The Daily Show: Ears Edition
Jon Stewart Slams CNN’s “Bombshell” Biden Book Promo Amidst Cancer Diagnosis | Patrick McGee
Tue, 20 May 2025
Jon Stewart critiques the media spin on Joe Biden’s cancer diagnosis, from CNN's shameless promotion of Jake Tapper’s book to Fox News’s "but"-tainted sympathies. Award-winning journalist Patrick McGee joins Jon to discuss how Apple built China in his new book "Apple in China: The Capture of the World's Greatest Company." They talk about Apple “sleepwalking” into this crisis, building a competitive market in Xi Jinping's authoritarian state, the vocational training that boosted rivals, how Trump’s attempted Apple boycott backfired, and whether investments may be facilitating the annexation of Taiwan.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Chapter 1: What is Jon Stewart's take on the media's treatment of Biden's health?
Don't news people have to tell you what they know when they find it out? Isn't that the difference between news and a secret? You won't believe what we found out. No, that's why I'm watching. Breaking news! Now, I don't know how the rest of the country is feeling about this book coming out, but I know New York is hyped.
New York City, baby! The city! The city that never stops reading.
That's our motto. Our motto is... I'm kidding, of course. That is footage from the reopening of the Frick Museum. By the way, it is New York, so you know the real name of the museum is the F*** Collection. They just put it up there like, hey, the frigging collection? What are we doing here? So what is this bombshell book about?
A new book is outlining new claims about former President Biden's physical and mental health. The book, Original Sin, claims Biden's health had become so severe that there were internal discussions about putting the president in a wheelchair.
He allegedly was napping during debate preparations.
Another bombshell. Former President Biden apparently forgot the name of his longtime aide, Jake Sullivan, and called him Steve.
My God!
To be fair, when you forget a white guy's name, to be fair, and I say this with respect to the bombshell, Steve is not a bad guess. I think even Jake Sullivan at some point was like, is my name Steve? Because when I look in the mirror, I could be a Steve. Or Scott, maybe a Craig. The point is, the American news media were hungry for more. A new Biden bombshell. Dropping bombshell allegations.
A steady drip of new revelations. Damning claims. Damaging new details.
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Chapter 2: What new claims does the book 'Original Sin' make about Biden?
It's so hard. It's such a difficult time. So unfathomable in terms of the pain this family must be feeling. And yet, if you act now... And... You use the code backslash... Tap that book, you will... Obviously, this 20% off offer is not available for some reason in Tennessee.
But the point is, forgetting about the fact how f***ing weird it is that the news is selling you a book about news they should have told you was news a year ago for free. It's just fun. IT'S JUST FUN TO WATCH THEM NOT ONLY CONTINUE TO PUSH THE BOOK IN LIGHT OF THIS DIFFICULT NEWS, BUT TO ACTUALLY FRAME THIS DIFFICULT NEWS AS PERHAPS EVEN MORE OF A REASON TO BUY THIS BOOK.
THE TIMING OF FORMER PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN'S CANCER DIAGNOSIS IS CERTAINLY DRAMATIC, COMING ON THE EVE OF A BLOCKBUSTER NEW BOOK ABOUT HIS HEALTH AND HIS TIME IN THE WHITE HOUSE. GO ON. I'M SURE SOME OBSERVERS WILL SAY THAT THE REPORTING IN THE BOOK IS EVEN MORE IMPORTANT NOW.
No observers will say it's more important now. Some observers might think, do these CNN people work on commission? Like, why are they hawking these things?
Is this a Girl Scout cookie situation? Whoever sells the most TAPA books gets a schwin.
Now, that is not necessarily the model they will get. I don't want to disincentivize people from working hard, obviously. I don't go through all the graphics before the show. While CNN had to shift from somber and caring to always be closing, Fox and the rest of the right-wing media had a very different problem. How to shift from let's go, Brandon, to... Get well, Brandon.
And then as quickly as possible back to, let's go, Brandon. Watch them work their magic and see how much weight the word butt carries.
It's a terrible thing for him and his family, so I hope he beats it. But look.
I hope he beats it, but not too fast? You want to enjoy this? But what?
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Chapter 3: How has media coverage of Biden's health changed amidst his cancer diagnosis?
That is not fair. That is not fair to do.
