying. Not even when you're obviously planning on bombing another country.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
That's everything. That's everything. That is the exact crux of what we're talking about. And even when we talk about the great examples of democratic revolutionary legislation over the past 20 years. Even when you talk about the ACA, I pay a lot of taxes. Oh, so you get healthcare. Well, no, I get maybe a stipend that'll buy me insurance. Oh, so the insurance is healthcare.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Well, no, it's actually like a ticket and you have to go up to the counter and they'll say, well, yes, you can have a little bit of healthcare, but you can't have this healthcare. There is a disconnect. It reminds me of the education conversation that was once sort of, it went viral. It was a list of the 10 ways that people learn best.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
His press tour was ubiquitous. Are you pleased with the way that this has entered the world, that has entered the chat?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And then they put the 10 ways that things are taught and they were exactly contradictory of how things. We have designed a system that is, in many ways, government has just become the trough for big business to come in give nothing away, only extract. And I think nobody has demonstrated to people in recent times that it doesn't have to be that way.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Was that the one where they bought – every unit cost like $400,000 to build?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Just to get ready to start. I think ultimately the point is this. I look at government as... We need to use it to harness the power of business, not let citizens be exploited by the rapaciousness of business. And they are two very different things.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
So just a lot of self-reflection on why did I undertake this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
That is not to say you're anti-business, but it's to suggest that you have to be some kind of a bulwark against those kinds of instincts that they have there. And that is the way. Do you remember there was a book called, oh, shit, The Death of Common Sense. Is that ring a bell to you, Howard? That sounds like a book.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Who wrote about, it's not that we don't necessarily have regulations thing, is that we don't interpret them with any common sense. We don't allow leadership, whether it's within the judiciary or whether it's in the regulatory, that we allow the bureaucracy of it to become almost sentient. and forget that it's a tool. And I almost wonder, you know, you talked earlier about what man is capable of.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
We put somebody on the moon. Maybe we need a kind of bureaucratic moonshot, a Manhattan project.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Here's the final pitch, Ezra, because I think that is dead on. And it reminds me of something that what happens is They're so afraid of waste, fraud and abuse, which are very legitimate things to be concerned about, that they build into the system waste, fraud and abuse. Yes. That the waste, fraud and abuse of the system that is there to prevent waste, fraud and abuse is waste, fraud and abuse.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
I know we're going down a rabbit hole.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
But they're doing it because Republicans are so mistrustful. Right, but then he wants to light the whole fucking thing on fire and privatize it. So here's the flip side of it. Make government programs more accessible, less adversarial. You would streamline all of those processes. And then on the back end,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
build in a more robust fraud enforcement yes so in other words you flip it i can tell you this at the va that would transform that organization if they didn't in their search for the three percent of those that were abusing the system force 97 of the people into this hellish labyrinth They would save a shit ton of money on that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
They would save a shit ton of lives and just have more robust, streamlined fraud enforcement on the back end. It's just a simple flip of how we're viewing it. And I think it would be profound.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
It's so self-protective. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
It's to get the shit out there. One other thing I wanted to ask you. What I'm seeing in the Trump administration, right, is that they've got historians and legal scholars combing through the history of this country, finding whatever Byzantine or abstract emergency power. It's the Illegal Enemies Act. It's the, oh, we used this once in 1813, trying to get some native tribes off of land.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
They're using... Powers that have been granted under emergencies to do sort of day-to-day governance things. And I don't like it, but is there anything to be learned from this for people who have more liberal aims and progressive aims?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
People like it when their government works. And they don't realize, Ezra, every problem is an emergency to someone.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
This has been one of my favorite interviews by far. Thank you. I will never say mofo again without thinking nofo. That's what you've implanted into my brain.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
That's the mimetic endpoint of this. I really appreciate you spending the time. Congratulations on all the things. It's Ezra Klein, New York Times podcast, The Ezra Klein Show, co-author of Abundance with 11-year-old Derek Thompson, who is a prodigy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
I can't get on board with this, man. Please come back and talk again. Add me to your group chats.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
I hope to get a chance to talk to you soon.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Man, I'm exhausted. I just spent an hour and a half in that dude's head and the amount of information, the amount of specificity, no wonder he had to Google a couple of things. But wow, I will never... take Wi-Fi for granted ever again, knowing the 14-step program that has been put in place just to get to the starting line. For me, that will ultimately be
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
the takeaway, but really appreciated the gentleman coming on and explaining all those various things and get the book. It's called Abundance. And it really does give an awful lot to think about as far as, you know, there's an opportunity for the next iteration of what that type of governance will look like. And I think this is a great start in picking that apart.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
But anyway, thanks everybody for listening. We went long, so we're going to rush things out. As always, thank our lead producer, Lauren Walker. producer Brittany Mamedovic, video editor and engineer Rob Vitolo, audio editor and engineer Nicole Boyce, researcher and associate producer Jillian Spear, and our executive producers Chris McShane and Katie Gray.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
And I am Jon Stewart, and we will see you next week. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central podcast. It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Is that a podcast that you turn manually? What is a book? But it's fascinating to me. When did you start this project? Three years ago? Two years ago? Four years ago?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
But just in the sense, I think their group chat must have had what Pete Hegseth and the Department of Defense and the National Security Advisor Walts and generals and a journalist from the Atlantic. There must have been 16 or 18 people. The notifications alone would make me want to launch missiles.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
hey everybody welcome to the weekly show podcast my name is john stewart we are taping this on wednesday march 26th probably you probably get it thursday march 27th who knows what will be revealed in the secretive group chats of our nation's most powerful people between now and then perhaps lunch orders an egg salad with a Onions and celery on a nice pumpernickel.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Right. But it's this disconnect between we have a value system that we espouse, certainly on Facebook or in our Twitter handles. And yet operationally, we can never live up to this value system because you really don't want that value system anywhere near your house.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Somewhere down the road. Yeah. The crazy thing to me is that the moment that it drops, because it's this really interesting theory of there's this absurdity at the heart of some of the liberal idealism that comes in the difficulty of making it actionable because of liberal resistance to some of it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
forgetting about regulation or various things that that go into it but nobody a few years ago is really thinking about that the democratic playbook might be obsolete it drops in this moment when there is such confusion and chaos as to the direction or the foundation or the blueprint.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
What you're starting to conjure before any of all this, Project 2025 becomes evident, is maybe a building block for that, some kind of cornerstone. Do you think that's part of why this has generated such a interest?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Every fucking thumbs up emoji or bicep arm and fist pump and fire and every little, you got that right. I agree. And your phone, ding, ba-bing, ba-bing, ding. I would have thrown my phone out the window. It's maddening. There's got to be four people on a chat room or whatever they call them, text chain, all that other shit.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Are you suggesting you've been criticized for not including everything that could ever possibly be a wishlist?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
Green energy, baby. Green energy and investment.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
building world broadband maybe even back better they didn't want to just build it ezra they wanted it back better wow man that's uh there's something about throwing me back to that moment that that hurts at this moment right like the optimism the um it was a simpler time it was a simpler time yeah but you you make the point in the book which i think is is really interesting that that moment of optimism
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Why We Can’t Have Nice Things with Ezra Klein
actually crystallized in some ways the failure. Yes. And you make it very stark in terms of, for instance, the chargers, which I think is a great example.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
All right. So the way I would look at it is this. The greatest... inhibitor of personal liberty in my mind is not necessarily uh overzealous regulation or something along those lines it's it's poverty right it's struggle it's the inability to get enough of the fruits of your labor to allow yourself pers the personal freedom that you need you know survival and and being on a tenuous razor's edge
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
is for my calculation the greatest inhibitor of personal liberty free markets this the operating system that we're running capitalism whether it's free or not is by its nature exploitative of of labor so their goal is to get you to work for them for the least amount of money they can they can pay you because they need to drive the biggest profits, right? Sure.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
So because of that, it's hard for me to reconcile those two dynamics feel at odds.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's not good, right? Would you draw it further back to like objectivism or would you say that?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Even I, for a second, was like, what the, was I shot? I glued it that night. And then it's pretty gnarly looking, but it's all good. So it goes, as Kurt Vonnegut would say, so it goes. We have a ton to get to today. We're taping on Wednesday. So God knows if we'll even still be live. in the alliances that we were in the day before, but I'm excited to talk to you today.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Sure. The Merry Pranksters and-
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Not even poor people. I mean, like working class or even regular middle class, which is how I grew up.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
The rollover, baby. You had to get to them zeros.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Yeah, I think that's probably where you and I would disagree a little bit.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
You know, there's so much that's going on, and we talk about Democrats and liberals and Republicans and conservatives and Doge and MAGA. I wanted to get kind of the libertarian view, and I know that's not monolithic in any way, but I thought there's no better person to get that from than our guest today. So let's get to that right now.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Yeah, I wouldn't question that at this point. There's a Republican congressman the other day who was like, kids should have to work for their lunch at school. And you're like, okay. That's interesting. Yeah, I agree. And by the way, SNAP benefits are controversial. Yeah. I mean, they really are within the government.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And the other side I would say to it is when governments do provide that, right, they attach all kinds of conditions to it that they don't attach to subsidies that are for corporations. I mean, you get billions for things and yet food stamps, you're not allowed to buy hot food.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
So you're more of a, you would say means testing is the most important aspect of the safety net.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Which, by the way, they don't. I mean, almost entirely those benefits are used to the positive and not.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Yeah. The whole idea is like they're gaming the system for gambling money and cigarettes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But you're not against the government subsidizing those that are left out of uh whatever economic prosperity comes from the capitalist system which is i think for a lot of people would be surprising you know i've always said you know rand paul is kind of the avatar for all this in my mind only because having lobbied down there for the droga act for 9 11 and pact act for
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
veterans and other things right i always started to get the impression that like a libertarian was a republican whose town hadn't hit hadn't been hit by a tornado yet right right like it was like no money for sandy relief and then kentucky gets hit by a tornado and they're like come on Which made me feel like it wasn't a practical operating system for people to be talking about.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And this, I think, is going to surprise people. I think they view libertarianism in some ways as kind of a purest form of a kind of selfishness, right? That you don't do. And I would say that's a more charitable view than I hear from the Republican Party, almost in its entirety. I think they view poverty and being left behind as vice, as somehow it went in certain areas.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Ladies and gentlemen, we are very pleased in this moment to have with us Nick Gillespie, editor at large of Reason Magazine, host of the Reason interview with Nick Gillespie podcast. Nick, the OG in my mind of kind of grounded libertarian thought is in my mind, I think of Nick Gillespie and I'm very pleased. that you could be here and join us today.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I think if you were to look at like let's say the Midwest and the Rust Belt, right? I think the view there is those poor people. Globalization has hollowed out our manufacturing base. And then you would say, well, what about Chicago and New York City and minority communities? And they would say, pull your pants up and get a fucking job.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's almost an analog of what happened to our manufacturing base yet viewed almost entirely differently and without any sympathy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
No, no, no. You're right. It does. It goes across lines. People have their prejudices against different groups.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
for you know getting a good deal by resisting uh modernization of you know of containerized shipping um it's you know he knows how to play all of this do you think that's genuine because i find him to be incredibly dismissive of labor and workers and he views them you know i think in his unguarded moments like the podcast he did with elon where he was laughing with elon about
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
how badly they had cut the workers at Twitter, and where do you think they are in reality?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It was only a couple of years, Nick. You know that was only a couple of years.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's not a lie if you believe it. And in that moment, he believes it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Why didn't we talk to you sooner, Nick?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Listen, I think you're putting your finger on the essential questions that we talk about. I guess the way that I would maybe address that is slightly different, which is government exists... Getting back to the operating system, the operating system being capitalism.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
In my mind, the government exists to soften the blow that a, by definition, exploitative system is going to extract. Capitalism is extractive there. Goods, raw materials, labor has got to be the cheapest, drive the highest profits. And the people that will benefit that are necessarily a smaller slice of people because it's a shareholder operation, not a people operation.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Is that really true? Because it's so interesting to me. Libertarian is, you think of political movements sometimes and you have a tendency to group them as a monolith. And the libertarian movement is anything but a monolith. It has, there's this sort of the side of it that's getting maybe the most attention in this day and age is maybe the kind of more edgelord side of it, that kind of young male.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And the labor is not valued in the same way that investment or capital is. Capital is king.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
How did he get that name? He wasn't.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
You know what? We can argue about economic systems, but you were in dangerous territory, my friend.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Yeah, I get that. Reason is a small, it's not a multinational. I'm talking writ large about multinational corporations. And I'll make the case, I think, because- If you look at wealth in systems that are poorly regulated in terms of capitalism, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
There is, in the same way that political power is accrued through a kind of contrived incumbency, I think wealth also accumulates through a contrived incumbency by those that are wealthy. And what you find is, so let's go back to times when capitalism was less fettered, and that would be sort of Gilded age. It's one thing to say, oh, competition, you know, iron tempers iron.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It makes everybody stronger and it gets stronger. But what happens is, as we've seen with monopolistic tendencies in capitalism, once wealth is accrued. it becomes much easier to then keep tilting the table more in their favor. And it almost inexorably, it's a law of nature. It's a kind of Newton's law.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Not awful, but it's not awful. But it's a system that requires exploitation and extraction. I mean, it generates more wealth than any other system, no question. But that wealth accumulates unusually. You brought up earlier the 50s. which I thought was a great time. And you're right. But tax rates then were 80% or 90%.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And the GI Bill, which was a giant government expense, is what helped build that stable middle class that you're talking about.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And they cut all kinds of deductions and rich people always find a way out of it. True.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But when I call you the OG, you know, I feel like you were always grounding everything in Friedman and Hayek and, you know, all the things that you imagine libertarianism's foundation is built upon. Would that be correct?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Right. I think that wages do not match productivity gains. They'll always lag.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Isn't 50 to 60% of Americans living paycheck to paycheck?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Oh, you're saying that our standard of living is now higher comparatively?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
You're saying that Henry Ford, the sort of the mechanization of goods and services allowed more people, which I don't in any way quibble with. I think that's why we use this operating system. I'm just saying the basis of this operating system
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
is inequality and you see it in fits and starts it's why economics goes through cycles and that like if we hadn't have done the new deal we'll talk about it this way government intervention to ease the burden of those who are not able to protect their wealth through incumbency
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
and really profit at that arithmetic or geometric level from the fruits of capitalism is what preserves the stability of the system. If we went more libertarian, I think you'd find the system is too volatile and revolution then becomes much more inevitable.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
You're suggesting that after 1929, if we hadn't gotten the New Deal, everything would have been
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Well, let's use a more recent example, which would be the 2008 financial crisis versus the pandemic. Yeah. In 2008 financial crisis, it's caused by risk-taking behavior within our investment economy, not our working economy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Well, Freddie May and those guys got into the game pretty late. And I think it's you'd be hard pressed to say that the hedge funds did it because they thought the government incentivized it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's funny. I think where you and I would like society to settle is probably almost the same place. I think you and I would look at it as, and here's my path to get there. And you would say, here's my path. And you've got to trust both of those paths. You got to go. And ultimately, you got to trust me. That's where it comes down to theology.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
So you didn't get your start in dank memes. That was not how you got your start with all this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Well, I certainly don't think we're spending it effectively. That's, I think that's for sure.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
So here's what I would say with that. There are different ways to stimulate the economy. So I think since Reagan and probably before that, probably Carter, there has been the idea that supply side sort of what they would call neoliberal policy is the best way to stimulate
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
the economy which means that the money tax cuts for incentivizing wealthier people and corporations and allowing for more m a and allowing for consolidation within industries which in some ways you know these these really it's the rise of these gigantic
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
multinational uh corporations and it gets back to sort of what we're talking about 2008 versus the pandemic in 2008 the crash came from the financialization of all these products it came from the white collar markets we bailed them out as taxpayers which i would totally totally against as as was i but not against bailing out homeowners that's maybe where you and i would differ
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It depends, but yeah. But in the pandemic, when the era that rent assistance went out and the $600, the stimmy went out, what it showed to me was it took us 10 years. It took us a decade after 2008 to even get back to a semblance of where we were. The pandemic, it took us a year or a year and a half financially to be back. What it says is, in my mind,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
direct stimulus at a demand side level is far more fiscally responsible than these trickle-down neoliberal policies. I think we can spend less and get more.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But isn't it to prevent more catastrophic adventure at some level? Well, this is where- This is where the theology comes in.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But don't you think those actions were all influenced by the lobbyists from the finance? You know, when the government sets out to do something smart, that gets watered down almost immediately by the moneyed interests.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
So is the idea, Nick, if we were to boil this down, let me ask you this, is the idea maybe that's fundamental to our disagreement that because government can be captured by the same corrupt and corrosive interests that maybe business can be captured by. And I remember having Greenspan on the show and saying, why did we have a crisis in 2008?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And he said, well, I think we thought that the banks would have done a better job of regulating themselves. And I was like, well, yeah, I didn't. But the point being is the only way to prevent that, to remove government, is that your sort of foundational principle?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And you don't fear the natural order will be that the little guy's got no chance against money.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
You mean as opposed to communism or socialism? Is that what you mean?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Which is still a large part of the operating system that we work with.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Well, I think they were also not practiced with demand side stimulus. And so maybe they just didn't understand quite-
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
what what the real value of it was because the amount of economic activity it generated even with wrecked supply chains but so this brings us sort of around and nick i can't thank you enough for yeah you know sitting in and and having the conversations because there's so much in it that is relevant to today but also yeah so many places of agreement that people may not have thought
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Yes. And coming from somebody who still believes in government's ability to give people help. Yes. I also believe government is far too onerous, far too bureaucratic. If I could give it anything, it would be a moonshot to everything.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
dispel unnecessary paperwork and to make it so that they don't have such ridiculous rules for every project that has to satisfy every interest group that ever walked the earth.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I mean, in some respects, because they started off with imperialism and colonialism and slavery. And so everything that they give us from that feels like it's a concession. What are you talking about? We're paying you. You're not a slave. But let's-
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
let's flip it now to at least what's happening now, because I think, you know, there is a feeling that the Trump administration is libertarian friendly and that Doge is libertarian friendly. And I guess my vision of what they're doing does not match. Like the idea that, you know, RFK Jr. is a give to libertarians seems crazy to me, but, or that any of this is They're not talking about freedom.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
They're talking about fealty. And they're talking about, yes, free speech is a wonderful value unless we don't like it and we will bring to bear even more authoritarian values. So how are you feeling in this moment?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Let's start with one. No polio. Okay, let's move on from there.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Are you saying I'm riding my bike behind the Trump administration as a fire hose?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Do you think that's purely a purview of the left?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
See, I always looked at it more as a function of social media, which kind of gave the villagers who wanted pitchforks and torches a way to go after everybody, you know, and that includes, by the way, things that have nothing to do with politics. If you were to criticize, you know, one direction, you would get a shit storm coming your way.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But well, that's the other side is that's people expressing their speech.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
