Retired from “Daily Show,” Jon Stewart’s sharp commentary was missing during the election, but we as part of an effort to promote his new book, he sat down and had a thoughtful conversation with Charlie Rose and as always had compelling things to say. Stewart said the country hasn’t changed greatly since Trump was elected and his election is as much a reaction to Obama as it is to the republicans. While he “absolutely” believes the country has gone off track, he also says it’s good that conversations about racism and antisemitism are now out in the open. He also believes it’s unfair and inaccurate to paint all Trump supporters as racists and painting them as a monolith is just as misguided as conservatives judging Muslims with a sweeping brush.
Check out some of the more interesting quotes below:
“I don’t believe we are a fundamentally different country than we were two weeks ago.”
“The same country with all its grace and flaws, and volatility, and insecurity, and strength, and resilience exists today as existed two weeks ago. The same country that elected Donald Trump elected Barack Obama.”
“I feel badly for the people for whom this election will mean more uncertainty and insecurity, but I also feel like, this fight has never been easy.”
“[Mitch] McConnell and [Paul] Ryan, those guys are the swamp, and what they decided to do was, ‘I’m gonna make sure government doesn’t work and them I’m going to use its lack of working as evidence of it.'”
“Donald Trump is a reaction not just to Democrat but to Republicans. He’s not a Republican. He’s a repudiation of Republicans, but they will reap the benefit of his victory in all of their cynicism. I will guarantee Republicans will come to Jesus now about the power of government.”
“Nobody asked Donald Trump,’What makes America great?”
“I would rather have this conversation openly and honestly than in dog whistles. You know, somebody was saying, ‘There might be an anti-Semite that’s working in the White House,’ and I was like, have you listened to the Nixon tapes? Forget about advising the president, the president.”
“I thought Donald Trump disqualified himself at numerous points. But there is now this idea that anyone who voted for him has to be defined by the worst of his rhetoric. Like There are guys in my neighborhood that I love, that I respect, that I think have incredible qualities, who not afraid of Mexicans, and not afraid of Muslims, and not afraid of blacks. They’re afraid of their insurance premiums. In the liberal community, you hate this idea of creating people as a monolith. Don’t look as Muslims as a monolith. They are the individuals and it would be ignorance. But everybody who voted for Trump is a monolith, is a racist. That hypocrisy is also real in our country.”
“In the liberal community you hate this idea of painting everyone as a monolith. Don’t look at Muslims as a monolith. They’re individuals and it would be ignorance. But everybody who voted for Trump is a monolith, is a racist. That hypocrisy is also real in our country.”
