Jon Stewart Examines Biden’s Future Amidst Calls For Him to Drop Out | A.J. Jacobs

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This is the daily show with your home. So steep howl to the shop. My name is John Stewart and we are.

Fuck baby.

I want to turn very quickly.

I mentioned a very quick congrab relations to England and France, who held their elections to great success. We would talk about them tonight, but we're in America. So last week we did a live show after the debate. Uh wait, wait, where where did we Where did we leave off?

This cannot be real life. It just can't. We're America. God ah yes, anger and despair.

By the way, for those who at home, the scripts are printed on kevlar, which is why I had trouble.

It's no way weak fingers. Now, since the debate, it's been quite interesting.

Actually, many Democrats have expressed concern that the president has a hard time expressing thoughts. And then there is this other camp who thinks that those people should.

Shut the fuck up, stop this whining, stop the complaining, stop trying to be the cool cynical.

Kids, but not want to be in a fox foul with any of the people who you know, we're clutching their pearls all the side.

And curls clutching and handwringing.

Were bed wedding and soaking all the way through the mattress.

We panic and piss our pants.

First of all, I'm not sure incontinence is the metaphor you want to go at.

And second of.

All, when are we going to free Senator Fetterman from the Turkish prison?

He's been held there. That's I don't know, kiss his hands.

But to those of you who say these concerns are simple pearl wedding and bed clutching, we all make mistakes, I thought I would take a moment to explain where the concern about Biden's performance might be coming from, why these concerns may be seen as a more foundational issue. You see, even before the debate there had been some troubling moments of disconnect from the president.

You know, perhaps this chart.

Could if I may, sorry, the pen caps are made of kevlar, very difficult too. Perhaps this chart will illustrate and illuminate the point more clearly. For instance, in twenty twenty two, when we saw Biden give a shout out to representative.

Jackie representative Jackie. You here, where's Jackie? I think she was want to be here. Unfortunately, Jackie was dead.

It's something that the President seemed to have known six weeks earlier when he released a condolence statement about her death.

So huh.

Then there was the recounting of a recent conversation that the President had had with his counterpart, the president of France.

And later on from Chermany, I mean from France looked at me and said.

I said, you know.

How long a you back for?

Unfortunately mitterand is also dead for longer even than that first lady.

So huh.

And even on teleprompter things continue to huh, like the reading of the instructions people sometimes add to teleprompter scripts.

The percentage of women who registered to vote and cast a ballot.

Is consistently higher than the percentage of the men who do so.

End of quote, repeating.

At the travel school I.

Went to was a guy named Riley last.

Name four more years Paul. Oh.

Then, of course, to be fair state of the Union concern dropped a little bit of the state of the Union.

He kind of nailed it. But then the debate happened and we kind of what the what is what now?

To my mind, the debate was a shocking display of cognitive difficulty, recognizable to unfortunately anybody who's dealt with aging parents.

And it's a hard watch.

But there were many viewers who felt it was not as noteworthy as Biden's opponent in the debate.

It's pretty amazing that, you know, ninety percent of the conversation is around Joe Biden's style went up on that stage.

Donald Trump was engaged in a level of pathological lyning that we've never seen. Shouldn't the discussions also be about Trump's fitness to serve. Every time he opened his mouth he said so thing insane or that was a lie. Why aren't there calls for Trump to drop out?

Where are they? Yeah?

Why doesn't anyone ever speak out about Donald Trump?

Or let's say, every night for ten years?

But you know what their party?

I take your corner, not me, because I won't hear about other people. Fair point. And let's take a look at Trump's chart.

Doll bad, dond things bad.

It's been bad. He started to grab him busy. I mean that what you're gonna know?

The whole thing's been bad.

The whole thing. The difference is that. I will tell you the difference. I will tell you the difference.

The difference is Trump delivered at the debate to expectation. We expect him to be crazy, but Biden's performance and inability to articulate at times was stunning, Like I could not believe what I was watching.

Just thinking about it again just makes me want.

To rip up my.

Why do we make this out of such strong material? But then it got worse.

Rather than respecting the American people and having an honest, at least partial conversation about what we had all seen, we were told immediately, these are not the droids you're looking for.

He has a stutter, he hasn't debated in four years.

He was almost over prepared. He had an off night.

People haven't off dight.

You know the president traveled six time zones forward to G seven, and he was also continued to do his presidential duties.