See, I never had a problem. Look, I feel like I operate a small artisanal talk shittery. And if people want to operate their talk shittery back at me, that is only fair. So I guess I'm trying to separate wokeness from people just giving each other incessant shit about everything.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I got a bumper sticker, corporations are pussies. They don't want any trouble. I'll tell you what, in terms of content creation, the biggest sort of censoring blanket that went over show business, I didn't think was wokeness. It was when Ron DeSantis sued Disney.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
As soon as that happened, you saw people back off of content that they thought, or like when Trump threatens to jail Zuckerberg. Right. I guess that's my problem is just the hypocrisy of it all.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
On Colbert, yeah, on the late show.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Lettios, I believe it was called. It was delicious, stayed crunchy. The one cereal that stayed crunchy in the bowl was Lettios.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
No, I can tell you he doesn't mean it. I think it's pretty obvious he doesn't mean it. Listen, man, I've honestly never seen a president, and I know they lean on people. I'm not naive. I've never seen someone threaten to jail people who don't use the terminology. I've seen them try and reveal sources in a way that I thought was, I think what they did to Snowden was insane.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Like all those different things. I've seen it, but he's making it explicit and yet was hailed as the free speech king.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But isn't the threat of it all that matters? Whether he jails them or not is kind of not the issue.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Or educators that were teaching in a way that they didn't. For all the complaints of the woke left, they've rarely ensconced it in law in the way that the right has.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
So are you aligning with their, their other goals of, you know, like I personally, if you could make government more efficient, oh my God.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
yeah you think that opening up that that competition let me ask you this maybe this is a different way to frame kind of dei so for me if if you reframe that argument economically it maybe aligns a little bit more with how you feel because what i think diversity and inclusion and equity means maybe not in the practice and
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I don't think it means sitting through that hour long seminar where everybody looks at each other and goes, right. I never said that about her ass. Like it's not that, but I look at it as more competition. Right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
You know, we have supply lines in this country, entrenched poverty and groups that have been explicitly kept out of, you know, equity through government action and all kinds of other ways. If you reanimate those supply lines and, You strengthen. Totally. Don't think of it as diversity. Think of it as emerging markets.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
People Are Nuts would be a good title for the book. But Nick, so you just gave me in many ways the perfect segue kind of into our conversation, because I think I want to talk to you about Doge and how you're feeling about that, the Trump administration, all those things. But first, I think I've always been libertarian. Curious if that would be the right. Every comedian is, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Think of it as that. And suddenly, you view it as an engine of economic growth.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's the second time on The Daily Show that I have broken a drinking vessel. The first one was glass. The second was ceramic for those who thought I should have had a breakaway mug. Yeah, now you tell me. Ceramic is one of my least favorite materials to have embedded in my skin. But I bled out. It really, for a comedian, is humiliating. And I say that
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Veterans have been walled off in many ways. Women were walled off. People in... Poverty-stricken neighborhoods are walled off. Appalachia has been walled off forever. To me, that's what inclusion and diversity and equity means.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Because they're doing what they can, not what they should. What they're allowed to do is you can't address those shriveled supply lines and reanimate them and get those communities involved. So here's what we're going to let you do. We're going to let you have an office on the eighth floor. And every April, you're going to give us a presentation for two hours that everybody hates. How about that?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Yeah. And that's what we're doing. Are you excited about that project of Doge? Do you think it will bear fruit?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
which by the way, I think it does do. I think it mostly ignores it. Almost every department there has to be audited. Only defense doesn't pass them, but they do do that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
The question is, what are the metrics they're looking for? I just don't know yet if they're actually looking at Yeah. Or they're just looking at size.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
The very people who are doing it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I think you would probably have to be.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Until the shit hits the bed. The problem with government, that using sort of first principles of business, like when I look at Elon, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
What he's been able to accomplish, like however you want to feel about him, It's pretty fucking remarkable. Yeah, totally. But it's a different ethos. You have to blow up a shit ton of rockets before you figure out the right way. And the problem in the public sphere is the public demands agility and also perfection. Do you know what I mean?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's sort of like the same way with our criminal justice system. I totally agree. We demand...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But here's what I always come up against, and you just brought it up. Years ago, there was a lot of lead in kid cereal. And- through government regulation, the lead was removed. So how do you square that kind of essential tension?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
That's going to be problematic. I'll go beyond that, Nick. I think it's actually the bigger problem is it's ideologically antagonistic. that they are viewing those people immediately through the prism of a parasitic relationship to our money and viewing them immediately as enemies and suspicious.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And even in the sense of when they sent the email, it is in no way an unreasonable expectation that people who work for you you would want to know what they're doing and that they've been doing something. But if you don't work in that department and just say to them, what have you been doing? And they tell you, you don't know if that's what they're supposed to be doing or not.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Meanwhile, they have to spend all this fucking time figuring it out, which is inefficient.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
That's your breakfast conversation? What's that, over Eggos? What are we talking about, Nick? Have you guys run out of shit to talk about?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Wait, is that really true?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Oh, I think there's great opportunity, and I agree with you with that. Yeah. No, and I think it's true. And listen, I think one of the things I would say is a lot of people, I think you and I included, agree with a lot of the diagnoses. Yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
That we look at these issues and we say it's sclerotic, or I would look at it as there's a really tough counterbalance now in that democracy is a, by nature, kind of analog system, and we live in a digital world, and those tensions are really hard to resolve. Right. But I would say in that moment, probably the conversation is about the remedies.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And I'm looking at it right now with great fear that this is not the remedy that will bring that opportunity for that moment.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Honestly, it feels like he's never not been president. I don't remember – I don't know. I've said this before. The presidency is supposed to age the president, not the people.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But apparently the developer of Gaza?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Apparently we shouldn't be the world's policemen, but we should just annex territories and build casinos there.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Because that's how history works.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I'm old enough to remember when Fukuyama said history was over.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
We were just done. We had triumphed. It was over.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But state-run capitalism is not free markets, and that would be antithetical to everything that you're – and the more we become like Russia, the less we become like the free markets that I think –
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Is that really true? That's actually very surprising to me.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
This is what I want to happen for the United States. I want there to be these, as we talked earlier, I want those entrenched places of poverty. I think those are great, untapped engines of progress.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Well, there's a purity test and a litmus testing in almost everything.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Well, it's funny. It's almost like we have a parliamentary country in a two-party government. And it makes it, like you say, it really makes it incredibly complex. But I'd love to have the conversation again. We'll pick it up again to see where everything's been going.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Always so cheery. Is there a budget for that? The always cheery Nick Gillespie as the jersey comes out of him. Editor-at-large of The Reason Magazine, host of The Reason interview with Nick Gillespie podcast. Nick, thank you so much for spending the time today. Really, really enjoyed it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Thanks, man. We are back. We're joined by Lauren Walker, Jillian Speer, Brittany Mamedovic. By the way, I love talking to that guy. I felt like I was, he's so smart and he's got such a breadth of knowledge. And even though we obviously like disagree on, especially I thought the biggest one was exploitation of capitalism being exploitative. That surprised me.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I never, I do think it's an engine of prosperity, but it very clearly has losers. So, but I thought it was a very interesting conversation and I very much enjoyed it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I don't know that there is one.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's whatever you want it to be.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Hey, look, and in this world order now, it's like Andrew Tate is the libertarian king. Yeah, I don't think that's what they're talking about. I think it's like a different philosophy. But he's an OG.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It's clear there's a real intellect. Anybody who's coming at you with Friedman and Hayek as the foundation of what they're talking about isn't just in it for the dank Pepe the Frog memes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
bars. Jillian, put that on a pillow. I like that very much. Brittany, are people just writing in today to see if I'm still alive? Because it appears the fragility of when you cut your finger. I literally got a call from my mom. They're like, are you okay? I'm like, you were with me in childhood. I ran headfirst into trees. What are you talking about, woman?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
When you're anemic to begin with.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Why? What do they think is, is it too cliched? Is it trite? What's the issue you think?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Wait, I got to say though, it'd be a drinking game over a period of months, which seems like a long time to keep a drink. I wish they had put in there why. So now I don't know if they think that's,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
incorrect or just overused overused definitely like it's sort of like when you're trying to make something happen and then it doesn't happen like fetch yes it's my version of fetch uh but maybe that he'll write back and and and tell us or after listening to this uh episode he may be too drunk where else have them to keep it coming where how can they keep it coming
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Bang on. Guys, thank you, as always, for the incredible preparation and detail that you provide in every episode that allows me to just sit and talk to somebody. Lead producer, Lauren Walker. Producer, Brittany Mamedovic. Video editor and engineer, Rob Vitola. Audio editor and engineer, Nicole Boyce. Researcher and associate producer, Jillian Spear.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
And as always, our executive producers, Chris McShane and Katie Gray. Guys, thank you so much. That was a really fun episode. And I will see you all next week. The weekly show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central podcast. It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
By Nixon, who would be considered at this point, I think, like a gay leftist for Nader. You know what I mean? We've so shifted in terms of the paradigm.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
DDT and all those other things, yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
You know, when there is a true commons- That you think the market won't address. Like there's too many externalities. Right. And so if the market won't address it, the free market, that's a place where in your mind, you're able to come in. Okay. Yeah. That makes sense.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Listen, Nick, you and I grew up at the same time in Jersey. I'm sure you did what I did, which is ride your bicycle behind mosquito trucks. We didn't even get excited about the ice cream man coming. No. It was when the mosquito guy- He had a pickup truck with a giant fucking fire hose of who knows what. And we would ride our bikes behind it and be like, this smells interesting.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to another episode of the weekly show podcast. My name is Jon Stewart. I come to you today broken, but not bound. For I had an owie on my finger. I'm going to show it now. You probably, I wrapped it up. I heard it on the show doing my classic brand of physical slapstick comedy that never works and always gets me hurt.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Just let it wash over us.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Because the greats, the Buster Keatons, the Charlie Chaplains, Buster Keaton would stand, you know, in front of a house with a little window cut out. It would fall on his head. Harold Lloyd would hang off of a clock with no net. I nearly died. being vociferous with a coffee mug.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
With DDT, if I may- Pick the DDT, and then I'll go back to the sort of more macro view, and then we'll get into sort of what's happening today.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But it's really difficult right now, Nick, to make those choices and balances, especially now, because you bring up the point about DDT and you're right. I mean, it was an incredibly effective killer of mosquitoes, which were causing malaria and all kinds of disease. But then it was found to have mutagenic properties and cancer properties and-
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
It does not speak well of the legends of my business, but I don't imagine they ever had to have their sets childproofed. Can I tell you what's not smart to do when you have a cut? Hold it below your heart for 20 minutes. Because it really does, it just makes your whole arm a straw. And it just all just flows out. And it makes it look way worse than when I picked it back up to look at it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
Which was invented to make the Gremlin feel better about itself, as you know.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
I had a Gremlin. Yeah. I was the idiot who worked his whole fucking high school career to buy an $800 off-brown Gremlin. Yeah. Just to find out it's front heavy and making a left meant you fishtailed into the neighbor's yard. So it was a nightmare.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
A simple time when cars were cars and segregation was allowed. Yeah. All right. Going to take a quick break. Be right back. Hey, we're back.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
But let's talk about that central tension because I think here's where I probably have the hardest time embracing kind of the foundational philosophy, which would be kind of the way that Jeff Bezos is going with the Washington Post now, personal liberty and free markets. And this is the part that's hardest for me because in my formulation, right? Right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Libertarian Says What? with Nick Gillespie
One of the greatest limiters of personal liberties oftentimes turns out to be free markets.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
All right. We're going to take a quick break and be right back.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
We are back. But don't you have to know what you're up against? Don't you, you know, how do you fight an enemy that you haven't defined explicitly? And I'll give you even an example in a small thing, because I think this speaks to a larger, deeper issue that I think I want to get into with you, which is, you know, we all look at, oh, why did the Democrats fall flat?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Oh, Joe Biden got out too late or Kamala Harris didn't have a time or she, you know, whatever that was. But I think at its base level, it was a feeling that government is not being responsive to the discomfort of its people, right? Which breeds a certain feeling that there's this – this disconnect. And so we have to be able to define why.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And I would put this into kind of a unifying theme of governance, which is for the Democrats, oftentimes they're so analog, they're so tied to Robert's rules of order and they haven't realized like, oh, it's fucking UFC out there now.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And we have to switch the way, but then you also have to define what that's going to mean for how you govern and what you're going to do.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
We don't... America... has announced itself as we don't give a fuck. The mountains have different names. I don't even know what I'm looking at on a map. I feel like it's one of those, when you get one of those maps from like the 19, when England would just go in and just redraw, like, okay, that country doesn't exist anymore. I'm just going to call that, I don't know, Lebanon.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
How does that manifest? If you could give us an example of what those concessions might look like. So how in a practical way, when you're chasing a different group, because in my mind, look, one of the biggest issues in my mind is over the last 40 or 50 years, labor has been devalued and capital has been elevated. So investment and finance is king and labor is in many ways devalued.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And how do those compromises occur? Are those placed in because of who has the ear of the congressional people, the Senate? and the House, this is the effect of big money and lobbying, yes?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
They can do the appropriating or they're just as a part of it because it's not the appropriations, but it's- Yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Like, hey, man, what's up? Like, what kind of, was it like, hey, what's up, Congresswoman?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Why don't we do that? Here's Syria and draw a little line. And I don't know. It's going to take weeks to just parse everything. Just what the rules are. Any more about gravity is still in effect, I believe. Or did he executive order that as well? I don't quite know. You're apparently now allowed to shit in the water. Like, I don't know. It's all a blur.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And especially in the House, it's all or nothing. I mean, even if you have a one-seat majority, you control all the business that goes through that committee.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Who gets investigated, who's allowed to call witnesses, what those witnesses are. I mean, you control the entire operation.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Right. And the people who voted for them rarely get the access. You know, I thought it was a stark moment at the inauguration yesterday. Amy Klobuchar was up and, you know, she gave that first speech and it began with this sort of, Ode to the working man. Oh, the working man. The construction workers who built this city.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
The railroad engineers who, you know, and it was this large ode to the working man. Not one of them in the room.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
But it makes it seem like a performance. This is why I think people lose that faith. And I think that ultimately this idea that, well, you know, people just need to have better unions and they do like, why do, why is it incumbent upon working people? You know, maybe this is a shift and maybe this is an interesting way to kind of talk about where do the Democrats go ideologically, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Because this fire hose of kind of oligarchs isn't going to be ending. And it seems like unionization, while a really powerful tool, is a slow-moving one and certainly one that's been eroded. Is maybe the new economic theory a way to tap into that firehose? That money is built by labor, but labor does not participate like a shareholder. Is there a way – and this is obviously beyond my pay grade –
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Everything that we thought we knew about the infrastructure and what to call it. America's back, baby. We're back. Not just as a country and a family of nations, but as the nation. We win, you lose. Biatch? I don't know if that's... Whatever that translates to in Latin. That is the new... motto of the United States of America.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
to start shifting the conversation beyond like, Hey man, just give us a minimum wage raise and start to think about the ways that, that the CEOs and these oligarchs are remunerated, right? It's bonuses, it's stock buybacks. It's so how do we get labor to not just live on the crumbs that they are afforded,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
But to participate in that fire hose, that $50 trillion growth in wealth over these last four years.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
to even more like more lefty even i mean it's all lefty but even like other things but why is it like even when it's called lefty like in the rest of the world it's normal it's like center right yeah like it's normal it's the idea you know when we talk about oh how about everybody like can go to a doctor and you're like, what are you, a communist? And you're like, the whole world does that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Just gave away a million dollars to individuals in Pennsylvania.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Not legal, but... Right, but isn't that the point though? They would rather ask for forgiveness than permission. And isn't a lot of this based on, you know, when we say it's the foxes now guarding the hen house, but isn't it the people in the hen house going, where are my eggs? Yeah. You promised me eggs and you guys haven't delivered.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And I am excited to talk to a person today that I think provides a modicum of hope, a level of fight and of ideology that I think, boy, needs to be injected into this moribund party more than ever. So I am just going to jump on in and introduce our guest for today's podcast. All right, so we are going to get to our guest. We're very excited. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez. Welcome.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
We are back. Now you did something really interesting, I thought, after the election.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And this is, I think, why I think the right gives you respect and also I think is a little trepidatious about you in that you kind of understand these new media platforms and you went on one of them and it was either TikTok or Instagram or one after the election because you outperformed the Democrats in your district.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And there were people that voted for you and voted for Trump and you wanted to know why. And in doing that, what came back to you? Was it anything revelatory or illuminating about the process by which their frustration with people that are speaking the language of their struggle but not delivering on their struggle led them to, well, you know what? Fuck it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Let's just cut through all the red tape and go with a more executive version of all of this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
The guy from the LA Times was like, hey, man, what do you guys want us to put in the paper?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
I don't know if I, like, do I give snaps? Do I, I don't know what the kids do anymore, but like, dude.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
They sit on a committee. They get information about a drug or a contract or a thing. They immediately make a call. The stockbroker changes things. Their portfolio swells.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
You are the congresswoman for New York's 14th district. The fightin' 14th.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
I really think we may have disturbingly high-fived in that moment.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Oh, but they're performing a populist dance in a lot of ways. But doesn't it though, and this is the thing where it kind of gets tricky because what the right's diagnosis is in many ways correct. What Trump is saying is the system is rigged. Well, I think that's what we're saying, which is, yeah, it's rigged. Now, I don't believe his remedy is correct. I don't believe he's honest about
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
700,000 strong. The Bronx and Queens. And I thank you so much for taking the time. How was your day yesterday? What did you do? I...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Where he's unrigging it, I think he's not draining the swamp. He's co-opting it. He wants the deed to the swamp so that he can continue to funnel. I mean, that meme coin being just the tip of the iceberg there. But isn't that what is driving them? Is that sense that? And they are, I think, not wrong. The system is rigged.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
But the question is, they're viewing it like, oh, it's the undocumented migrants that are rigging the system and not the six billionaire oligarchs that are sitting in the front row at the inauguration. To me, that's the disconnect.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
There are people here in this country who will do work for money that Americans won't do work for, who are exploited by the system.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
But how do you battle certain like the common sense? I'll give you an example. Like when they say, oh, there's an undocumented immigrant who has committed a crime. Common sense would tell you, yeah, that person has lost their ability to be here and should be sent back. And yet. You would find there are some Democrats who would disagree with that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Did you watch the proceedings? I did. Or did you try and avoid everything?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Or, you know, isn't there another form of progressivism that is more muscular, that has a certain amount of common sense, law and order aspect to it that can be fashioned as a way forward?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
That doesn't get saddled with some of these seemingly nonsensical positions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Right. And it's not like we don't deport a lot of people, even in Democratic administrations. We deport a ton.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Carrie Underwood. I felt so bad for her. She's just standing there and they're like, we're going to be the administration of competence. We're going to make everything work again, except the PA.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
So now- No due process then for someone who is an asylum seeker.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
You could have lawful- So they take a narrow common sense issue and then what they do is they expand the margins out on it. to things that would not be common sense.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Oh, I got Delaware breathing down my neck over here. Yeah. I don't know what they're sending up my way.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
So let's take your energy. Let's take the passion that you have for these issues. And let's think about, because right now the Democrats are almost fully defined by their positions on Trump, as opposed to, you know, people are thirsty for a leadership. And the Democrats, I think, have had a really difficult time responding to that thirst, responding to that action. So what is the process then?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
