Jon Stewart appeared horrified after watching Joe Biden debate Donald Trump Thursday, arguing both candidates should be on performance-enhancing drugs.
Stewart, often held up as one of liberal America’s most trusted satirists, hosted a live episode of The Daily Show following the first debate.
He had criticism for both Trump – saying ‘everything he just said was a lie’ – and CNN – calling their debate rules ‘dumb***’ – and the entire hype machine ahead of the contest.
However, Stewart could not defend Biden’s glitching, painful performance, where the 46th president often appeared weak and raspy.
In fact, Biden’s showing had Stewart commenting that he had ‘resting 25th amendment face,’ referring to the part of the Constitution which deals with presidential succession and disabilities.
Jon Stewart appeared horrified after watching Joe Biden debate Donald Trump Thursday, arguing both candidates should be on performance-enhancing drugs
The comic began by mocking the setup for the debate and CNN’s ceaseless promotion of the entire show.
He then bemoaned the standards for the debate, which he whittled down to Trump having to ‘appear normal’ and Biden having to ‘remain upright’ and not have a ‘senior moment’.
Upon seeing clips of both men enter the stage, Stewart immediately appeared dismayed and cracked that he needed ‘to call a real estate agent in New Zealand.’
Stewart then showed clips of Biden’s early debate struggles, in which Biden seemed to confuse saving Medicare with beating it.
‘I’m sure it’s not something that was repeated throughout the debate that caused Democrats to jump out windows or vomit silently,’ he joked.
He hammered Biden again, snarking that: ‘Anyone can f*** up… talking.’
The show then played a series of clips of Biden’s faces when reacting to Trump which only set off Stewart further.
‘Not great! But uh… a lot of people having resting 25th amendment face,’ he joked.
Biden’s showing had Stewart commenting that he had ‘resting 25th amendment face,’ referring to the part of the Constitution which deals with presidential succession and disabilities
Stewart had criticism for both Trump – saying ‘everything he just said was a lie’
‘I’m not a political expert but while Biden was preparing at Camp David for a week, did anyone mention that Biden will also be on camera?’
He then slammed Biden for failing to properly attack Trump on abortion, where the president gave a muddled answer that set up Trump to attack him on immigration, which made it appear like Trump was set to take back the White House.
‘So how do we do this now? Do I take my car back to the White House tonight?’
Stewart then played several clips of Trump during the debate, when he turned his ire to the Republican nominee.
‘He does not appear to have passed the a*****e test,’ he said, adding that ‘everything that Donald Trump said in that clip is a lie.’
The comedian, 61, then turned to CNN’s unusual rules for the debate, which included no audience, severe time limits and refusing to stick with interesting issues, in his opinion.
‘Who came up with these dumb*** f***ing rules and why would any of these people agree to them?’
Stewart then turned back to Biden, whom he said proved the MAGA conspiracy about being on drugs to energize him ‘was nonsense’ by appearing so sleepy on stage.
Stewart said Biden proved the MAGA conspiracy about being on drugs to energize him ‘was nonsense’ by appearing so sleepy on stage
President Joe Biden, second right, and first lady Jill Biden, right, greet CNN event moderators Dana Bash, from left, and Jake Tapper. Stewart trashed the CNN rules for the debate
He summed it up by comparing how both Biden and Trump came off and said both should be on something.
‘Let me just say, after watching tonight’s debate, both of these men should be using performance-enhancing drugs. I’m sorry, both. As much of it as they can get, as many times a day as their bodies will allow,’ he said, to a long applause break.
‘If performance-enhancing drugs will improve their lucidity, their ability to solve problems, and in one of the candidates’ cases, improve their truthfulness, morality, and malignant narcissism, then suppository away,’ he added.
He said if they couldn’t come up with performance-enhancing drugs for the candidates, ‘I could sure f***ing use some recreational ones right now.’
‘This cannot be real life. It just can’t,’ he concluded.
Stewart has suggested neither man should be running for president since returning to a once-a-week hosting role at The Daily Show in January.
The Democratic party has been thrown into a full-blown panic about the 2024 general election by a disastrous debate performance from a meandering and mumbling Biden.
Behind the scenes there are calls to replace the 81-year-old president on the ticket after his dismal showing against Trump on Thursday night where he lost his train of thought and stumbled over his words multiple times.
President Joe Biden participates in the CNN presidential debate
US President Joe Biden and former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump participate in the first presidential debate of the 2024 elections
Immediately after taking the stage, Biden’s voice was hoarse and he repeatedly cleared his throat, and he continued to go down hill during the 90-minute primetime face-off on CNN.
At times, the president looked blankly into the camera or down at his notes while Trump was speaking.
Biden also struggled at times to finish his sentences or complete a talking point before trying to move on.
CNN moderators Jake Tapper and Dana Bash repeatedly reminded him to use the rest of his time, when he cut his answers and responses to Trump short.