And also he had a cold.

He was jet lagged.

He'd been home for almost two weeks. He was jet lagged. How big is that fing jet?

The point is, for a campaign based on honesty and decency, the spin about the debate appears to be blatant bullshit, and the Redemption tour hasn't gone that much better.

Whether it's been on the radio.

I'm proud to be as I said the first vice president, Persian, black woman, black.

President, yes, queen.

Or whoever, or whether the President is on prompter and fired up.

Let me say as clear as I can, I'm staying in the race.

I'll beat Donald Trump.

I will beat him again at twenty twenty.

I gotta tell you.

Somehow, confusion with confidence is even more unsettlinged or when the President sat down with George Stephanopolis to prove once and for all how cogent he is and to fill a bronzer ad orange man good.

None of this was reassuring.

And we're told that the threat of Trump is so great and the stakes are so high that even bringing up these absolutely legitimate concerns about the President's ability to do the most vigorous job in the world for the next four years is enabling fascism. Yet even the President doesn't seem particularly alarmed. If you stay in and Trump is elected and everything you're warning about.

Comes to pass, how will you feel in January?

I feel, as long as I gave it my all and I did the goodest job as I know I can do.

That's what this is about. What this is.

There are no participation trophies in endgame democracy. I remember FDR saying, well, if the Nazis take over Europe, at least both teams had fun. And it's really troubling as this new information has been introduced. We just learned about this, and now we're all being told, well, you should have thought of that before you knew it. We can't go against the will of the voters Democrats who voted in all fifty states in the primary, that is who they want to be their nominee.

He's the nominee because millions and millions of people voted for him to be our nominee.

And he will be our nominee. End of story. There was no real primary. Biden ran against Dean Phillips. That's not even a real person.

That's a stock photo on the package for a garden hall.

It's not a person. AI.

And let me say this, authoritarianism and Donald Trump aren't the only threats our democracy faces, and arthritic status quo unable or unwilling to respond in any way to the concerns of voters who just received new and urgent information about their candidate also erodes confidence and faith in the system of government.

Get on board or shut the up? It's not it's not.

Honestly though, get on board or shut the f up is not a particularly compelling pro democracy bumper sticker, nor is money than.

A do I've gotten a lot of texts today from folks who watched a lot of West Wing episodes and imagine a very complex path through which we might have a robust primary process.

But Wolf, you know the reality.

There's four months left to the presidential election.

Months is fourth ever Britain.

Britain just held an election in two months.

France had two in one month, defeated fascism.

And still had time to have an affair with Denmark. Are you telling me, you sons of bitches?

Are you coming to my house and saying to my face that the United States or Bruce springs Stein's America can't hold an election better than a French Is that what you della?

May a fo months? Months? It's one hundred and nineteen days.

There are contestants on The Bachelor who haven't even met yet that will get married and divorced between now.

And the election.

We have nothing but kind and By the way, I am in no way saying Biden's got to drop out, But can't we stress test this candidacy?

Can't we open up the conversation? Do you understand the opportunity here? Do you have any idea how thirsty Americans are for any hint of inspiration or leadership and a release from this choice of a megalomaniac and a suffocating gerontocracy.

It is trusting apart.

Do you have any idea what could be ahead of you? All we want is for someone to keep it one hundred the percentage, not the age.

That's all we want. Here's an idea. I'll spitball it.

It's last minute, but why don't we try and get all the Democrats together in I don't know six weeks time. We could get everybody to fly into some Midwestern town, maybe like one adjacent to important swing states. Let's call it Chicago, and they could spend I don't know four days there because nobody works Fridays anymore, and on Monday, anybody who wants to gives their sales pitch of how they can make democracy more responsive to the people it

Round and then face Biden. They could face Biden Biden had to buy.

Wednesday would be an off day bus tour to find the restaurant from the bear. Thursday, the party emerges, energized, unified, sanctified.

You could televise the entire proceeding for four days. You could call it. I don't know the apprentice. I'm just workshopping here.

So feel free to ignore any obvious weaknesses in your team's existential fight for freedom and democracy and then just white knuckle this thing till November, or take the advice of your own candidate.

Well, do you think there are any devastrap it was a beat all other.

Than you.

Should. I gotta say I like the cut of that fella's jib. When we go back more on the election, stay tuned. Where about the Hai show?