of redefining what this party is, what it represents moving forward. And are there leaders there? It is sclerotic. I mean, it is a party in real confusion. And I don't know, I can't put my finger on, it reminds me of the Republicans in 2012 where there was just, when Trump came into that first 2016 primary, I mean, he just like, just like flicking his finger, not Jeb Bush. Yeah. Nice. Boom. Done.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Like, and I think the Democrats are vulnerable to that. So how, what is the process of, of redefining and recapturing what this party is?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Well, I mean, what he did on the way out, I really thought, it was incredibly disappointing on the way out. He's like, we're controlled by oligarchs. Women are people. And, uh, I'm going to make sure that my family has a life raft. And I, and I just thought, boy, what a, and, and, and I have fondness for him. And he, he was certainly
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And nothing surprising. Was it strange to you, you know, one thing that struck me was sort of this sense that the Bidens or the Democrats wanted to preserve this decorum, you know, It was such a, I have to say it was such a surreal scene to see someone who had attempted what he had attempted at the Capitol
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
incredibly important to a bill that was very important to me that went through. But I just thought, again, you just made this whole thing look like a show, like a performance, and that you've been not clear with us over four years. And on your way out, you're just going to tell the truth, which is our legal system doesn't serve anybody. And I'm just going to make sure my family's protected.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Purposeful rule. I think – I don't think we're looking for nihilists. I think we're looking for a purposeful recapturing of the thrust. Does it start, Congresswoman, with – What you did, which is kind of a customer service. I think what the Democrats have lost is the reality of people's lives.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
When you think about that cradle to grave journey and where the bottleneck pressures are, that weird working class, middle class squeeze of. I've worked really hard. I've saved some money, but now I got to blow most of it on my kid's college while my parents need health care and other things. And those costs are soaring.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And that's going to put me under by the time I get up to that age when I'm 60 years old. Isn't that journey the absolute priority of any government that's going to listen to the discomfort of the way its people live?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Or even, you know, the Obamacare, which is in many ways just a giant benefit to insurance companies, which is the government just saying, we'll give you a little bit of access to this shitty system that you haven't been satisfied with. And we'll just make sure that to get an insurance company to take you on if you're considered a poor risk. We'll just pay them to do that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
It's where my parents went to City College in New York. It was free. This was the 1940s. That's right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Now to make that argument is Democrat is job one then to be honest about the deliverables that a government can offer or about how we need to almost, you know, when they talk about moonshots, we need a bureaucratic moonshot because in truth, the way that the government operates right now is counterintuitive and counterfactual to all best practices. And, and,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
be handed the reins of power, not just in a peaceful transfer, but one that seemed to want to honor the tea ceremony and to bring them back. And is there a difference between, obviously, is there a middle ground between storming the Capitol and would you like oolong or throat coat? Like, what are we doing?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
There is such opportunity here, Congresswoman. I feel it in your voice. I feel the frustration that you feel being down there. I've experienced it myself. I have to tell you, when we were down there trying to do legislation, I was at times just stunned at what you had talked about earlier, which is that we have to go through regular order.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And it was interesting to me, what I discovered to some respect is, and this is a terrible thing to probably say, but Congress can be bullied.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
By righteousness and by doing the right thing. As long as they feel like you're not going to go away and you're going to keep that light on them, Mitch McConnell can be- It's true.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And does this system require... and entrenched underclass to work properly. The way I've always looked at it is, government can be an effective check. Capitalism is the system we've chosen, and it certainly is a wealth generation system, but it also has collateral damage along the way. It has destructive things that are built into its function.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And maybe government's there not necessarily to change that system of wealth generation, but to ameliorate the collateral damage and allow more people into that fire hose of wealth generation.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
But see, you know the promise of the possible and that's what gives you that feeling that that the fight can pay off. But I think for the most part, that fight is you have no other option. We always talk about that idea, the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice. But what they don't tell you is it doesn't bend by natural forces. Gravity is not what bends that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And there are people who are bending that fucker back the other way. And it is effort, it is work. And I thank you so much for spending the time with us today And it's really been a wonderfully invigorating conversation for me to hear your passion and to hear the fight that you have and the direction you're going in.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
I guess the final question is, how do you feel about the confidence that the Democrats are being, A, honest with themselves about where they actually are? And B, have the vision and wherewithal to begin that process that you're talking about, about redefining it in a way that's more responsive to the people they purport to represent.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
I got to tell you, there are so many metaphors. I don't even know what to do anymore. I've got a toolkit and a batting cage. I don't know what the hell's happening.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
All those different things. Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, New York's 14th District. Thank you so much for spending the time with us today. I really appreciate it. Hope to see you again soon.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
All right. Bye-bye. Fantastic. We are back. We're joined by Lauren Walker, Jillian Speer, Brittany Mamedovic. Fantastic, I say. She's so good. I exclaim.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
I really think this time, this time in Congress, she is going to get in a fistfight. And not with a Republican, with another. I think she's going to deck Steny Hoyer. I think he is going down. She's throwing a roundhouse and it is over. I love the no wallowing. There was no despair. There was no sense all is lost. There was no sense that it's Sisyphus at the bottom of a mountain.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
She was all like, let's roll up the sleeves and get in there and make this shit right. And I think that is exactly the attitude that is missing and necessary.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
First of all, I don't think Trump is a- Like this idea somehow that the media must adopt, oh, it's Trump and that's different. Like the media should have a prescribed methodology that can be applied to all who come there. And what that should be is. To litigate the boundaries of our shared reality. To stop pretending we live in separate universes. No, we don't. We live in the universe.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
We live in the world. There is reality. The media's job is to litigate the boundaries of that shared reality through a process of standards of evidentiary truth. That's fucking it. And no more like... Is that racist? Will you promise to honor the 2020, the 2020 result, like litigate the why litigate the boundaries of our shared reality. And that is how you should cover everything. Preach. Don't.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Mic drop. And I, and I ended with this. Don't. But you guys are, are doing good. I'm excited that, that we're back and we're, we're, we're,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
That was bananas. And what I love about it is like, there they go again, overreacting. You have to admit, even if it's the awkwardness and neurodivergence or a thing that always occurs, you have to admit it is worthy of people going like, what the fuck was that? especially coupled with ideological turns that you've very clearly taken on your platform. Like this all does fit together.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
It's not like it comes out of nowhere. You know, you didn't like do this, like, and everybody's like, wow, that looked like he was doing like his own air trombone. Like it was what it was. And I think it's very reasonable for any observer to be like, huh, that was fucking weird.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Yeah. Fuck those guys anyway. Like, they're the worst. All these guys have sublimation. I mean, the best one to me is Zuckerberg. You know, for Zuckerberg to show up there and, you know, then he goes on Rogan and he's like, the Biden administration yelled at me and tried to censor me. Like, Trump threatened to put you in jail. Yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
He threatened to put you in jail for doing much less than what Elon did to get Trump elected. You know, he had his democracy project, and it turned out more of the money went to Democratic states. And so he was enemy number one. He became, you know, Soros Jr. at that point. Elon just basically gave a million dollars to anybody walking by in Pennsylvania.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Everybody's like, oh, yeah, no, that's cool. That's all fine. And Zuckerberg is pretending that he had a revelation. I had a revelation that the Biden administration wanted to censor. No, you were threatened with jail. And they even asked Trump, why do you think Zuckerberg, you know, came to you hat in hand? And Trump is like, well, I threatened to put him in jail.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Fuck it all. That's all I'm saying. But I was very happy to talk to the Congresswoman. I'm always very happy to talk to you guys. How else can the people talk to us, Brittany?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
By the way, last week's episode with Jon Meacham, now my mom thinks I'm smart.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
She loves John Meacham and doesn't particularly care for what I have to say, but the fact that he was on there and didn't call me a dumbass, I have now been elevated.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Oh, thank you so much. Very, very appreciate it. Lead producer, Lauren Walker. Producer, Brittany Mamedovic. Video editor and engineer, Rob Vitola. Audio editor and engineer, Nicole Boyce. Researcher and associate producer, Jillian Spear. And of course, our executive producers, Chris McShane, Katie Gray. Thank you all so much.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And we will see you next week and continue this conversation about America. All right. Talk to you then. Bye, guys. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central podcast. It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And that is in many ways kind of how you made your bones. And I think you're right. Like, even when you think about, and not to get into the weeds, but, you know, so you were on the oversight committee and I thought did really great work there. I mean, you know, good questioning, the kind of questioning that I think would get to the gist of an issue or would
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
break it down in terms of what the dynamics were. And when you wanted to be the ranking member of the Oversight Committee, the Democrats decided to hand it to, and nothing against Representative Connolly, but he's 74 years old. And it's almost as if they were saying, Congresswoman Ocasio-Cortez is really great at this, but he's 74. So there's nothing we can do. He's a 74-year-old man.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
That's amazing. And doesn't Trump's rise and the way that he's operating make farce of that? Yeah. I mean, in some ways, he clowns them, that it doesn't look like a holding to protocol. It looks like submission. It doesn't in any way appear to be they're maintaining the thing about the party that That is ineffectual. That doesn't do anything. Yet that's the thing they seem to cling to the most.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
You're talking more on a procedural level, or do you mean also a kind of ideological level?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Hey, everybody. Welcome. I came out of my seat on that one. I was so excited to be speaking with you. Welcome to the weekly show pod. We are recording this on the Tuesday. Following the inauguration of the 47th president of the United States, also the 45th president of the United States, Mr. Donald Trump, our guest today will be Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And it also, I think in some ways, in some ways it reveals some of the Democrats posturing as performative. You know, when you're, when you're creating apocalyptic messaging about a fascist.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Who is literally coming over and, and, and, and doing these things. And. Then when he wins, sitting down with watercress sandwiches and cream cheese and doing the whole nine yards, it makes you wonder, well, did you believe any of the shit you were saying before?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Or was that something, again, that was just a part of your messaging?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
Participating now in this when they wouldn't have participated in the past.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
I mean, for God's sakes, they launched meme coins. I can remember in the first administration, somebody would animate something and the Democrats would scream, he violated the Hatch Act. Everybody would go crazy and then everybody would have to look up the Hatch Act. And now these guys are literally just launching meme coins before the inauguration and piling up billions of dollars in wealth. Yes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
It's kind of an incredible transformation, but again, It feels like – let me ask you this because maybe this is a different way of looking at it because in some ways it reveals maybe to the cynical mind the way that you believe this shit always has worked in the past. The idea of – and I'll give you an example. The gentleman, Martin, who is running for Democratic National Committee chair, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
So he says – he comes out and he says, hey, man, we're not going to – we're going to take money from the good billionaires, not the bad billionaires. And if money corrupts – and this happened in a conversation I had with Congresswoman Pelosi as well. She said, Money corrupts the process. I said, well, you raised $35 million. And oh, no, no, no, no, no. That's it. We can't disarm.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And I said, well, how does money corrupt the Democrats? And she said, well, it doesn't. It corrupts them. Money's bad for them. But for us, it's good money. And isn't it almost better for us to now have this arrangement be explicit?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
And be out in the open so that we understand this is how the world fucking works. This is how it goes round.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
I'm excited to talk to her because this is shit is changing by the millisecond. Things are executive orders are flying. Oligarchs are tweeting, it's all happening. Everything that was done in this previous administration has been repealed. The Gulf of Mexico is now the Gulf of America. Canada is now officially classified as our hat. I don't know what's changing. We're not in the climate accord.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
JON & AOC
But doesn't that reflect the reality of our system in the first place? It's just a more grotesque, hyperbolic version of a system that's not working.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Hey, folks, I just want to let you know your prayers have been answered. You remember, everybody's in L.A. I actually was lucky enough to participate in it. It's back. Everybody's live with John Mulaney. Coming to Netflix again. Mulaney, who's just so funny. And tall, that's the part I don't really care for, the tall part, but so funny.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Within our economy, we have a real issue, as Adam talks about, in terms of what the government actually delivers to people. Is this the answer to the very real imbalances that we're seeing, Saurabh?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
that one of the books behind you, Saurabh? Is that what's sitting on that bookshelf?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And also, listen, their infrastructure investments were enormous. They just couldn't build any of it. All right, going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. And we are back. So there's questions here that arise for me. One is, are we fighting a conventional war when everyone else is using drones and lasers? you know, to rebuild something, creating a kind of, will it be a facade?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
We passed it through him in attempt to raise his glasses from the lower part of his nose through telekinesis all the way up, all the way from here. I'm doing this right now. It's on a podcast, so you probably don't know. It's coming all the way. Here we go. We're urging, come on, come on, guys. Come on, you can do it. And get them to focus.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Will it be a Potemkin village? Because even if you replace manufacturing jobs, manufacturing isn't done in the same way that it used to be done. Part of what lost manufacturing jobs was globalization and the fact that capital can travel and labor can't. Part of it was, hey man, I can pretty much build a robot to do what 50 of you do. So will we be capturing something real?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
So the first question to Adam, are we fighting the wrong war? Yeah. Are we making Abrams tanks and everyone else is making something more modern?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Realistically boosting it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And I think we need to make clear what is being asked for here is not nihilism. It's not the kind of shut the government down. Fuck all this. Nobody cares because there's a great understanding. But they themselves spoke of this was the moment of leverage that they had been neutered to the point because they don't have
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
So that's such an interesting way that Adam has just framed it, I think. And it does beg the question then, how do you create this Hamiltonian model, which I think is what we're talking about as kind of an ideal of balance. You're talking about infrastructure and monetary policy and these other bases. What would that look like? Adam's probably right here.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
We couldn't rebalance our manufacturing sector or blue collar jobs to be 30%. of the economy and create that really stable middle-class infrastructure. How do we create that really stable middle-class infrastructure in this while also realizing that there's an AI chat bot right now taking over the daily show?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But let's be clear, though, there's not a sector of American jobs, though, that are not worth protecting. There's not a sector of jobs, you know, whether it's manufacturing, whether it's education, whether it's. health care, whether it's, you know, it's really important.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
That's right. And now capital travels and labor doesn't. It's just the way that things have been designed.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Finding more and more countries to exploit, which by the way, we do in the United States. I mean, South Carolina, right-to-work states do the same thing that globalization does to America to states that have unions. I mean, Michigan gets decimated by maybe Mexican plants, but also by right-to-work states in South Carolina and you know, and tax in all kinds of other places.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
the majority in the house, even though it's slim and they don't have the majority in the Senate. They don't, you know, but the, because the senators didn't have 60, the Democrats could have filibustered to maybe extract anything. But I think the frustration is a, you're not clear on the specifics of what they would extract if they could. And B, they just fucking didn't. And
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
You see that the sectors where labor cannot travel, fast food, healthcare, where communities must have them in there, look at how hard they fight to depress their wages. And I'm not just talking about the people who run those businesses. I'm talking about the Fed. The Fed raised interest rates in part because of what they called Wage inflation.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Overheating. But it wasn't overheating on profits. It wasn't overheating on supply chain constriction. It was, holy shit, are we paying these people 15? What? No, no, no, no, no. Raise the rates, depress the labor market. That was the cudgel they used.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Let me ask you a question about, you know, there is a real effort right now. And again, this gets us back to the Trumpian, which is remove the federal government from everything, unleash the powers of laissez-faire capitalism, and that will close these gaps of and inequities
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But there are so many externalities in terms of and I think we've when they keep pointing back to this gilded age of a more libertarian economy. Well, that was a volatile disaster. So I'm not quite sure where, you know, where is it that they're they're certainly not taking us back to the capitalized days of Hamiltonian capitalism. central planning.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Sora, what is their vision? Where, what economy, what's the analog to this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Don't make a big theatrical production of choosing fighters and we're going to do this. And, you know, I think they keep counting on this very strange notion that somehow in the House of Representatives, Massey will rule the day. Like, this is all theater. Even in the Senate when you got, I think, I don't know how many.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And by the way, it's an exercise they're doing explicitly. All right, we got to take a quick break. We'll be right back. Okay, we're back. Adam, this gets to the central contradiction of kind of where we're talking about. So this is a thing that in many ways they fetishize the working man, right? They pay great homage to the values of the working man.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But who is in there smashing around the economy? It's not the working man. It's not people with an understanding of unions and all those other things. It's techno billionaires who want to create and look their vision for the economy. Let's be honest. is very clearly not a bottom-up infrastructure. It is a gig economy run by overlords that are AI-infused.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
They have a, I think, dystopian vision of what work and relevance means. I don't think they're talking about the kind of societal tentpost economies that you guys are talking about. So address how that central contradiction plays out, Adam.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Democrats voted for the continuing resolution, but every single one that did is not up for reelection in 2026 or retiring, which says to me that it was a, they put on a play. They're all putting on a play. Oh, sure. These 10 people reject the CR. Well, actually, we don't really know if they reject it. We just know that those are the ones that have
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
If you've never seen it, it's just the most, I think, creative and spontaneous. The guests, the fan calls, and there was a robot thing that scared the hell out of me the last time. You just don't know what's going to happen. If you want something you haven't seen before, a fresh take on Late Night Talk. And listen, who knows stale late-night talk better than me, the man who invented it?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
demonized as educational statistics. Somehow they're not the working class. Somehow they're not the middle class.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But they're being portrayed as a criminal element. You bastard testing our water for fecal matter. How dare you, sir? Exactly.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But by the way, let's also be clear. There is no real ESG, DEI ethos in any of this. That was all wallpaper and gilding and tinsel.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
So Rab, what is, is the end game here a sincere, is this gold leaf on a shit box? Like what exactly is the plan here if the tariff regime which is going to be extraordinary if carried out, can only boost our manufacturing base by a million jobs, which are real, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But certainly doesn't rebalance the GDP in any significant way, especially given financialization and the way that that dominates the economy. Is this sincere or is it cover to do something slightly more insidious?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
the political safety that they can step up and do that, that they can step up and accept the continuing resolution because it won't hurt them politically. So we don't even know what they actually think because they put on a play. And the Republicans do the same fucking thing, by the way. When they were going through the Senate confirmation hearings on Pete Hegseth, they put on a play.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
No, I mean, Bezos literally looks- There are a lot of stocky bald dudes in the techno- Sphere. Sphere. But then you've got Bannon, who is much more, I think, fire brandy populist. And is that the trick they're pulling? Is it we're using a populist Trojan horse, but inside that Trojan horse is a cadre of bald guys with AI? Is that what we're dealing with?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Don't doubt it. I've spoken to guys like Oren Cass, who I think are very sincere about like very good faith, very interesting ideas. I think there's a lot of guys over there like that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
By the way, is also Jeff Bezos. Like, let's be clear, like Amazon factories, like these are the people who are managed by PMCs and Jeff Bezos is one of them.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Right. Would roll their eyes in.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But I guess my point is that the corporate entries into that world have always been for the most part bullshit. Now we can talk about it. The DEI to me, it's not about giving people jobs who don't deserve them. It's about expanding supply lines. into fields, right? Underserved areas where you can develop new talent.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
It's about investing in emerging markets of people who've been traditionally, it's actually about creating more competition, taking out the monopolies that have existed in the labor market in almost every industry.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Oh, there's three senators that have principled objections to this nomination. It just so happens- that it was the exact number of senators that could object where JD Vance could come in and cast the deciding vote. So understand what you're watching.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But man, anybody who ever watched somebody rap a McDonald's breakfast song understands corporations are usurping any culture that they can get their hands on that they think will give them a legitimate entry into another market.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And by the way, to that point earlier about like the social programs. So there's always been this sort of thread through social programs that that is somehow that the people in those situations are there because of a lack of virtue, right? They are there because they are taking advantage of a system. the majority of people on those programs are working poor. They're working their asses off.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
They're doing one job, two jobs, three jobs, you know, working at Walmart and still having to get snap benefits. Like this is not a problem of, desire and intrepid spirit. It's a system that would rather protect the billionaire's last 20 billion than help somebody get their first thousand. To me, that's the system that has to be realigned.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And is any of this that we're doing here actually realigning that system?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And I don't know if we're in act one or act two or where the fuck we are in this, but it's a play and they're putting it on and we need better than that. And, uh, the play that's being put on now is, is an economic one. And I want to get, we have two guests today that I think are really, really good. Uh, One is an economic historian.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