That is, I don't know if that was like a green screen thing, but whatever's happening here, I imagine if I had a nodule on my prostate, this is what it might look like. It's a little bit... Why would you get the worst possible haircut for your head shape? Why would you do that? My head is long and thin. Amplify that. Looks like I have a kosher hot dog asked for a Hitler Youth haircut.
Respectfully. Yes, right wing media deftly pivoted from concern to accusation. But perhaps the most shocking response of all was from the commander in chief himself.
President Trump posted, Melania and I are saddened to hear about Joe Biden's recent medical diagnosis. We extend our warmest and best wishes to Jill and the family, and we wish Joe a fast and successful recovery.
That's it? No exclamation points, no all caps? No insults. Whole thing spelled correctly. It's really got all the telltale signs of a post definitely written by Donald Trump. I'm looking at this post. I swear to God. On True Social. I wonder when they sell this post, True Social sent him a security alert. They just sent him a quick message. We noticed some suspicious humanity. on your account.
If this was, in fact, you, President Trump, please reply, Nancy Pelosi's husband is gay. Just reply that. THAT TRUMP RESPONDED TO BIDEN'S DIAGNOSIS WITH THE MOST PRO FORMA BEAR MINIMUM CHAT GPT STATEMENT WAS SO ASTONISHING EVEN THE CORRUPT LAMESTREAM MEDIA GAVE TRUMP HIS PROPS.
This is a very traditional comment in this moment from President Trump to former President Biden. I mean, it's a very human, very traditional response from President Trump.
I was very, very pleased to see President Trump putting forward such a kind statement. I will note, as an ardent Democrat, it's really important that I speak up and thank President Trump for his gracious statement.
Couple of things. It is not important. that you speak up at all. As a Democrat, as anything, it is not important. What he did was not noteworthy and important. Has any president, has any person ever had a lower bar to clear than, I have to salute the president, I... I have to salute the president.
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Chapter 4: What insights does Patrick McGee provide about Apple's influence in China?
So I'm so glad you mentioned this. It's such ludicrous nonsense, OK? It has to be. The press release that says that we're going to spend $500 billion in the U.S. literally says, and we'll create 20,000 jobs. Like, how bad would a government program be if it spent $500 billion and all it got was 20,000 jobs? Right. Right. It makes no sense. If it were true...
If it were true, then you would have factories springing up in every state you could think of with jobs for engineers here, there, and everywhere. This is only my educated guess, but I can't think of how the math adds up anywhere else. They are counting in the $500 billion share buybacks and dividends. Because Apple spends more than $100 billion a year on share buybacks.
70% of their investors are in America. Ipso facto, that's kind of an investment in America, right? So that's the only way that the math works for me.
And because we are now living through an announcement presidency, because that really is what we are living through. This presidency is the mission accomplished presidency. It's just a dude on a destroyer with a giant banner behind him that says mission accomplished, even though it has no f***.
basis in reality yeah and and that's how we get things done and so this idea of like 15 trillion dollars in investment coming back to america you're like where yeah how but what's so despicable about the entire thing is we could have done all this here all of it oh no i'd actually disagree okay we were so close to being best friends
What is happening? So China has things we'll never compete with, like density of population. Yes. And the way that the rural population sort of is actually not allowed to raise their children in places like Shenzhen. So they have to be floating around.
We can do that here.
So like I'm a big fan of friend shoring rather than reshoring. Right. We should be doing what we did in China, but with allied nations like India, like Mexico. But it's probably not going to happen in Pittsburgh.
But we have to also build up those ancillary businesses. By allowing this, we really did hollow ourselves out.
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Chapter 5: How is Apple's investment in China compared to U.S. government spending?
Chapter 6: What are the implications of Apple's manufacturing practices in China?
You'd be like, no, thanks.
I'm sorry. You were saying something about something, but I don't remember what that was. The book is phenomenal. Thank you. Truly, like, jaw-dropping and, like, generally true.
Thank you so much for being here. Apple and China, available now. Patrick McGee. That is our show.
But before we go, we're going to check in with your host for the rest of the week, Ronnie Chang. Ronnie, what's happening, my man? Hey.
Thanks, John. I'm hosting a daily show this week, and I have no idea what the hell Jordan Klepper is doing here.
Well, I don't want to interrupt your week, but my new special is airing tonight right after The Daily Show. So...
Oh, a new special. Oh, let me guess. It's called something like MAGA The Next Generation.
Yeah, that's exactly what it's called. Oh, yeah?
Oh, yeah. And I bet you're talking to, like, young Trump voters about the future of America or whatever again.
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