of ganged up on him using that rhetoric gaining potential there adam do you see so is there opportunity here in this uh rebalancing for look i think the new deal came about to be frank uh as kind of revolution insurance i mean i think that the powers that be saw the socialist revolutions they saw uh communism taking hold they saw these various
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
In countries that refused to understand the discomfort and pain that the majority of their people were going through, if they didn't take meaningful efforts to fix that systemically, they were going to find themselves head in a bucket. It was the French Revolution. So again, that's probably a more cynical way of viewing the New Deal.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
This doesn't seem to be rebalancing that discomfort in a meaningful way. But I think democratic policies fall short of that as well. What it sounds like to me is people get mad because they pay taxes and they don't get health care. They have to still buy insurance. And even when they buy insurance, they don't get health care.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
They just get like this pass that says, well, maybe if we agree to give you that MRI, you'll get the health care. But actually, it's still you're going to have to pay in a deductible. Isn't that fundamentally what's wrong with this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
The other is, I'd say, more of a conservative center-right who's got a real focus on economic populism. And we're going to talk a little bit about the play that is being put on about our economy and how it's going to be transitioned and what the reality is of how they're going to be transitioning it. So I'm just going to get to them now because they're fantastic.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And by the way, much more at risk of the AI revolution.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
So you mentioned a Democratic Party. Now, I wasn't aware there still was one of those.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
I had no idea. I had heard something of it. It had been whispered in the wind. Yeah, once upon a time, right? That there was this Democratic Party. So, you know, the center-right, how do they address, you know, I'm going to, I'll give you an anecdote and you can respond. I spoke to one of these AI experts.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
super beings that's creating you know owns the thing and and i said to him you know industrialization raised the level of standard of living but it was really disruptive right and then the internet revolution and globalization was really disruptive but industrialization took 150 years The globalization was over 30 to 40 years as this disruption occurred.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
AI's disruption, the timeline is much narrower. It could be five years, it could be 10 years, but that disruption, look at how volatile the disruptions were for globalization. Look at how volatile the disruptions were for industrialization. are you worried that we won't be able to manage the collateral damage to jobs, to lives through this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And by the way, that is as long as, I mean, that was the length of the question, like that pedantic. And he goes, no, I think we'll be good. So it doesn't seem like they're taking the concerns that we are discussing in any way seriously. Is that your sense of what this new order is?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Yes. I would like to avoid a violent insurrection. Is this disruption necessary, Saurabh? Is it necessary? Is this a necessary step? There was a kind of, you know, everybody talks about the rules-based order, but what it feels a bit like is, I don't know if you ever watch the show Peaky Blinders, but Thomas Shelby, OBE, Peaky Blinders gang leader, had a theory on power called big fuck small.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
We are going to get into it with our guests. I want to thank them for joining us. Adam Tooze, author of Chartbook, which is on Substack, and Saurabh Amari, U.S. editor of Unheard and author of Tyranny, Inc. And they are joining us today to tell us, if I may, gentlemen, and I hate to put you in this position, the future. You are my soothsayers. Adam, I'll start with you as the economist.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And it feels like we're moving into the big fuck small era, that big powers can take advantage to go back to that idea of we extract the wealth from places we want to extract it from. Because we can, and it's vindictive, and whatever disruptions or whatever ill will it causes, tough shit, because big bucks small.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But given that, the problem is government is the only thing big enough, in my mind, to countervail multinational corporate power. And if it is not exercised with, as Adam says, an eye towards the needs of the people, and it's been defanged for a more vengeance exploitative version of it, Where does that leave us? And is that, am I painting too dark a picture of what this looks like?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And I'll start with Saurabh and we'll end with Adam.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Unfortunately, though, anything that would do that's being demolished.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And the consent. I mean, what do they always talk about? Democracy relies on the consent of the governed.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
You just put that on me. I just put that on you. It seems evident that there is a remaking of the American economy, or at least the attempt to do so through the Trump economic policies, whether it's through tariffs and more protectionism. less government spending, these kinds of things. We've had sort of two economic orders since the New Deal.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Well, that is the most optimistic note we've heard so far. And I appreciate that. Adam Tooze, author of Chartbook on Substack. Saurabh Omari, US editor of Unheard and author of Tyranny, Inc. Guys, Thank you so much for spending the time with us and really, really helpful and interesting. And thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Thanks, John. So here's what I saw. I saw a guy on the center right, pretty conservative, Catholic, has those, you know,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
bedrock values of what you would consider to be a a pretty conservative guy with a guy that is much more on the left end of social democracy and all those other things sitting and saying pretty much the same thing absolutely that's how far we've moved into this other direction is that where you guys learn what what are you hearing from these cats
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Even, by the way, even trade imbalances, you know, when they talk about we've got to fix our trade imbalance. Well, America buys a shit ton of stuff. Like, that's going to be really hard to do. And China has a positive trade balance. And is that the economy we want? Like, what are we even talking about? So I think you're right. There's all kinds of justifications.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But I think what we did get to is there is a plan. Like, that is the one thing I think they do have. We may not like it, but I think it's to go back to Peaky Blinders. Big fuck small.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
I think that's where we're at. I mean, Jillian, did they say anything that you thought, that's the kernel, that's the...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Right. Or we'll do it in a relatively small way regionally, but might not be a broader plan. Brittany, what's the view on Long Island? What's the view on Long Island from this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Yeah. It's the provincial concerns that we all have. But I do think there was real agreement that the volatility of this is a real danger for them. And that part I thought was really interesting when they were talking about like, look – This realignment is probably real. Protectionism is one aspect of it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
We had the New Deal economic order, and then we sort of had that neoliberalism that started with maybe Carter and Reagan and moved its way on up. Is that the end goal in your mind for what is happening here? Is this an engineering of a different kind of economy than we've kind of been accustomed to?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
There are billionaire technocrats that are going through this other aspect of it, and maybe it is about reducing the deficit, but there are some volatile offshoots of this that could create some real hardship for people. And that's the thing that's scary.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Am I wrong that that's a sequel? That we don't have the sequel is how he put together the three tent posts of Hamiltonian economies.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
I do appreciate that. Yeah. You say you want a revolution. Well, I don't know. Revelation. I've only listened to it a few times.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Yeah. Brittany, what do the people say?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
All right, what do we got?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Oh, Jesus. Man, I so appreciate the question and the frustration I always have is like that it's left to ordinary people. Like that's the part that makes me so mad that like our elected representatives are there. We send them to Washington so that we're, you know, every time
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
you know the hits the fan with this there's always that question of like i liken it to like if you're at a basketball game and your team's just getting the kicked out of them and in the time out the the players just turn to the you know to the crowd and go like all right you're in you're like wait i don't but i don't know how to play basketball and they're like i don't care we're we're dying over here just get in there so i mean look what i would say is keep vigilant stay on it and when a task comes to
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
But there has to be leadership in this that, you know, ultimately, if this gets to, you know, a veterans march on Washington, which they did do. And it was really, you know, these are real people that throughout the country stood up and said, these cuts are hurting people. They're hurting us. And very little blip. It's very hard to break through.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
So there has to be what we learned during the fight for packed actors, a drug or any of those things is. It takes strategy and leadership from the top that is able to empower people to particular tasks. And that has to be, that plan has to be developed. But man, the fact that people are out there saying, what can we do, says there's a thirst for that leadership and for direction.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And hopefully it will be provided because, you know, the usual shit is call your congressman. But I can tell you, man, they ignore that shit unless it's really targeted, and really specific to a certain date or action. And that date or action has not been articulated yet, but it will be. It has to be. And so that's where I would say.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Yeah, let's hope. Let's hope. What else I got?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Wow, no. I don't ever consider, I don't experience FOMO, forget about career, in life because I don't like doing things.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
John of missing out.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Do you guys get FOMO? Jillian, you're our perhaps youngest member. Is that something that you experience?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
You know what? That's a good point. Why is that not usually included in FOMO? Like, oh man, you sat home and watched Severance with your dog? I'd be like,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
You'll never. No. So Lauren, do you need to be almost... I find the energy to leave the house to be like, it is an endeavor. I have to endeavor.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Yes. I prefer that. But Brittany, you're...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
go out there i i put it on you know how to take it to the streets honestly i try i try but at the same time i really enjoy like how i spend my rent money you know like staying home spent i've never heard it put that way but i kind of like that yeah what are you doing tonight i'm spending my rent money how you doing that i'm gonna sit on the couch i'm staying home yeah no i i actually think that's that's great uh uh i am and i think to sometimes people's surprise
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Right. But that was the CHIPS Act, which was basically like, oh, well.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
very introverted. And I don't, even when I was younger, the jobs I had were I bartended, I went out and did standup comedy. So it gave me the illusion of having friends or being out. But I really, I like that. It's so much more preferable to socialize. Not that I don't, there's many people that I love and I like to see sometimes and all that, but boy, inertia wise,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
As far as I'm concerned.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
This was a cocktail party. Right now, I'm going back to bed.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
That's what I'm talking about. Brittany, how can they get in touch with us?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Yeah, and do that because we read them. Well, we don't, but they do. Then they tell me, but generally curated so that I don't go, what? Why would they say that? As always, thank you to everybody. Lead producer, Lauren Walker. Producer, Brittany Mamedovic. Video editor and engineer, Rob Vitola. Audio editor and engineer, Nicole Boyce. Researcher and associate producer, Jillian Spear.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
And our executive producers, Chris McShane and Katie Gray. As always, this is the Weekly Show Podcast. We'll see you guys next week. Bye-bye. The weekly show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central podcast. It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Oh, very much so, sir.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
This is your show. Check it out. It's fantastic. Tune in weekly at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Everybody's live with John Mulaney, now playing only on Netflix. Ladies and gentlemen, welcome once again to the weekly show podcast with Jon Stewart. My name is Jon Stewart, and it is March something. I don't know what day we're taping this. March 19th, we're taping this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Well, do you think that, Adam, is generally this kind of reshaping done either because of a catastrophic event like the depression or the introduction of a new technology like industrialization or in the case of maybe that neoliberalism, the internet and a more global transportation and supply line hub? Is that generally sort of how this all starts?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
I don't know if you know, Adam, but labor costs for our farming were quite low. I can't remember why, but-
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Well, we also had a system there where I think we made them do that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Thank you for that, Adam. Sorab, I want to ask you, that's such an interesting, so the idea is sort of the different bits that we have and the relationship between capital and labor. And what I think Adam is referring to is that idea that the neoliberalism kind of advantaged capital to a certain extent through these technologies.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
So is the idea here, without union power to sort of rebalance this equation, right, between capital and labor, is the idea that protectionism rebalances those bits? How do they plan on rebalancing it? To my mind, I would agree with the basic premise. Financialization and capital should not be advantaged in the way that they have. And I think it puts an imbalance.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
So is the question here just how they're trying to rebalance it?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Well, break that down a little bit then. Are you talking about sort of a central, a federalized system, central banks, a way of government intervention and creating markets?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
I don't know when it's going to air. Probably March 20th, which gives 24 hours. for more shit to happen that will not be addressed in any way, shape, or form on the podcast because things are moving. They're moving quickly, ladies and gentlemen. This week, we did a bit on the show concerning what we might consider for the Democrats a sense of fecklessness.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
As we're about to take over... panama but sorry i don't know if you know this but you may have stumbled into if i may the sequel to hamilton i think hamilton to the economic foundation maybe not a rap opera but i i think it would be it'd be wise but so this gets us back to and maybe we're we're backing off for a bit but laissez-faire economics is sort of the uh doctrine the the invisible hand and
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
We've never actually had it, have we? It's not a real thing. I don't know if the French have a word for a very visible hand, but the hand is always visible. It's just a question of where we decide to place it. Would that be accurate, Adam?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
How dare you say those faces aren't real?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Feckle, feckles, fecklessness, fecklessful. Are people feckful? There's a feckless, but there's really nobody who is feckful. And maybe that's what the Democrats are looking for. Somebody feckful. You can find some feckfulness. And obviously, Senator Charles Schumer was the avatar through which we passed our frustrations, our angers, our sadness, our desperation.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
Hell to the yes, sir. That is my language. So let's stop for a second. I think what we're agreeing is, A, governments always make different choices, whether it's through infrastructure, economic policy, monetary policy, where they can influence. the direction and capabilities of the economy that which they're trying to build. Everybody makes choices of how they're going to stimulate the economy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
America's Factory Reset with Adam Tooze and Sohrab Ahmari
The second thing is the Trump administration very clearly is reengineering how that economy works through their tariff program. And I imagine through deregulation and other sorts of more libertarian aspects to it. I guess the question that maybe we need to ask is, is it necessary? I would say that yes, we have a real issue of inequality.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Hey, folks, I just want to let you know your prayers have been answered. You remember, everybody's in L.A. I actually was lucky enough to participate in it. It's back. Everybody's live with John Mulaney. Coming to Netflix again. Mulaney, who's just so funny. And tall, that's the part I don't really care for, the tall part, but so funny.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Stop explaining things, news person.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
All right, we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back. And we're back. Okay. So what do you think are the important things? You know, I have my own opinion about what I would like to understand.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
What are the important things if you're the news? Like, here's what I would like to see focused on.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
What are the mechanics of this audit? How is this audit being conducted? It seems awfully quick. I've never heard of an audit that goes in and two days later and like, this is a criminal operation. Like they've uncovered a cartel. It's very easy to go in and pick a program. You know, they'll say they're spending $15 million a year on condoms for the Taliban.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And you're like, I'm pretty sure the Taliban don't fuck that much. Like, I just can't. That's one way to look at it, but probably true. Right. Yeah. So what they've done is they've taken the mantle of efficiency, right, which I think a lot of people feel like is long overdue in government, uncovering waste and fraud and abuse. But it seems like it's a Trojan horse for an ideological –
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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So I would love to know what the mechanics of this are. And I haven't seen much of it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Mm-hmm. Do you think this is a punishment that the voters in the country, because right now it's still broadly popular.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
and shit the bed a bit. And when I say we, I don't mean we, I mean they, but I'm a fan. So I'm going to throw myself into the mix. We won three games. Decisions that we made were terrible, but there was one decision in particular, which was the letting go of a running back by the name of Saquon Barkley.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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In some ways, is it a punishment on what they think was the Democrats, Republicans, inability to effectively improve their everyday lives. And what I'm interested in is a triage for the Democrats of seeing that there's an understanding of how they ended up in this position. And I don't see that yet. And I don't know if your experience is different.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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Do you think the Democratic Party is principled?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Here's where we're getting into it. So – I think other people would say that's a veneer and that what Donald Trump is doing is exposing. He's actually explicitly exposing the dark heart of how the world actually works. You know, sort of that idea of, hey, man. It's corrupt, and I know how to run a corrupt system of quid pro quo.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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And Saquon Barkley is a unbelievable, not just talent athletically, but as a human being to really the kind of, undefinable aspects of his personality that make him an incredible teammate and an incredible leader. And the Giants were recorded over the summer saying, yeah, we're not going to pay that guy. Why would we pay that guy?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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I mean, look, this is the final boss battle in some ways of Citizens United, where they're basically saying money talks, bullshit walks, and that's how things are done. I mean, they're making it so that United States companies can't get in trouble for bribing foreign leaders.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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When he said that he was draining the swamp, right, I understood that as, or I understand that phrase as, we are going to crack down on corruption. I think what he's saying is that's not how the world works, so I am going to exploit corruption because we're the biggest bullies on the planet And it's time that we swing our thang and make that happen and say things like, hey, Canada.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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I mean, why are you going to – Why Canada? But is that – is he basically exposing how the world and how business actually works?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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You just used, but- I apologize for that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
It was a Teddy Roosevelt- It was in the riff. Big stick thing, and I fucked it all up.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But does it work that way, Jen?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
but that party was ineffective to a large, that's what I'm saying. The world doesn't work that way. Like when we say, you know, we're promoting democracy and goodness throughout the world, and yet we bombed the shit out of two countries for 20 years, create untold instability in a region because of our own interests.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
You know, what he's saying is, I don't want to give money to Ukraine unless they're going to give us rare materials, rare earth materials, according to that value.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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No, I think he said it literally.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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No question there. No question there.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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The most talented running back and human ever maybe to have graced this locker room. No, he's out. And the owner of the Giants said, well, as long as he doesn't go to the Eagles. Well, guess what? He went to the Eagles. It was the personnel decision equivalent of the butt fumble, which is the famous New York Jets, Mark Sanchez running into the ass of his own offensive lineman and losing a fumble.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Right. It's old school. It's old school patronage. Yes. It's what civil service was, the swamp was created to remove that aspect of patronage. But I wonder sometimes how far have we really come from the model? And this is not about the administrative state. This is like, how far have we come from the model of searching the globe for cheaper materials and cheaper labor?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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And when we pretend that we're doing it for moral value and freedom, are we kidding ourselves?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Look at the difference between the defense budget and the State Department budget. What's the defense budget? Eight hundred and fifty billion dollars. What's the State Department?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But making it a better place means, look, capitalism is a system that, you know, is a profit driven system and it rewards growth and profit. and distribution of capital. And it seeks its lowest mark. It's why when we talk about globalization destroying the inner manufacturing nature of our country, we also have that race to the bottom in the United States.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Mexico is to America as South Carolina is to New York. They're always competing for that lower thing. So I think you can't separate when presidents say, I want to make it better. You can't separate it from the system that we operate that makes it better. Does that make sense?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Or is it just a more explicit expression of that?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But don't you think we're talking about two separate things? Those are two separate things.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
One has set the environment up for the other. The weakness of our government to be responsive in those ways to the lives of the people has set up that idea of globalization and retraining people instead of giving them the idea that Walmart can pay its people to the point where they have to go on food assistance.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
The systems that we've set up that we're defending, that our status quo, we subsidize pharmaceutical companies, we subsidize oil companies, yet we pay the highest drug prices. All those things have added up to this, no? The systems that we've created, were Democrats not urgent enough in the alarm bells going off about the corruption within our so-called status quo system?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And the reason I bring it up is, boy... to the giants feel like the Democratic Party in that the personnel decisions that they're, everything that they are doing could not work out more humiliatingly And continues to do so. And I don't know what kind of a draft pick the Democrats are going to get this year. I don't even know if there's a draft lottery in politics or any of those kinds of things.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Totally understand. You're exactly right. You know, what did Kennedy say? If you make peaceful evolution, you know, impossible, you make revolution inevitable.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
We're going to take a quick break. We shall be right back. We are back. Okay. My point is, and I'll, Perfectly frank. I am probably I lean towards the Bernie and Elizabeth Warren and, you know, all those sites economically. I've been shocked by how undemocratic the Democratic Party can be.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
By putting their foot on the scales to make sure that Hillary Clinton comes out of the thing or make sure that, you know, that they're that they're listening to that anger about the way that even the ACA, quite frankly. struck me as a very conservative.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Correct. That it didn't address the very thing that was causing the foundational upset. If I were to break this down narratively, what I think the Democrats have forgotten is government may not be perfect, but it's the only thing large enough to offset multinational corporate exploitation and corruption.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And if we don't act like that's urgent and that affects people's lives, then yeah. So if the big policies that we make are billions more dollars to insurance companies that we think are fucking people over left and right. So isn't that part of why people lost faith?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Right. They do control the email lists that continue to ask for money. They still have that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
If you've never seen it, it's just the most, I think, creative and spontaneous. The guests, the fan calls in. There was a robot thing that scared the hell out of me the last time. You just don't know what's going to happen. If you want something you haven't seen before, a fresh take on Late Night Talk. And listen, who knows stale late night talk better than me, the man who invented it?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But that's the point. So it's the audacity of hope with the governance of the possible. And that's the point. Like Donald Trump is nothing if not audacious. He manifests audacity. this way. Isn't there some part of you that believes? Yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But that, well, he accomplished them. He got the tax cuts that he wanted.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
I mean, he basically got the cabinet members that he wanted. I mean, he's, as you said, he's got- Well, he controls the Republican Party.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
I completely disagree because- Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But boy, they better clean their shit up if they want to compete. Because the ass kicking that's been laid upon them in all aspects sometimes feels like a permanent state. But damn, hope springs eternal. So who knows? Maybe the... the Democrats draft their Shador Sanders or their, I don't know, this is probably too sporty for everybody who even listens to this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But more importantly, we are going to get to discussions about the Democratic Party with someone who is well-versed in all aspects of it, having served as a White House press secretary, having served in the Obama administration, having worked at the State Department. So we're just going to get to our guest today. We're going to break down
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Thank you. And then Roger Ailes, and now I don't know who's running, but they run it with a really clear mandate. You're at MSNBC. Do they come to you every day and go, here's what we think is important to preserve and fight for whatever?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
what we believe are the positives and negatives, what can be done for this New York football Democratic Party. Let's just get to it. And so getting right to it, delighted to be joined today, host of MSNBC's Inside with Jen Psaki and the new MSNBC podcast, The Blueprint with Jen Psaki, former White House press secretary under Joseph Robinette Biden, and joins us now, Jen Psaki.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
No, no, no. I'm talking about the head of it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
See, I disagree with that. I think they, it's not that you're able to be independent. It's that you're then a prisoner purely to the minute by minutes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
the ratings incentives and all those other things. If you don't have the ideological component, right, then you don't have a governing authority of editorial authority, right? The greatest trick Roger Ailes ever played was he delegitimized editorial authority while exercising absolute steel trapdoor editorial authority.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
It led them to be exactly what he wanted it to be, which is an effective expression of his worldview.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
I don't want it to be a mouthpiece of the Democratic Party, but I do think it can stand for something more coherent and be more effective in its execution of that by doing so.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
that it should be a check on the excesses, that it should be muckraking in the best sense of the word. But effective muckraking needs organization and a leader. And it can't just be left to everybody's random show to, I mean, I watch these shows all the time. I find them to be like wildly redundant and not really have a macro view, right? If you don't have a macro, I mean, this is, I don't know,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
I don't want to, I'm just saying like, it makes it less effective or interesting.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
A macro view of, is this the direction, right? That helped like the nighttime shows should not be divorced from the daytime show. Fucking four hours of Joe Scarborough shouldn't be allowed in this country. And, and, and then like Rachel Maddow, like it's schizophrenic at times. Like, yeah, I do think there should be some semblance of an idea that look, they're kicking progressive ass right now.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
You know, I like to give the presidents their full due with all the names that God has graced them with. Yes. Jen Psaki, let me begin with a rather intemperate question.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And if, if progressives don't organize their, their media, their think tanks and all that, it's going to continue to happen. It's chaos. Right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But Ailes didn't do that either. It was the principle, the ideological principles, not the party. He and Murdoch the same way. They're promoting an ideological worldview that they believe is correct. And Theo Vaughn and Joe Rogan, I think, are different animals than any of this. I wouldn't say they're – I don't think they're part of any machine.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
No. I would think they're in – No? No. I would consider them in a more probably libertarian comedic complex. More along the lines of – and if you watch or listen to their shows, A, a lot of times it's just pure – like goofing off.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
What the fuck is going on here?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
I think they are supportive, but not, they are not relentless in the Trump enterprise. Like they are not Charlie Kirk. They are not Ben Shapiro. Like- They are very different animals. They are not invested in now the shit that you get picked up and like go to the headlines of media. Yeah. But on balance, that's not what their shows are about. On balance, Ailes like never took his foot off the gas.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Oh, I'm sorry. Let me check my notes. You were pressed here. You were inside the guts of a White House. You saw how the sausage is made inside the White House. Yeah. You saw the pace of newsmaking. You saw the pace of executive actions. Tell us cadence-wise, tempo-wise. What are you seeing as the differences between this president's first, how long has he been president? 10 years now, Trump?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Never. It was like there was not a wasted moment. And did it still with an eye towards producing very watchable television, right? That's missing. I think it's missing from the media is a sense of like, how many times have you heard, Jen? Our job is to call balls and strikes. And you're like, no, you're not a fucking, you're Upton Sinclair. So get on it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
What was the most frustrating thing about the media when you were on the other side? When you were the press secretary, what did you find most objectionable about the media at that time?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
It's difficult, I think, when the modes of media are changing as rapidly as they are to adjust. These kinds of changes create spasms when radio first happened, when TV first happened. When TV first happened, Kennedy went on the debate and Nixon was like, I don't need makeup. I look great. And that completely fucked him up. You didn't look great, Nixon.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But I do think at some level, we all operate kind of tower records. I feel like You know, I host a television program where I sit in a studio and we do it and we work all day on the thing. And it does feel a little bit like, hey, kids, come in and see the newest CDs from Columbia Records.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
It's been three weeks. What are you seeing about just purely on pace? What are we dealing with?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
This will evolve. And the practitioners of it that do more... The one thing I would say is... like trust your discomfort, like trust your discomfort about some of this shit. Like when you said like, this has to change, like that's what I'm talking about.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And I mean that writ large within the status quo of, of how we govern and the way that we create policy that battles corporate interests or battles a media industrial complex or any of those other fucking things. Like, The discomfort that you feel in those systems is your gut telling you like, this isn't the way to execute my intention at its highest level. Yeah. And I mean that for everything.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And I feel like Democrats haven't listened to that voice. And Trump is that voice like without any other filter around it. Like I said, I think his diagnosis is oftentimes correct. I really disagree with his remedies and, and the way that they're executing them.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And are overcomplicated by the corporate lobbyists and interests that get around. Like poor people aren't the ones who made the tax code 8 million pages.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And the bureaucracy of them and the, you know, progressives and Democrats shoot themselves in the foot with regulations that actually make solving the problems they care most about nearly impossible.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And you can't just say, turn away from this disaster. You have to give people the place that you want it to go. You have to paint that picture. of what it should be. I'm delighted. And Jen Psaki, I'm glad that we had a chance to sit down and talk about it in a lovely conversation. It's a pleasure to get a chance to do that with you. And I do, I thank you so much for joining us. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
All right. Host of MSNBC's Inside with Jen Psaki and the new MSNBC podcast, The Blueprint with Jen Psaki, former White House press secretary, Jen Psaki.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Jen Psaki. Do you ever have the instinct to say Psaki?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
That's two people who probably broadly agree, I would think, on principle issues. But I think there's very much attention in that conversation now.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Well, even when they say like, well, it might not be possible. And you're like, well, do you believe that it's right? If you believe that it's right, then we have to move. But maybe there's something even beyond that. Now, let me ask you guys this, because I think the job even before that is to regain the confidence of people that government can effectively manage any of this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
So the premise right now is democracy was on the ballot, right, for this election. And so if that's the case, democracy got its ass kicked by, ironically, by the very thing that it said was on the ballot, democracy. He won the election. He got the popular vote. They kept the Senate. They kept the House.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
That's not a constitutional crisis. That's just how it goes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Even when there was extrajudicial killings, there was drone type things. Like there's a process in the court's order and injunction, but that is the truth. Like rubber meets the road. It all depends on what the priority is. And certainly he's operating more as a wrecking ball than anybody else, but it's not an unheard. It's just like everything else with him.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
It's all, as they would say in Spinal Tap, turned up to 11. Everything is just fucking turned up to 11. But what I thought was most interesting is We can't identify the infrastructure that would make these adjustments.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Nobody stands out. Jillian, I can always count on you to tell me what the young people are thinking. Meanwhile, I couldn't even get my fucking email to open. And by the way, terrible apologies for a twisted sports analogy in the top. I know that Many people.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
What? I thought Broadway was dark. How dare they?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
It reminded me of that because Saquon Barkley and the Philadelphia Eagles won the Super Bowl and I was watching him and to tie it all around to Broadway, I just began to sing Used to be mine. I'm a terrible voice. Waitress. That's it. What else we got?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Oh, I'm sure. I mean, again, nothing is ever completely black and white. Like I say, some of the diagnoses that he has about the rig system, I completely agree with. I'm sure there will be something that occurs, or at least hopefully. I mean, I hope so. Christ, I live here. I mean, there better be something good that comes out of this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Oh, I think we're so beyond pendulums at this point. I don't know. I think it's different forms of matter. I think it goes now from gas to solid to plasma. I have no fucking idea. We are in a joint custody where the two parents have just so divorced from each other and it's such completely different. But, oh, I mean, I really hope. Yeah, I live here. I really hope something good happens.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
So the idea right now that I'm hearing the most from the Democrats is he is eroding our democracy. And there are procedural ways by which he is doing that, not honoring separation of powers. My argument is also that democracy is eroded by the people not feeling that it's agile.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
By the way, that is how things are done now. Like, you get five minutes with him. Like, Eric Adams spends five minutes with him and he's like, eh, tell the Justice Department. It's fine. He's a good guy. It'll be fine.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
All right. Brittany, as always, how do people get in touch with us?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
All right, very good. Very pleased for the program today. As always, our lead producer, Lauren Walker, producer, Brittany Mamedovic, video editor and engineer, Rob Vitola, audio editor and engineer, Nicole Boyce, researcher and associate producer, Jillian Spear, and as always, executive producers, Chris McShane, Katie Gray. Thank you guys so much. Are we doing a show next week or no?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
All right, guys. Good stuff. The weekly show with Jon Stewart is a comedy central podcast is produced by Paramount audio and bus boy productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Or responding to your needs. Is that what has put us in this situation? Did people vote on democracy being too analog in this digital world, not responding agilely enough? And now by going through this Real executive unitary kind of reordering of constitutional powers. Is he doing the people's bidding? Is he doing this thing that will make democracy? How do you process that?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
This is your show. Check it out. It's fantastic. Tune in weekly at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Everybody's live with John Mulaney, now playing only on Netflix. Ladies and gentlemen, once again, welcome to the weekly show podcast. My name is John Stewart. That was as welcoming and open as I could possibly muster. We are shooting, this is the Tuesday after the Super Bowl.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
What part in your mind was academic? I want to get, you know, is it they were talking civics when they should have been talking something that was more directly academic? impacting people's lives.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Wait, what? How did that? Wait, where did that come from?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Obviously, he would he would not say that that's his primary position. But is it also could it be said? that the lived experience of Americans is that, look, Ronald Reagan had it in the 80s. What's the scariest thing that can happen? It's somebody from the government coming to your house and going, I'm from the government and I'm here to help.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
The idea being that Democrats are the party of the government.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
And institutions. And status quo. And the status quo. So I don't view that in any way as progressive. So when we talk about, oh, it's the elites and progressives and things like that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Now we're talking. Now this is the conversation that press secretaries have.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But is that – how much is messaging about arguments over the right word to choose – versus the impact of policy? Have the Democrats lost themselves in message speak and lost sight of that broader goal?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
I don't know when this is going to be airing in your earphones. God knows how much the world is going to change between the time that we are talking right now and recording it and the time that you are going to be absorbing and consuming it. But coming off the Super Bowl, I had this feeling
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
know this idea now right when i'm watching uh the cable news now and the democratic messaging about what elon is doing and doge and all those other things the point that you made about oligarchy and civics and separation of powers maybe not being uh where not that they're not concerns but that's not where the messaging should be it feels like that message hasn't gotten through because that's i'm hearing an awful lot about
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
separation of powers and very little about defending usaid or defending i'm i'm not hearing a lot about here's the specific program that is so valuable and by not funding that this is what we lose there's been to be fair there's been some attempts at that but the overwhelming majority has been we are sleepwalking into a constitutional crisis
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Again, taking the bait of the larger thing and not defending the efficiency or value of the programs.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
But that seems obvious, Jen. Yes, it is. So why are they not doing it? I wish I knew the answer to that question. That is the most painful sigh I have ever heard.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Right. Well, then through an appeal process, like we've got a little way. Through could be. A little bit down the road, but yes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
How do I draw the parallels between the game we saw, the things that we saw during the Super Bowl and the current moment? Isn't that clever to draw a line between the Super Bowl and our current moment and what the Democrats are? And I'll say this. I am a Giants fan, New York football Giants. And the New York football Giants have experienced a really interesting year in that we kind of sucked.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
The road to constitutional crisis.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Agreeing & Disagreeing with Jen Psaki
Boy, if that's not a title of a Rachel Maddow special, I don't know what is.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Wednesday morning? No. Yeah, Wednesday morning. It's going to come out tomorrow. I think that President Trump is still speaking. He's just wrapping up now. He's just now... He's giving out some cars. And I was... Last night... He's so much... better at this than all the sweet, sweet Democrats with their protest hatched in some high school theater workshop or wherever it is that they got.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Hey, Leute, ich möchte nur sagen, dass eure Gebeten beantwortet worden sind. Erinnerst du dich, dass alle in L.A. sind? Ich war tatsächlich glücklich genug, daran zu teilnehmen. Es ist zurück. Alle sind live mit John Mulaney. Kommt wieder zu Netflix. Mulaney, der so lustig ist.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
and tall that's the part i don't really care for the tall part but so funny if you've never seen it it's just the most i think creative and and spontaneous the guests the fan calls in there was a robot thing that scared the hell out of me the last time you just don't know what's going to happen if you want something you haven't seen before a fresh take on late night talk you Und wir sind zurück.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
For those who are maybe being introduced to Maria at this time, Maria walks the walk, stood up when Duterte was in power as a journalist and was arrested and had her rights removed from her. I'm sure it was a really frightening time for you. In that moment, what gave you the
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
The courage, but also the fortitude to see what you were seeing and decide, I'm going to speak out, no matter what the cost is. Is that a conscious decision that you make?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Was war der Impetus für das, Maria?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And they were accusing you of what?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Oh, wow. That's it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Hey man, I've got some magic markers in my locker. Why don't we just write phrases on postcards? And while the president is honoring people who've lost their children and gold star families and giving people, you know, West Point commendations. I'm just going to hold up a handwritten sign that says, I'm sad. This isn't right. Oh, we're fucked. It is, it is.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Und die Anzeichen sind, Sie wurden mit was beurteilt? Mit Berichten? Mit Fakten? Wie haben sie das, was Sie berichten, Ihren Journalismus, in den Krimi umgesetzt? Was ist die Art und Weise, wie sie Informationen in diesem Bereich kriminalisieren?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
So they, you were like Al Capone, that they wanted to shut you down because they didn't like the fact that you were exposing... Layers of corruption. And rather than say, oh, it's criminal to expose our corruption, they tried to find some other dumb shit and grab you in that regard.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
They wrote a law in response to a story and then tried to arrest you. Because of the story. So they retroactively arrested you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Yeah, understood.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Das ist, weil alle, ich meine, ich denke, sie sehen alle anderen in der Welt als NPCs. Sie sind sozusagen nicht spielbare Charaktere. Und so, du weißt, wenn dein Ethos ist, all diese, diese sind nur Teile, die wir auf einem Board bewegen. Maria, ich möchte dich fragen, du weißt, du hast etwas wirklich Interessantes gesagt über einfach voranzubringen und solche Sachen. Was denkst du davon?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Ich habe Zuckerberg und Bezos ein bisschen überrascht. Er geht in den Washington Post und sagt, hey, von jetzt an ist unsere Opinion-Page keine Opinion. Ich habe zwei Pillar, von denen ich mich komplett versuche, von denen ich versuche, von denen ich versuche,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
und persönliche Freiheit oder so, weißt du, es ist im Grunde eine mehr libertarische Sichtweise und hat nur gesagt, unsere Meinungspage sind jetzt diese beiden Dinge, das ist es. Und ich bin sicher, was er empfiehlt ist, und sie müssen diese beiden Dinge oder was auch immer meine Vision ist. Und es ist so antithetisch zu dem, was tatsächlich passiert.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Diese Idee, dass eine mehr eingeschränkte Gesellschaft für Menschen persönliche Freiheiten erhöhen wird oder freie Märkte kreieren wird, ist eine Lüge.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And they're not obeying, by the way. I think they agree. I think they like it this way. I think they like a unitary executive that agrees with them that there's only a certain class of people that should control all aspects of society. I would say this theory of strong man ist etwas, worüber sie sehr positiv sind. Ich sehe es nicht so, als obdachlose.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And that's why, here's, here's why I'm very excited about today's show. Die Gäste, die wir heute haben, sind jemand, deren Geist unvergleichbar ist. Jemand, der wichtig ist und hart arbeitet, um die Art der Welt zu erschaffen, die sie denken, fairer und rechter ist und all diese Dinge. Und unser Gäste heute macht nur das.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Ich denke, sie haben die Möglichkeit bekommen, so zu sein, wie sie sind. Sie haben keine Verantwortung mehr, sich zu verzeihen, dass sie das Respekt oder das Glauben oder das Wissen der Bevölkerung im Allgemeinen haben. Ich denke nicht, dass sie es bemerkenswert machen.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
It's transactional, yeah, transactional.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Right. Was not explicitly that. We should be clear, this isn't a black and white. There's always an undercurrent of kleptocracy. There is actually a stream of that, that is how the world works. And we should recognize that. This is making it explicit. Yeah. And saying, hey man, this whole ethics thing, that's a real pain in the ass. So let's just go straight. Yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
That blew my mind too, man.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Right. It wasn't algorithmic. It wasn't your distribution was your distribution. You wrote things. People were drawn to them. You know, there was no thumb on the scale. There was none of those kinds of things. Right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Und ich denke, er beschreibt absolut eine kohärente und sehr klare Sicht auf das, was passiert ist. und Strategien, um zurück in eine mehr konstitutionelle und freie und faire Welt zurückzukehren. Und ich denke, Mann, sie ist die Antithese, um dumme Scheiße auf Plakaten zu schreiben und sie aufzuhalten. Also ich werde sie einfach bekommen, weil ich...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
War das nach der Maidan-Revolution? War das dann, als es... Es führte zu... Ja, ja.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
All right, we're going to take a quick break. We'll be right back.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Okay, we are back. You're saying there is a manipulation that is strategic and purposeful. Boy, Maria, what's so interesting about this is, it reminds me, as you were talking, of advertising in the way that, you know, you think about like the old cigarette companies and they used to create almost cartoon mascots, you know, Joe Camel and
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
und solche Sachen, weil sie versuchen wollten, junge Menschen zu enttäuschen und zu enttäuschen. Ja. Und so haben sie designt, und ich bin sicher, dass es sinnvoll war und ich bin sicher, dass es in der Wissenschaft basiert war. Ja.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Sie haben diese unglaublich willkommenen, du weißt, Sussien-like Charaktere, die würden, du weißt, wie Kindercharaktere, die wären wie, hey, weißt du, was du gerade, Timmy, ein paar Schmucks benutzen kannst? Komm schon! You know, and then it would get addicted. But that same principle, you said it earlier that I thought was really interesting. They studied. What did you say?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
I just love her and I just want to hear her thoughts on all that is happening within this volatile time. So let's just go. Meine Damen und Herren, wirklich, es gibt sehr wenige Leute, mit denen ich jetzt sprechen möchte, um ganz ehrlich zu sein.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Fear, anger and hate were the three tent posts that drove the most engagement and that incentivized it. And those three things. drum up for a populist, a real, I would think, populist opportunity to harness that fear, anger and hate and use it to consolidate power.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
It's an incredibly difficult machine to break because to a certain extent you're saying they've rewired the brains for these dopamine hits of fear, anger and hate. and use that to seed purposefully a vulnerability. Am I summing it up similarly to how you're seeing it?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Das sind PSYOPs. Das sind PSYOPs.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
That was my point. Once they discovered what was going on, the government came in and said, you can't do that to kids.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Which they would, by the way, frame as, oh no, that's just free speech.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Which is a very cynical interpretation when you're doing it on behalf of President Trump, who threatens to throw people in jail. wenn sie etwas sagen, für das er sich nicht interessiert. Also lassen Sie uns in ihre geistigen Freisprache-Vorschläge einsteigen.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Aber es gibt niemanden, mit dem ich sprechen möchte, als unsere Gastin Maria Ressa, deren Resilienz, ihr Geist, ich liebe und erfreue den Nobelpreis-Winner, Rappler-CEO, Columbia University Professor. Maria Ressa ist mit uns. Wie geht es Ihnen? Ich bin gut. Hi, John.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Selbstbeschränkung.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Oh Gott. So the whole... Boy, if this gets us into something, I'm going to ask this. And I'm sorry to be bouncing around, but Maria, you're bringing up so many interesting and valuable and essential points. But it just popped into my head. You mentioned the EU. You know, when you realign with Russia and the liberal democracies and you weaken the EU, is the purpose here, the EU...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
is a far more stringent regulatory regime. They sue tech companies. They have certain restrictions on these algorithms. They have certain things. Is this all a play to just remove any guardrails on AI and incentivizing tech and all those different things? Is it not really about... You know, democracy versus, I don't know, autocracy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Is it really about like, I don't like that you don't let me do whatever I want to do with my company?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Facebook, Twitter, du hast den Effekt gesehen. In den Philippinen ist es wahrscheinlich ein guter Petri-Disch für das, weil es kleiner ist. Es ist wie wenn sie Studien über Fruchtfleisch machen. Es ist etwas, das sie einfacher studieren können, weil es eine klarere Bildung ist.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Du warst Testküche.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Sie sagten, lass uns sehen, wie das McRib in den Philippinen funktioniert, und dann sehen wir, ob wir es in Lima, Ohio rausnehmen können.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Wow. And by the way, Cambridge Analytica, for those who don't know, it was an absolute right-wing ideological scion. Right. And by the way, Bannon's been very clear about that. He might be the only guy in all of this that I sort of respect, because he just says, this is actually what we're trying to do. And they go about and do it. There is no pretense to any of it for him.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
It is a delight. Maria, your experience throughout you being in the Philippines and going through the trials and tribulations that they put you through for the crime of As you're watching things unfold in the United States right now, how are you processing all this?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Oh mein Gott. Ich schaue einfach Maria Ressa, ziehe die Verbindungen und mache all das und bringe das Board auf. Ja.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Maria, I'm doing my damn best. I really am. It's just hard.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Information Mining und all those things, right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
To get the clicks, man.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
I was going to say, it's about to get turbocharged.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
That's got to be bumper sticker somewhere, but that's enshitification. Excuse me while I scroll through my enshitification feed.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Oh, Lord. You know, Maria, I'm wondering, and by the way, you've laid this out, I think, beautifully. And I think... In some ways you've given us a little bit of a way to see the matrix, if that makes sense. You're showing us the code and how it's used by political actors to try and consolidate and gain power and continue to consolidate.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
New media structures have always created volatility, whether it's the printing press or radio or TV or those kinds of things. Is there a chance? Two questions. Will the human brain adapt in some respects to this in-shitification so that it won't have the same powerful manipulative effect? Not to say that they won't always try and get ahead of it.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And number two, can the in-shitification be turned into in-nice-ification? Can it be reverse engineered for a better outcome?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And the friends network is what you trust. If it's sent to you from someone in your network, whether on Facebook or Twitter or whatever it is, they've got trust. But the institution that would generally have some editorial authority does not have trust.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
I mean, it's like... Boy, you could not pick a child of Cassandra and Sisyphus. That is going to be a very stressed out household. Yeah, but I see where you're coming from there. And I also... It's very interesting to watch because this fact-based universe that you're talking about is not as profitable, given the incentive structure that you're saying there.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And so you find the institutional places where you would go to trust these news organizations are losing that battle a bit. We always talk about, I view it through a legal kind of framework. If it was, they say, well, what should the press be doing? Und ich sage immer, anstatt diese anderen Incentiven zu fangen, sagen die Leute, oh, wir leben in zwei verschiedenen Realitäten.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Ich denke, du hast es am besten gesagt. Es gibt Realität und wir alle leben darin. Ja. The boundaries of our shared reality. And that is simply it. That is all you exist to do, is litigate that reality. Because as you said, a legal structure has evidentiary standards. And if you can't meet the evidentiary standards, because journalism is trying to keep up with the circadian rhythm of social media,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Es gibt ihnen keine Zeit, ihre Beurteilung und Argumente voranzubringen.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Du gehst zurück zu Fakten. Ich höre eine Sirene in der Hintergrund, Maria, und wenn das durchkommt, bin ich sehr überrascht über dich. Und jetzt höre ich eine Sirene und ich bin so, was sagt sie, was macht sie? Kommen sie jetzt?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Hey, Leute, ich möchte nur sagen, dass eure Gebeten beantwortet worden sind. Erinnerst du dich, dass alle in L.A. sind? Ich war tatsächlich glücklich genug, daran zu teilnehmen. Es ist zurück. Alle sind live mit John Mulaney. Kommt wieder zu Netflix. Mulaney, der so lustig ist.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
What are the tenets of the Matrix Protocol? What would you have to abide by to exist in the Matrix Protocol?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Jeder kann seine eigene Erfahrung designen und gut, ja.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Ich glaube, ich habe das gesehen. I think I know what you're talking about.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Und das ist wahrscheinlich Teil der Strategie, würde ich sagen, Maria, ist, dich zu verletzen, bis zu dem Punkt, wo du einfach fühlst, dass du dich nicht engagieren wirst. Ich meine, um ehrlich zu sein, die ganze Strategie hier, und ich denke, Junge, du hast es in Bezug auf seine Bedeutung genäht, ist, die Menschen von der Macht zu entdecken. Ja. Und die Macht unverletzt zu haben.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Ich denke, die Partie, die für die Menschen verletzt ist, ist, Once again, it's up to individuals, sort of in the same way that they do with global warming. Like, well, if you just conserve, you'll do better. I think we need to battle on the same playing field. I think we need powerful, top-down. And that's why I think news organizations have infrastructures.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And they are well positioned to be real tentposts In this battle for our shared reality. And that's why I think I get so frustrated watching them fall prey to these other incentives. I think it starts there. I mean, right now, the Democratic Party is in utter disarray. They don't even have a playbook. It doesn't appear to be to me.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
So I look to these other places with infrastructure and communication abilities. But there are a couple of other structural things in the United States I want to talk about real quick.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Beyond that, which is, you know, we are a much harder, the Philippines is a smaller, it's sort of like when in America a liberal might say, if you look at Finland's healthcare system, we could just apply that, you know, smaller, more homogenous areas, harder to do. We are a vast country with a ton of people, however badly they think multiculturalism is for the fabric, it's here to stay.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
We are not easily categorized within there. Is that in any way, Maria, a bulwark against the kind of capture that you're talking about? Or does this cut beyond those structural advantages that America might have?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Also, es ist ein Ausdruck, es ist retro, es ist zurück in die Faschistik.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Nein, sie wollen eine globale Reihe von Nationenstaaten, die sich als singulär bezeichnen, aber tatsächlich zusammenarbeiten, um dieses eine mehr illiberale Ziel zu erreichen.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Du weißt, Maria, ich dachte wirklich, dass das eine etwas optimistischere Ansicht sein wird. Ich wusste nicht, dass du das so schnell ausbrechen würdest. First of all, it's so interesting because Trump was very clearly on the side of Duterte and I did not realize that he had pivoted so quickly to Russia and China in the same way that in some respects we've pivoted to Russia.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
believed you know you were exceptional if you're american so kick in i guess is what i'm saying john right kick in or or atrophy i mean the things that are exceptional atrophy us and i think the the greatest trick that is played upon us is this is all being sold to us as american exceptionalism yes it's the opposite of what actually made us
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
exzeptional in any way, which was those constitutional principles and human rights that underpinned all of the documents that created it, that sort of enlightenment era.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Maria, ich muss dir sagen, ich liebe dich so sehr. Ich liebe es, mit dir zu sprechen. Du bist so klug. Du siehst so viele verschiedene Dinge, aber du behältst einfach dieses unglaubliche Geist und Energie, die ich nicht helfen kann, aber inspiriert und ausfüllen kann. Und ich tue, du weißt, es ist lustig, auch wenn du Dinge auslässt, dass ich denke, oh Gott, das ist schmerzhaft und schmerzhaft.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Ich stelle immer noch You give me great strength and hope. You really do. And I so appreciate it. And appreciate you coming on and talking to us early in the morning.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Maria Ressa, Nobel Peace Prize winner, Rappler CEO, Columbia University. Professor and just all around shining light. Thank you so much for joining us, Maria, and I hope to talk to you again soon. Wow. I'm telling you, man, she is, that is just...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
I want to say Sunny D, just a glass of like, I talked to Maria and I just feel like, yes, yes, she's like the best Peloton instructor for reinvigorating the idea of shared reality and that being the secret to reality. reconstituting an effective ground up infrastructure for fighting this illiberalizing of our world and the inshittification that we find ourselves in. Maria Ressa, fantastic.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
That is our show. There is no show next week. We will be back the week after. But so appreciate all those who continue to Listen to the podcast and watch it and those other things. I hope if you get a chance, please check out Maria's books. Boy, she lays out beautifully that this is all a strategy, that it is purposeful,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
dass es gestaltet wird und das Ergebnis, das wir erleben, ist das Ergebnis, das von diesem Design verdient worden ist. Und wenn es gestaltet wird, dann kann es gespielt werden. Und deshalb bin ich einfach sehr dankbar für sie, dass sie heute mitgekommen ist. Und ich freue mich wirklich darauf.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Wie immer, Lead Producer Lauren Walker, Producer Brittany Mehmetovic, Video Editor und Engineer Rob Vitola, Audio Editor and Engineer Nicole Boyce, Researcher and Associate Producer Jillian Speer and as always our Executive Producers Chris McShane and Katie Gray. Thanks so much for listening and we'll see you guys next time. Bye-bye. The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central Podcast.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Was Duterte a sort of political alignment, a frontrunner of I hate to call it a new world order, but that idea of these illiberal democracies with constitutions being run by unitary executives, is that how the world is carved up in this new order?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions. Hey, Leute, ich möchte nur sagen, dass eure Gebeten beantwortet worden sind. Erinnerst du dich, dass alle in L.A. sind? Ich war tatsächlich glücklich genug, daran zu teilnehmen. Es ist zurück. Alle sind live mit John Mulaney. Kommt wieder zu Netflix. Mulaney, der so lustig ist.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
und groß, das ist das Teil, für das ich mich nicht wirklich kümmere, das große Teil, aber es ist so lustig, wenn du es noch nie gesehen hast, ist es nur das, was ich glaube, kreativ und spontan ist, der Gast, der Fan ruft an, es gab ein Roboter-Ding, das mich das letzte Mal verdammt erschreckt hat, du weißt einfach nicht, was passieren wird, wenn du etwas willst, das du noch nie gesehen hast, ein Fresh Take auf Late Night Talk.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And listen, who knows stale late-night talk better than me, the man who invented it? This is your show. Check it out. It's fantastic. Tune in weekly at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Everybody's live with John Mulaney, now playing only on Netflix.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
and tall that's the part i don't really care for the tall part but so funny if you've never seen it it's just the most i think creative and and spontaneous the guests the fan calls in there was a robot thing that scared the hell out of me the last time you just don't know what's going to happen if you want something you haven't seen before a fresh take on late night talk
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Richtig. Zu den Siegern gehen die Spuren, auf eine gewisse Art, richtig.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Right, right, right. Right? No, I, yeah, I see what you're saying.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
We're in this geopolitical realpolitik. You're talking about how the erosion of democracy and then to throw in a Delhi reference, I think, just threw me off for a second.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
See, there you go. That's all you need. It's so, you know, the Philippines is such an interesting country.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
example in my mind because you're right there was a volatility always for the philippines between sort of when it became a constitutional democracy but also you you lived under martial law under under marcos for so long yeah which you know again it's that idea of like right now i mean trump is not a super popular president this is not reagan
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
But he has democratic, he was elected democratically and right now he has a reasonable approval rating that you would not think, oh, the American people have rejected this pivot in large measure. I don't think they have. And so I wonder when you watch that happen, what is the response? Von der Opposition. Ich weiß nicht, ob du es letzte Nacht gesehen hast.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Die Opposition sah aus, als ob sie Paddeln mit Worten auf sie hielt. Oder sie hatte ein Krayon und schrieb, das ist nicht normal. Und du denkst dir, das sieht aus wie ein ad hoc Highschool Theatergruppe. They're going to show the principal of the school that they want their chocolate milk at lunch back. It seems utterly in disarray.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And listen, who knows stale late night talk better than me? The man who invented it. This is your show. Check it out. It's fantastic. Tune in weekly at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Everybody's live with John Mulaney. Now playing only on Netflix. Hey everybody, welcome once again to the weekly show podcast. My name is Jon Stewart. I will be your host. We are coming to you... What day is today?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And you're talking about, there was a resolution in the United Nations that suggested, you know, it's the three-year anniversary of the war in Ukraine. And it suggested, perhaps countries shouldn't invade other countries that are sovereign. And as you said, kind of rule one, it was commandment number one at the United Nations, why it was formed.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And just to give the context of what Maria is talking about, it was a... The most basic of resolutions and the United Nations, they're not necessarily, they're certainly not binding. They don't really have any power, but there's a symbolic nature to suggesting that territory is sacrosanct and you shouldn't do it for no apparent reason.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
And then go ahead, Maria, you can talk about like how that vote went down.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
We flipped teams. It was. Maria, man, I couldn't agree with you more. I actually thought, and it China abstained. Yeah, they abstained. Even China and Iran abstained.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Even China and Iran were not willing to go like, oh yeah, no, you can invade people, that's cool. Israel voted, I mean, does that give you a hint of what this new illiberal lineup looks like? Are we trying to figure out now who are the allied powers and who are the Axis powers? I obviously don't think it's as simple as that. I don't think the United States is suddenly now...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
In that and, you know, right now it's getting a little dark, but we'll talk about some of the institutional, structural, geographical things that are positive and optimistic for the United States moving forward. And there are some, you know, I don't want to. Sie machen es so, als wäre es unerlässlich, und wir gehen nur darauf hin.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Make Authoritarianism Great Again? with Maria Ressa
Aber die Philippinen sind so interessant, denn ihr seid ein freier Agent. Ja. Ihr wart mit den Vereinigten Staaten, dann fliegt ihr nach Russland, China, und ihr seid strategisch so wichtig.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Hey, folks, I just want to let you know your prayers have been answered. You remember, everybody's in L.A. I actually was lucky enough to participate in it. It's back. Everybody's live with John Mulaney. Coming to Netflix again. Mulaney, who's just so funny.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
By the time this gets to your Sony Walkman, as you're listening to it, people still use those. Is that correct? Is that still the divisive choice for the young people? The Sony Discman, Walkman? I don't know what will be happening. Everything I am saying to you right now could in fact be moot. Here's what I would imagine that the war with Canada is entering its It's third day.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
So I think that's a fabulous way of sort of laying out the task at hand. And it's a big one. I mean, let's not kid ourselves. It's a difficult one. I wonder if, in your mind, when you're down there with the Democratic Party, Do they understand that their role in creating that world? So like we talk about NAFTA and through the Clinton, you laid out very nicely these different eras.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
There was sort of HW and then Clinton and Bush and then Obama. But things like NAFTA, things like allowing the sort of trickle down policies to continue through deregulation. do they understand that maybe even the way that Democrats want to help people access these good things, they have to rethink how government delivers those services.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Let's talk about a specific example, which is the ACA, you brought it up, which I think is really interesting. It has gotten, I don't know how many millions of people health insurance, but the way that it's done it is sort of a, a republicanized, almost like a privatization. It's kind of, if you will, a subsidy to the insurance companies.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
A promise that like, look, if you take people with pre-existing conditions, we'll give you from the government $500 a month to subsidize these plans that we will have access to, but we're not going to fix what's at the heart of our healthcare system, and we're not going to fix what's at the heart of our insurance system.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Our targeted smart bombs at their syrup factories have been effective. It has limited hopefully civilian casualties and spread an air of fear and delicious smelling maple all throughout the land. The border is in fact packed, I would think, with Americans fleeing towards Canada and Canadians standing there pushing us back, trying not to let us get in there and fuck up their lower rents than ours.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
So those two frustrations still exist, and they get compounded by the overwhelming cost of this program. Are the Democrats not thinking big enough? to change the relationship between, you know, this whole idea of having to fight to lower insulin costs as though that's like, you know, oh, we got 10 drugs that we can now negotiate with.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Like, don't they have to be clearer, stronger, and change that relationship to get government to deliver these services directly and effectively?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Right. I think that's kind of my point is the ACA has done some really great things for people, but doesn't it reinforce – an existing corrupt system. Because if you think about the Republican strategy, right, the Republican strategy is I'm going to get rid of abortion in America and I'm going to work for 50 years. And if we can't make it illegal, we'll make it impossible.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But we are relentlessly focused on this goal, which is to make it illegal. And they're going to take the court track. They're going to take the, okay, if you're going to provide that care, you need to have an anesthesiologist and you need to, they'll make it impossible financially for places that, that want to accomplish that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I think Democrats may be, my point is, are they too comfortable within a system that seems not to be delivering? And do we need a to take an approach that is more clear and direct to say to people like, if healthcare is a right, I'm not sure that the ACA is the most efficient way of delivering that right?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
My point is, in your perfect world, would you say this system, first of all, we don't need to tie health care to your job. That limits people's liberty and freedom. And we don't need to give subsidies to an insurance company. It's almost like what Trump understands is I can use the government to bully, right? I wonder if Democrats can take that message and say, oh, right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Why aren't we playing by that same rule? If we were redesigning the system, is this the way we would design it? And if not, then how do we take a hard line to get that system to deliver?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Which is crazy.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
and tall that's the part i don't really care for the tall part but so funny if you've never seen it it's just the most i think creative and and spontaneous the guests the fan calls in there was a robot thing that scared the hell out of me the last time you just don't know what's going to happen if you want something you haven't seen before a fresh take on late night talk
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I've not seen actually anything like this. The chaos of launching tariff wars in the morning, calling them off by afternoon and claiming victory as though somehow in the intervening six to eight hours of bluster, the countries that you had challenged had fallen to their knees in prayer. No, dear Lord. not our wheat, not our lumber. We'll do whatever you say.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Does this change the way that you look at the presidency, what's happening right now? Like, do you think in your mind now – Well, the next time we're fortunate enough to create a message that resonates enough with the American people and we get a Democratic president there.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
First, day one, executive order number one, the government negotiates drug price deals with the drug companies, benefit managers out of the game. Like we're going to attack this much more directly. We are not going to the din of all the lobbyists of all these different industries, we're cutting that out and we're making this much cleaner to the way that we want to operate.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It is. I would admit that. So you had an emergency meeting with the caucus. Yes. That's right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But they said they only rescinded the memo. The freeze is still in place, or is that incorrect?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Oh, so that's the USAID. And that wasn't – is that even the president or is that Vice President Musk? Is he the one who – Who froze USAID?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And we're back. What recourse is there other than outrage? I think the frustrating thing for a lot of people watching at home is at this point, the recourse seems to be, let's put Chuck Schumer on television to give as non-dramatic a reading as he can of the outrage. What is the real recourse? Can there be temporary injunctions? Is there a Congress? Have the Republicans just decided
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
We're just going to give it all to the executive and we no longer have the power of appropriation. We're just going to go along with all of this. What is the recourse for an opposition party that doesn't control the House, the Senate, the executive or the judiciary?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It is obviously the strategy of create chaos, act like you've solved the chaos by calling down the chaos when you realize the American public is turning against your chaos and then claim victory and expect to be praised for it. It is very reminiscent of, it's something my dog used to try to pull. The dog, I can recall, he used to vomit
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
That doesn't portend well. Anything that relates back to it's the last time that happens is the Great Depression. That's not a good sign.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
uh on the rug and i apologize to any of you who are listening to this podcast in a cafe uh but the dog would would vomit on the rug and then he would eat it and then he would look up at me like huh how about that i just cleaned up for you how about a treat and i'm like but you fucking threw up that's you you did that you don't get a treat and so that is my plea to the american people
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
the trump administration vomits on the carpet of our great nation and then uh the metaphor is about to break up but and then eats the i think i think i've made myself understood uh and i cannot think of a really a worse lead-in to the very respectable guest that we have on our program today.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Thank you. Thank you.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
So I'm just going to get to that and hope that you don't remember any of this, that there is a neuralyzer that just went off for you. But we are delighted to be speaking with a gentleman today who is in the center of the storm who is trying to find a way to hold back those things that will be corrosive and corrupting to this American experiment. So let us get to the guest now.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It's almost a vision of a law and order progressivism, if that makes sense. That this, you know, for too long, I think people thought progressivism or liberal values meant permissiveness or a lack of common sense within, you know, even I, you know, when I think about deportation and they're saying like, oh, we have criminals here.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
who are here, they don't have the documentation and they are criminals and we haven't deported them. And you think, well, isn't that the law? Why wouldn't we do that? Is there an understanding now that people in impoverished communities, like if you don't feel safe, if you don't feel secure, everything builds from that. Investment, the ability to...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
you know, feel that your life will be your life? Is that a new direction for the left?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Do you think that's part of what people lost confidence in that they looked at the Democrats as being not common sense with that value of safety and security? They kind of looked at some of these
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
you know different rulings that were being passed down that were letting people back out on the streets when you would look at 17 uh arrests or you know uh undocumented people that had committed crimes that are still here and still committing crimes you know is that was that a missed opportunity that the democrats didn't because the way you're describing it feels different than the way it had been executed over these past i don't know how many years yeah i definitely think that
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
All right, so we're very excited today. We are pleased to be joined by House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, representing New York's eighth congressional district since 2013. Brooklyn, sir, how are you? Good. It's great to be with you. It's very nice to see you, sir. How are you holding up? It's, I assume...
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yeah, he's VA secretary now.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I'll go you one further along the lines of that absurdity, but a party of law and order that continues to basically allow our streets to be flooded with illegal weapons. I mean, you've got Mexico. Here's how bad it gets. You've got Mexico fighting cartels going, yeah, we'll try and stop fentanyl from coming into your country. Could you try and stop weapons from coming into ours? Yeah.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
So I agree with you completely. I love that idea. It's a difficult needle to thread, but that idea is nuanced. We must control the border, but we can do it in a way that doesn't demonize those But it feels like in this country, we're still lacking the conversation around immigration or safety.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It's the conversations it seems we can't find our way to have, which is what is the level of immigration that we as a country want and can handle? What is the level of resource guarding that may happen amongst communities? Because you hear it all the time. I'm having a struggle. And why are we sending money to Ukraine?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And why are we giving undocumented people access to, you know, some of it reasonable, some of it an absolute exaggeration of what's actually happening and chewing gum and walking at the same time. But those conversations are never litigated in the face of, you know, real demagogue. And that's, and that's kind of what you're up against now. Are you able to have those conversations privately?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
For me, even just doing a television show about what's happening in Washington, it is utterly chaotic. So I can't even imagine being down there right now. How often does your phone ring or your Blackberry ding or whatever it is, however the communications are happening down there? where there is another five alarm fire, reversal of policy, trade war on, trade war off?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
When I say privately, I mean, in the chambers, that broader conversation of, do we want to talk about what is the level of immigration that makes sense for a country of our size that continues to want to grow, but also wants to remind people that, that, We are not abdicating that basic principle of safety.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Leader Jeffries, I can see why you guys are screwed because nuance. You're bringing nuance to these conversations. Now I see why this is also difficult.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries, I thank you so much, sir, for taking the time to spend with us. I want to tell you, just as a Nick fan, Good luck out there at the Park Place Center, because my guess is you're going to get the top pick in the draft, and then you're going to be able to turn this thing around as well.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And if you've still got hope there, well, then this country still has hope as well, sir.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Boom! That's what I'm talking about, sir. And that is the bold leadership that we in this nation need. Knicks Nation, baby.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yeah. Thank you, sir. Leader Jeffries, thanks for coming on and spending the time. Really appreciate it. All the best. Speaker Jeffries. Did I say speaker? I meant leader. You know, you get so confused of the titles. If you're in the minority, you're still leader. And if he gets into the majority, then he's speaker. I have to tell you, and maybe this is the design of the system.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And by the way, we're being joined by, obviously, Jillian Spear, Lauren Walker, Brittany Mamedovic, our illustrious production team that kicks ass every week. I got to tell you, I feel like leader is a title that is better than speaker. Speaker feels like you have the speaking clam or speaking shell, whatever it is. Leader feels... More imperial.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
See? Follow the speaker? No.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
That's right. Let me ask you, let me put it to the focus group. Did you come away feeling more confident in their ability to put up a unified and effective front or less confident? Let's start with Jillian.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
What's the pace going on down there?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
You should have jumped in, man.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I'm surprised it's a text and not a handwritten letter from the Carville era. I'm surprised it's not a Civil War missive.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Dearest Jillian. Yeah. But I find that interesting. And maybe that's the point is, And I was trying to gently work my way around that idea of like, access to a broken system is still a fucking broken system.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Are we going to change the system? Lauren, more confident, less confident?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Brutal takedown.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
There is a disagreement. In that particular Democratic infighting, I've really got to go with Leader Jeffrey Sear because I don't know of a baseball strategy where you would go up to the plate and someone would say, you got to swing at every pitch and still have a job within any kind of professional baseball organization.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
We're going inside. Brittany, did you feel good? Did you come out of it?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I've got to try and get out of the... that feeling of relitigating the past so much. I think I find myself falling into that in a way, like when he says like law and order and things like that, and you're like, right. So maybe we should have done more at the border. Or when he would say something like, we need to show them we're on their side.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And you're like, yeah, we should have probably done that 20 years ago in a way that was much cleaner and effective. Like, So it's very hard for me to get out of that mindset, especially when the way forward still seems so lacking in specificity.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
because that's where they're getting their asses kicked. I feel like there is, it's, let's continue the sports metaphors. There is a football team that has a playbook and there is another team that is, they are a playground team. They're like, what if we all just go long? Like they don't have the infrastructure and playbook to counter effectively the specificity of what's coming at them.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And I really hope that that changes and can change quickly. And it can, if there is some sense of leadership and unity and vision.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Well, right now it's the two competing visions between swing at everything and don't swing at everything. And then they're going to move from there. Once that is litigated, whether or not to take every pitch or swing at every pitch, then we can begin to move on to the other things. But I was pleased that I was nervous that it would be all politics speech and no real, real.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And I didn't feel that to the same extent. So I felt, you know, I felt positive about that. How are the viewers feeling? What do we got on all that?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Viewers, listeners, do we call them viewers or listeners?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Whoa, you just blew my mind. Lauren Walker coming in with, that's some Zen shit right there. They are both. The Heisenberg principle of podcasting. What do we got?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Yes, it is. The narcissism of their leader can be used, I think, against him. There is still that feeling of wanting to be loved and important. And I think that can be used against him. But I would take issue with shaming, fact-checking, and what was the other one? Shaming, fact-checking?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And ridiculing. Ridiculing, probably so. But shaming... if they feel that the shaming is sustained, will not go away, has stamina and some semblance of public acceptance and appeal, I do think it'll be effective.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
As we saw, I think with the tariff war, like all it took was six hours of the Dow to have them go like, Oh yeah, let's just fucking save face and claim victory and we'll be done with this. So I, you know, I think we're in there. I think it can be done. But by the way, that's the least that can be done. What needs to be done is what we talked about earlier.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
All right.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And listen, who knows stale late night talk better than me, the man who invented it? This is your show. Check it out. It's fantastic. Tune in weekly at 10 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Everybody's live with John Mulaney, now playing only on Netflix. Hello, everybody. Welcome once again to the weekly show podcast. My name is Jon Stewart. I will be your host for the day. We are recording this.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It's an excellent question, Brittany. They're not playing it this year.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
That's right. Apparently what they've decided to do because of lack of interest is it's going to be a Kendrick Lamar concert. And they're just going to play Not Like Us 10 times.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Dre is just going to walk in and go, I see dead people. And they're just going to hit it 10 times over and over again. And then we're just going to see just – what Pepsi's going to do this year. And then we're all going to go home because from what I've heard is if the Eagles win, they will not be awarded the trophy because that just can't happen. That just, I want, here's what I want.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I want Saquon to have a really good game. I want him to be great. And I want the Eagles to lose. And that's just because they have to.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Now that, okay. So I thought we were friends. So I, months ago, I had made a bet on Jalen Brunson's podcast that he said if the Giants beat the Eagles in the regular season, that I had to come to Madison Square Garden in a Saquon Barkley Eagles jersey.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Now, for those of you at home and in this podcast who know anything about football, you are saying to yourself, that's the dumbest fucking bet I've ever heard in my life.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
That's awful. That's a terrible bet. In fact, Nate said to me, my son, Nate,
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
said to me he goes why would you bet that they they had they're they're like they were three and you knew they were gonna suck you knew the eagles were great you knew they added the best running back in the league like why would you ever accept that bet and i was like it was on stage he sprung it on me i didn't know what to do he goes why didn't you bet him that the giants would have a better draft pick than the something that you had or that they would score at all or that they right
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Get some points. Do a prop bet. Do something. So I lost. He called me out on it. And so this weekend was the weekend that I went with Nate in our Saquon Barkley Eagles jerseys. And I added an extra touch of humiliation, an Eagles bucket hat. in the hopes that I could maybe hide myself.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
When we were shown on the Jumbotron in Madison Square Garden on the big screen, I was booed in a way that New Yorkers, like, I feel like Bin Laden wouldn't have gotten booed like that. Like even in New York, like I got hit with a wave of boos
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
like i i think i shrunk maybe five we got to the point where nate as we're walking out just kept turning to people and going we don't like them it was a bad we don't actually like them we we paid it off man i for at one point he says to somebody i didn't want to he forced me
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Right. Because it does seem, and look, What we're seeing now is the execution of a plan that has been in development, I would imagine, for 60 years, maybe longer. It seems like there's three pivot points that the Republicans want to kind of redefine America's relationship with government. The first one's probably the biggest one, I would say, is the New Deal.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Oh, oh, if I had to pick a winner?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Brittany, I think the American – I think, to be honest, I do think the Eagles are going to win. I think they are. They've shown themselves to be a better, more balanced team this year. I know you never want to discount Mahomes and Andy Reid and Kelsey and their defense. And he does – Mahomes has better weapons now than he had at the beginning of the season, but –
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
it's hard to pick against the Eagles the way they're playing right now. I mean, they, brutal, brutal. We'll see. But what are the, how do they keep in touch with us? What are the socials? How do we?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Fantastic. My friends, always a pleasure to see you. As always, lead producer, Lauren Walker, producer, Brittany Mamedovic, video editor and engineer, Rob Vitolo, audio editor and engineer, Nicole Boyce, researcher and associate producer, Jillian Spear, executive producers, as always, Chris McShane and Katie Gray. Fantastic, man. Thanks very much. Join us again next week and we'll see you then.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Bye-bye. The weekly show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central podcast. It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
They've been kind of after that for quite some time. Do you see that as this initiative as part of a plan to redefine, to repeal the New Deal, to redefine the Civil Rights Act, to redefine the Immigration and Naturalization Act? Boy, they have a strategy. They got a book, Project 2025. They've been working on that with think tanks and everything else.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Are you seeing them executing it as a particular strategy? very pointed strategy?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Do you think, I always wonder if the idea for them is privatize, privatize, privatize. Their position is government can't do anything right. As though if we leave it to corporate interest, Well, they'll act on behalf of the American people because, you know, corporations are people and they're lovely and they're good neighbors. Is everything moving towards privatization?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
Is that their goal for all of these programs?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
I'll tell you that. So that feels like the nugget, the core of all of this. You know, if we're really looking back and we're thinking, you know, and we're hearing now the, you know, there's a new DNC chair and the Democrats are really going to reflect on what went wrong.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
But if I'm thinking about the difficulty with the Trump era is I think a lot of the diagnoses that he puts out there resonate with people. You know, government is not responsive to your needs. I think that really resonates with people because I think people do feel that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It is February 4th. It is a beautiful Tuesday. I'm going to say morning. It is sort of morning-ish. It is fucking freezing here. And the news is moving in a manner that I have not quite seen it move in quite some time. The deluge is very much that Maxell commercial where you're sitting on the chair and it's just blowing past you. I don't know.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And for all that the Democrats kind of talk about working people and all those different things, I think they've lost the thread in some ways, certainly in Washington, about tying government effort to the reality of people's lives. right? My experience down there has been that, that it's a really insulated place. It's overly lobbied. It's very hard to kind of understand.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
It's very hard to understand how these programs are addressing real value. It's sort of the money spent versus the value, the efficacy of it. But I'm surprised the Democrats don't have that book right? They don't, where is the Democrats project 2025? Is that underway? Everything you're saying feels right to me. The Democrats have to make this point. Where's the infrastructure to do that?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And who are the leaders taking charge of that effort? Because when I listened to, I believe his name is Ken Martin. Is that correct? The new DNC chair? That's right. That's right. He kept saying it's a messaging issue. As though, no, everything's going right, you just don't realize it yet. As opposed to, we've gotten away from New Deal values. Does that make sense to you?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
And I think it in some ways amplifies the thing I'm trying to get at, which is you just said it's a decades long march. Where have the Democrats been over those decades? Like if I'm living in an area of entrenched economic pain, right? And I've got a party saying, we've got to understand what you're going through and we've got to do something. At a certain point, those are just platitudes.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
You know, you've got Trump out there going, here's what I'm going to do. I'm going to deport these people. Trans people, they're the ones that are causing your problem. These people are going. Everything is specific and clear. pointed and planned, right? Where is that? Like what's the playbook to express in specifics the very thing you just said? For decades, this has been going on.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Confronting the Chaos with Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-NY)
where there's a disconnect between the pain of the people and the power and actions of the government.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
We need to find all these people falling off of cruise ships.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
What? Ozempic is going to end this entire thing. No one's going to fall off anymore.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
I am learning dynamics about this that I had no idea of.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
Well, the cruise ship then is the perfect vehicle for that because it's an all you can eat buffet for weeks and weeks.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
But to see Cory Booker up there, and again, forget about his verbal abilities because they are massive. The ability to stand and speak, even if you've got some preparation and even if you're just reading it off a list, my God, you could read War and Peace and it wouldn't take you that long.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
Okay. We're going to take a quick break. We shall be right back. We're back. I wonder too, if it's the type of situation where government is very high, because in some respects, have you ever seen those videos where an incredibly angry and frustrated traveler is just screaming at somebody who is manning the Southwest Airlines counter?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
And it's all about, and it's how dare you route these planes and don't you understand? And the person is just looking at them like, I don't know if you know this, but I have not designed. And in some respects, as you said earlier, these are individuals who are doing what they have been tasked to do through congressional action.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
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But rather than place the onus on what the Congress has put into place, It's this faceless, dark group of lazy, entitled, sucking off the teat of the taxpayer's largesse. And what it ultimately turns out to be is political appointees are more likely to be in that category than the people who are in the rank and file. Oh, yes.
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The inspector general will be on top of it in terms of tracking where that money went, et cetera, et cetera.
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When we used to have inspector general.
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inside the federal government than it was i mean they've made it explicitly legal i think trump one of trump's first orders of business was to say that you can bribe officials now the supreme court has made corruption unless you literally say i'm going to give you money for this exact action right it's not even considered corruption anymore
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I mean, I would say I think that's the strategy. What it appears to me to be is that they've got a much deeper plan about privatization and a sort of a, you know, do you ever remember, did you ever watch the show Peaky Blinders? And I brought this up before.
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For him to be able to oftentimes extemporaneously with I'm sure preparation, still be, forget about being even riveting, just coherent, but maybe the most impressive to me as an older man is the lack of urination. I mean, forget about booking ending it with powerful John Lewis anecdotes.
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It's a fantastic story of these, you know, Birmingham gangsters called the Peaky Blinders in 1920. Yes. But he's got a theory of power, Tommy Shelby, called big fuck small. And the whole idea of government is to create these systems of collective action that can somehow protect minority rights, can protect people that would normally just be at the whim of warlordism.
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And I think they have a theory of power that is much more futile and much more warlord. And what gets in the way of that? Somebody who will diligently study how objects float through water to help people. This is about patronage. It's about changing the way that we act together. It's a much more sinister plan than just pretending that you're going after waste.
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That's right. And creativity and innovation wouldn't be rewarded. It would be that kind of risk-taking. Look, it's similar to the idea, you know, when they talk about Musk, they say, this is the guy that's got to do it.
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But understand that his methodology is, and by the way, for an entrepreneur and an inventor and an innovator, it probably works, but you got to blow up a bunch of rockets before you find the rocket that does right. Well, if you're working for the government and it's a bunch of people that are falling off of things or you're protecting them,
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the ethos isn't a bunch of these people are gonna have to die until we figure it out or to get us to figure it out. It's actually the opposite.
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That's exactly right.
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What do you make of that then? Do they, within the bureaucracy, A, do they feel maligned? Is that something that you found from them? Do they get frustrated within – because the system is – look – it is built in a bit of a Rube Goldberg kind of a way in terms of there are so many checks on waste, fraud, and abuse. It's almost wasteful, fraudulent, and abusive.
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To go 24 hours awake, conscious, which means if you're conscious, look, I'm awakened from dead sleep by urination. Not obviously, I mean, by the urge. And then I go, I don't want to suggest to you that as an older man, I just lie in my bed and piss myself. That is, I'm sure it's coming, but it is not here yet. So just the part of your brain that goes, hey, hey, bladder.
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That part of the system.
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So do they reflect that to you?
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buddy and then you get up and you go but the idea that he could stand there as a conscious human for more than 24 hours because you're not allowed to urinate that's one of the you know there's all these rules you can't sit down uh you can't urinate i don't even know if he's allowed to have like space food i don't even know how they do any of that stuff but more importantly
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And the demonization occurs. What also happens is the expectation of the public for some reason is that government, there has to be perfection. We have the same thing in the criminal justice system. a system that demands anybody who's let out of jail must not recommit, even though the system does nothing to rehabilitate them.
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So we have a system that demands perfection, yet is unable to discern the difference between a real threat and a non-threat. So we're demanding something that is absolutely not possible to achieve.
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Yeah, yeah, please, please.
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Of demanding perfection.
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Well, I'm going to say my mother, but I think that's- There you go.
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Or the opposite, which is, mom, I'm trying as hard as I can. think i wanted a d come on so it's it's it's reciprocal okay it's both ways and this is a wasp jewish thing that's exactly right it goes it goes both ways quick break we'll be right back you And we're back. In fact, my favorite story about that with my mother is, this is a complete tangent and we'll get back to what we're talking about.
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Unfortunately, so she's 91 and she's doing great. Sharp as a tack. Couldn't be, you know, happier about that. But she did get pneumonia about a year ago and was knocked out on her ass. And this is a very strong person, but she unfortunately had to go to the hospital for about five days. Five days, IV drip of a ton of antibiotics.
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Don't think it was dioxalene, but it was whatever it was that they were throwing in there that I'm sure I'll have to thank Heather Stone for. But after five days, I go to get her to pick her up and she's lying out. She's got the oxygen tube and she's completely out of it. And I said, mom, mom, we're going home. I'm here to take you home. And she looks up and she opens her eyes.
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She looks at me and she goes, you look tired. I was just like, oh, it's so hard to, yep, yep, you got me. Meanwhile, I've been up for like five days straight while she's in there.
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I thought what he did was kind of a primal scream of alarm and not in a processed, reactive, shitty, let's all put on a play and hold up placards that have Musk lies on it. I thought he actually put some teeth behind it and I actually thought he put a great deal of thought
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Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
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into it and and i found it moving and uh and that's all i'll say about that and speaking of of moving and and you know in the way that right now government not the political side of it but the bureaucratic side of it the administrative side of it is being demonized Boy, this moment is ripe for somebody to give a more nuanced view of what's actually going on behind the scenes.
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Thank you. Thank you.
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And on this week's podcast, it couldn't be more timely and we couldn't be more fortunate. Our guest today, Michael Lewis. So ladies and gentlemen, I'm so delighted that our guest today can join us. I'm just an enormous fan of his work and I've spoken to him many times over the years.
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His books, too numerous to mention, Moneyball, The Big Short, all these fantastic storytelling yarns that are always on the cusp of exactly the cultural moment that's about to break. Editor and contributor to the New York Times bestselling collection, Who Is Government? The Untold Story of Public Service, Michael Lewis joins us. Michael! John, good to see you.
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Let me ask you a question about, and I think this maybe encapsulates
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a lot of what we're talking about last week on the podcast i'm talking to ezra klein and we're talking about sort of his he's he's written this book called abundance about maybe a new theory of democratic governance you know in terms of regulations getting in the way of us being able to build things abundantly and all that and so he walked me through this uh rural broadband project right it's been a disaster
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A disaster. Billions of dollars. There's a 14-point NOFO, which is a way for them to just even get started on doing it. It's a 14-point bureaucratic process that basically weeds out anybody who might possibly be interested in building rural broadband.
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It's honestly, I was saying to him, it's like if you were told to design a machine that would prevent people from getting rural broadband, this is somewhat of what it would... what it would look like, right? But it gets back to something you said earlier, which I thought was such an important nugget. The fact that we have an issue with rural broadband is a failure of the private markets.
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They're not interested because there's no money there because the distance of these people, it's like when we tried to get electricity to people or water to people, that's not a moneymaker, that's a utility, and it's something that has to get out there. The frustration is Here's this need that the private sector refuses to solve, right?
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The government has this responsibility to come in and lift all boats through the spreading. And they create a process that is the antithesis of fixing the process. And then there are all those people, humble, smart, hardworking, who are tasked with whatever it is that the government muckety mucks come up with, they'll execute and they're given the shit sandwich. Yes. And we all blame them.
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When they had nothing to do with it. So how do you As you look at these systems as the climate scientists that you are, how do we empower those people to help build these systems? Because I know they could do it. I know there's a ton of people within the government right now who could get rural broadband out there effectively and cost effectively and all these other things who are not allowed to.
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I may go down to Times Square today and see soldiers kissing nurses and see the people throwing their hats in the air. Three cheers. for Liberation Day. It's the day that we all remember where Jesus rose from the tomb and raised prices on Honda Civics by $2,000 a car. And I think we all remember how that goes. You know, this is prior to the announcement.
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Michael, how in God's name do you always find yourself on the precipice of the next cultural moment? The Doge crew comes in and they absolutely demonize and destroy the people who work in the bowels of the government, just as you come out with a collection of stories that you've contributed to that actually humanize these faceless bureaucrats. How did this idea arise?
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And they are being demonized for it.
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I was about to say, I've got some bad news for you.
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Because politics, the event horizon on politics is two years. And even within that, the electoral cycles are so often now. And the access to social media, the circadian rhythms of everything have sped up. There is no patience for that. Correct.
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We have not been as bubble vulnerable as maybe we have sometimes in the past.
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So it's sort of like, and then the data is politicized and then you don't, that's right. And then we have nothing. And isn't that kind of what they want?
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I'm going to say yes.
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But not with it. So he's a trust destroying machine for those who might look for more objective or data driven or things. But he engenders. Let me say this. He's a trust destroyer, but a faith creator. Yeah. People have a faith in him. Yeah. That is religious.
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And it's an interesting dichotomy if you think about, you might look at it and I might look at it as, is anybody seeing the emperor has no clothes? And they would look at it and go, nope, that's a beautiful fucking coat.
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Are you saying he's a pump and dump scheme? He's a meme coin.
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Well, ultimately that's why these, you know, populists, like the whole thing is there's sort of this misnotion that, you know, Mussolini, well, at least he made the trains run on time. But the truth is populists actually don't govern in a very good way. They just have to prosecute their scapegoat case until the point where it's, it's, it's sort of becomes absurd. That's right.
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And that's kind of where we are now end up. Let me ask you, because look, anytime something is,
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obtuse and you don't know what it is you can project onto it all of your anger disappointment or other things like with a government bureaucracy but the minute you start to humanize it and individualize it and start to realize a lot of the good that they're doing and the types of people that they are boy invaluable what this book is to me is especially in this moment
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You know, it's, you've pulled the curtain back in Oz and rather than it being a wizard, you're like, oh, those are just really smart engineers that are working. Oh, that's how they make. So that's how the yellow brick road got built.
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Did you anticipate this moment? Give me some backdrop on this.
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So it really was, they were looking for load bearing and they, and they discovered how, and then there was a guy who said, yes, someone had to build the yellow road and how to munchkins flow through currents and how, and where do we find them on the back end? So It's this incredible insight into this.
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And what we find is maybe, because how I always feel, and this is through a lot of sort of experience with the VA system or other things that we've worked on, is that the government sets up an adversarial position to its constituents for fear of being drained of resources, right? It's overly policed. And because of that, everything costs way more than it should and is overly complicated.
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There must be a way to reduce that aspect to see what it would be like if these talented people actually were given the opportunity to do their jobs in the way that they should. Because I think never forget the original premise statement that Michael said earlier, which is government exists to take care of the things private sector won't or can't.
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Someone's done that. I think we've all gone to places where that is not a miracle. That's right. And then when you come back, you think...
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Well, they're looking to get rid of that. I know. I know. Let me ask you, Michael, that brings up an interesting point because you say an existential crisis. You could say COVID was that crisis. There was a moment where it engendered a tremendous amount of trust.
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And then that not only ebbed, almost reversed. And in some ways, we're still dealing with the fallout of institutions that we felt like like the CDC, like the NIH, that we thought overstepped or were being overly critical of outside theories or weren't being honest about any of the negative effects of a vaccine or of a medication. You know, it actually, in that moment, lost trust.
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Well, as an old person, I object to that.
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Oh, when it was mostly younger people who were dying of influenza.
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And could there be a depoliticized commission that could do that anyway? I mean, at this point.
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Right. And isn't that what they say Trump is? They sort of say that because of all this inaction and politicization and bureaucratization, I alone can fix it and we alone will give you that rope. Right.
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I'm not saying it's real. I'm saying that's the populist demagogue mentality.
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I was just about to say that.
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that's something i've had trouble with grappling with for myself because i live in this area it was terrifying the velocity of death the refrigerator trucks people i knew in the health care industry who were i mean basically writing their wills as they went to work and the fear that gripped it
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and i think it was hard for me originally to get out of the headspace of how i felt in this moment to understand how people in other areas who are not feeling it right to that same level of terror might be viewing the remedies differently and it took me a long time to wrap my head around oh you know what they're not being
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callous they're just not experienced you know it's like how i would there's tornadoes ripping through oklahoma and i'm like oh that's tough but like i don't have you know what i mean like i don't have this is exactly right exactly right it's that was a hard lesson for me to learn yes and and to give grace to all those others who weren't experiencing in that way
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And also the mental gymnastics of, look, I remember when this was all happening in New York and when the doctors would get off their shifts and the firehouses would come out and with trucks and people would line up outside of hospitals in mass and applaud the doctors. And then six months later, they'd be out in front of the same hospital with a sign going, stop killing people with vaccines.
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What you must go through in your mind of like, wait, I was a hero who risked my life to go in there. They were clapping for me. And now I'm the enemy who's been withholding ivermectin suppositories just so I could kill people on purpose. And you're like, the mental gymnastics of that were, I'm sure, devastating.
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Right. What would you say is kind of the, you know, when we talk about kind of when you weaken an infrastructure and in some ways, you know, to bring it full circle, we're kind of now talking about the support systems on the ceilings of mines and on cathedrals. They don't collapse right away. No. But the more that you take away those load bearing operations. Right.
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it begins to list and i think in some ways we may not see the results of that for a long long time but it will be because of that and we may misdiagnose it because it's because the time horizon is not right next to it.
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Did you talk about any of that with the folks that do this work in the government? Because it came out before this really... you know, the operation to undercut it was, but do they fear the results of a future where these investments aren't being made or did they not, were they not talking about that?
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you can be sure that the right-wing narrative machine will spring up to tell a story that's a false story about how this had nothing to this that it was all the fault of in-app government workers as of or something but this is why that michael this is why you know you write a lot of books and this is another one of them but this is why the stories that you are telling in my mind are so crucial what you do so well is tell stories
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And stories is how we interpret the way that we move through life and the dynamics, and it's how we absorb it in a much more accessible way. You know, it's interesting. I think sometimes about what you and I both do. What you do is you go in and you try and illuminate the totality of the picture, right? To paint people three-dimensionally. Comedy is almost the opposite.
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We work in two dimensions almost exclusively. Without stereotypes, I'm not sure I have a career. Like, without reducing people to their, you know, most caricatured traits, how do I deal with a heckler? But... It's such an important thing to be out there because if those stories are told, they can be accessed and they can be used to fuel a more honest narrative about what's happening.
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And it's why I love the things that you write.
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People aren't evil. There's a few of them out there, malevolence. But most people, we're all just, we've got blind spots. We're ignorant of certain things. And any light that you bring to that brings us closer to a more honest accounting of like what you say.
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We may not have the solution, but boy, if you've got an honest accounting, then there's people like Chris Mark and there's other people out there who are smart enough to look at that accounting and create solutions that improve things as they move forward.
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yep totally agree well it's fantastic michael i this this time goes so quickly with you because uh i just i love hearing about your stories and i love uh the way that your mind is working and i really appreciate you uh taking the time i could do this all day but i know you've got to go back and clean your childhood bedroom yes because i'm sure you can't just stay in your house and not make that bed i'm gonna go put the posters back on the wall
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Get that Pink Floyd up there, baby. Dark side of the moon. Get that triangle up there. Michael, thanks so much for taking the time. Michael Lewis, he's got that new book, Who Is Government? It's a New York Times bestselling collection, the untold story of public service and obviously everything else that you do. Thanks so much.
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Michael Lewis, I feel badly because he's like the greatest dinner guest of all time. And I got him no food. I got him nothing. I just sat there and enjoyed all these stories. He's just such a wonderfully evocative, specific storyteller, but always with purpose. I just...
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Right. What if he did say that, though? If he came on, he's like, it's just these eight people. We scoured the entire government and we found eight people. 2.4 million. Luckily, the first one was... How fucking crazy is it? The first one is like I saw I went alphabetically and then he just comes up with this incredible individual. But I think it's right. Do you guys remember?
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I think Steve Hartman still does this. It's a thing where everybody's got a story and he stands by a map and he just throws a dart. And then he goes to the town and then he calls people up. He was doing this back when there were like phone booths and he would like open the yellow pages and call somebody up and whoever would agree to talk with him.
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And then he would sit with them and he would tease out always this incredibly moving, interesting story about this utterly random individual. And this book strikes me as kind of the hero's version of that.
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Interesting story. Ronald Reagan suffered from balamuthia for most of his life.
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He got it from the monkey that he was in the movie with. I think Bonzo had given him Balamuthia. But he did. I mean, the mining story.
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It's just like... But listen, it's incredibly efficient. If you don't have toilet paper, everybody's pulling a Cory Booker all day. Nobody's going to the bathroom. Nobody's doing anything.
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In the name of efficiency, that's the whole point of it. They're lying about what they're doing. There are improvements to be made in administration and all these other things, but this is not that. This is amputation. This is mutilation. This is none of the things that they purported to be. And the real question is going to be, what is the render time till disaster? Because it will come.
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I think what Michael was talking about is we don't know when it's going to come. We don't know when the roof is going to collapse, but it's gonna. And I'm assuming they think they're going to be.
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Well, what's bird flu going to do? It's only jumped to cats now. And who's got cats? What's there to worry about? Yeah, the whole thing is fucked. But yeah, I really enjoyed. I've enjoyed, you know, some episodes I don't enjoy as much. I can't really point to many.
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It was that, I think there was like a Harvard economist who was like, I was like, that guy's just a dick. Oh, yeah. But mostly I'm always fascinated. But this one in particular was just incredibly pleasurable. You guys are doing a great job. I got to say. I get to show up here around four pretty drunk.
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It's Liberation Day, baby.
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Libations for liberation. Any questions from the audience this week? Anything they want to?
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Oh, I mean, here's the thing. You can't... It all depends. So Severance is two seasons of, I think, 10 each. And I do think you want to keep it relatively tight because it's so dense. They do this show to such detail with so many interesting layers and things that were placed in the first season that pay off. So I would, if you got... What's like 20 episodes, 20 hours?
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I would say you got to do that over like a fortnight. So if you've got yourself a fortnight, I'd go Severance. Peaky Blinders, if you want to take a gap year, and roll through, I don't know how many years it was, but the only problem with Peaky Blinders is you will speak Shelby. You will speak Arthur Shelby.
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My wife was ready to throw me out of the house for how often I'd be like, that's right, that's right, that's y'all boy, that's y'all boy, mm-hmm. He's like a cross between the guy from Sling Blade and like a Cockney accent. So I drove people crazy with my Arthur Shelby impression for many years. But you can't go wrong.
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Oh, Peaky Blinders is doing a- Peaky Blinders movie.
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They're doing a movie. I can't wait. Such a good show.
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All right. That's mine. What else we got?
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Oh, let me tell you something. So here's what's worse. Using a torpedo bat for the tush push.
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I don't mind any of it. Listen, the whole idea of sports is the pitchers have a thing, so now we got to lower the mound. Everybody's always sacrosanct about like, but the bases have to be, you can't make them smaller. And you're like, it's a fucking, they're throwing a ball at each other and trying to hit it with a piece of wood. And you're like, but the piece of wood is...
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Like, I understand, make it fair, keep it on a thing. But there's always, people are always going to be, it's like, how fair is it that everybody's gotten bigger, stronger, and faster? You know, when I was a kid, I actually believed that I could play professional baseball because Bud Harrelson was the shortstop for the New York Mets and he was like 5'8 and 140 pounds and he didn't have to hit.
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And now you got guys like Derek Jeter's out there, like 6'4, Rodriguez, you know, come on.
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It makes what Jose Altuve does. I don't care how many trash cans you bang on to let you know what pitch is coming. If you're 5'6", and you're banging 30 home runs a year, you're a fucking winner in my book. I don't know what's going to happen to either one of those, but I don't have a problem with either.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
I always think that and I forget. It's like when I used to read the financial news and I'd be like, none of this makes sense. But if you asked me like on base percentage of a utility player for the Mets from 1984, I would have it for you like that. It is a different language and you forget not everybody certainly.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
Welcome to our country.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
Hit them with the socials, Brittany.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
Boom. And make sure to watch all my TikTok dances, which as always, go viral because they're awesome. Well, fantastic job again, guys. Boy, Michael Lewis, what a lovely dinner date that turned out to be.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
And as always, I want to thank lead producer, Lauren Walker, producer, Brittany Mamedovic, our video editor and engineer, Rob Vitola, audio editor and engineer, Nicole Boyce, researcher and associate producer extraordinaire, Jillian Speer, executive producers, Chris McShane, Katie Gray. Thank you guys so much. We will see you next week. Bye-bye.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
The weekly show with Jon Stewart is a Comedy Central podcast. It's produced by Paramount Audio and Busboy Productions.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
So God knows there may not, it may not be tariffs. It may be something else. The unpredictability of all this is probably part of what's driving all the attention to it, which is
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
They won't know where you are.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
Hello, everybody. Welcome to the weekly show podcast. My name is Jon Stewart. I will be your weekly show podcast host on this celebratory. We are taping this on Wednesday, April 2nd, as we all know it. Liberation Day. It is Liberation Day, ladies and gentlemen. I don't know how you traditionally celebrate with your families, but Liberation Day was always, always big.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
i would assume donald trump's uh whole plan because god knows the man likes nothing more than a bunch of people not knowing what he's going to do and hanging on his every word and oh he's just so important to all of us meanwhile corey booker i don't know if you guys look i'm not a big performative you know but
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
They were stand-up comedians. I mean, Sarah Vowell and Kamau Bell. I mean, incredible group.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
You were following your own, I'm interested in how Michael Lewis current, how he travels through, because you are, you drift into these areas, right? almost as if they have gravitational force but there is actually no you are following something that you are self-generating but it turns out there is a larger if you step back in the macro
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
there's a larger pattern and I can actually almost trace it through a lot of your books and it has to do with data and systems and analysis and how I feel like you're a climate scientist of
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
humanity in some respects none of them yeah my math teachers from high school would all disagree but it's not but it's a humanistic mapping yeah yeah and almost how it's translating behavior from data in all these different areas
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
I must say, I was quite taken with Cory Booker and especially the idea that he stood up there for 24 hours and broke Strom Thurmond's horrible filibuster record when Strom Thurmond, I guess it was in the late 50s, filibustered the Civil Rights Act because sure, why wouldn't you try and prevent that from ever happening?
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
And by the way, they exploit that lazy stereotype. I don't know if they do it consciously, but certainly their strategy is to do that.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
Not only are they, and by the way, in this bigotry, those characters are not caricatures. They're actually evil.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Who Is Government? Storytime with Michael Lewis
What they do is they portray this as these are evil forces working with purpose to subvert America. Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Couldn't be further than what it is.