Now, We've always been talking about the big news from the debate, Joe Biden's recent campaign to stay in the campaign, and uh turns out Biden's got a pretty high bar for dropping out. If you can be convinced that you can knock defeed Donald Trump while you stand down, the friends of the Lord Almighty comes out themselves might do bad. If the Lord Almighty comes down, he might do that. From where we go to biden headquarters with Desi Leidik.

Does he? Oh? Does he?

So?

Obviously the story is dominating the new cycle. Does what's the latest?

Well, John, like a pressure cooker turned on, the pressure is on. Biden told George Stephanopolis that unless the Lord Almighty himself comes down, he's not getting out of the race. And you'll never believe this, but I have a very special someone right here.

Wow, it's oh oh oh ah, that's oh boy, it's me John.

I am the lorde Bug God, Bread of the Universe, co star the Sistine Chapel, author of the New York bestseller The Bible, and I'm a methist for the President. As Corinthian says, to everything, there is a season turned death.

And Jordan or Gandalf or whoever you are, I see what you guys are doing.

No, No, Biden is not going.

To fall for this. Have you seen him lately?

I mean there's a there's a decent chance, John, but maybe Biden's more of a New Testament guy son.

Oh Jesus Christ, Yes, unbelievable, Yes it is I Jesus christ, Son of God.

Freelance Carpenter, co author of the New York Times bestseller The Bible, and I too, am worried that the this Biden campaign cannot be resurrected.

I would know. Remember that cost up clearly you're you're not Jesus. So was it?

Was it too classic looking?

It wasn't woken up. Don't worry. We got you covered. You got your cover, You got your covered.

Yeah, it is I black Jesus.

I'm black white Jesus, except I drive my donkey like this. And I too have a message for Joe Biden. Give me a beat.

Oh gosh, forget it.

No one is gonna believe either of you were Jesus. So we're not doing this. Wow, not believing in Jesus.

We got a John.

You're Jewish. Couldn't handle the bars, John, No, that's not it, John, John, John.

If I may chang Ronnie Chan, perhaps perhaps Joe Western Gotha unable to provide the answers the Biden needs.

So you are.

Buddha, Buddha, Buddha, I'm the source of all Instagram wisdom, live, laugh, love.

That was that was me kind of.

I could be mistaken here. But isn't Buddha traditionally a little more naked, little bigger.

Now that's a common misconception. Okay, that's laughing Buddha. I'm ozembic Buddha.

I reached the light of Murn and my way gold.

Anyway, I agree with God and those buddy called Jesus is okay. If Biden needs a message from the Almighty, one of these gods has got to break through.

Did someone say God Thor nor Scott of Lightning, son of Odeon, king of Osgard.

And I'm that raccoon who hangs out with Thor sometimes or maybe that's that's not sorry, I watched it on a plane. I don't whoever Biden will listen to.

That's me, Grace and Troy.

If Biden isn't going to listen to the leaf of weapon Jesus is, he's not gonna listen. He's not gonna listen to to Marvel character. Doesn't Thor have a giant hammer?

Oh this isn't part of the costume. I'm just a lesbian. Come deeper out of sale.

Our point is simple, Joe Biden. Sometimes you gotta just let it go. Things run out of steam. Take it from us the Marvel cinematic universe.

Up and grace, cool and share everybody when we come back. Hey, j Jacobshill be joining me. Don't go well, what.

About to tell us?

Oh my guest tonight A journalist had an author. His latest book.

Is called The Year of Living Constitutionally, One man's humble quest to follow the Constitution's original meeting is working the program?

AJ Jacobs Certain you want to run up to see thank you Year Living Constitutionally? Agent? What 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?

Well, first of all, thank you and goodmorrow?

Of course, is that a constitutional beating?

Absolutely?

All right?

And this came about because I wanted to figure out what is in the Constitution, what does it actually say? And I thought it was a timely question because, as you know, our current Supreme Court thinks we should follow the original meaning from nineteen eighty.

Now, I haven't been watching the news, there is anything going on.

I recommend it.

What a terrible thing.

Yeah, So I thought I'm going to try to figure out what that was by getting in the mindset of our Founding Father.

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 deified them to a large extent. But when you learn about them, do you think.

Like, oh, a couple of these guys might be idiots? Like what was the thought?

Well, yes, the Constitution is amazing because parts of it are so inspiring. The preamble fifty two of the greatest words ever written about the general welfare and blessings of liberty. But then there are it is a flawed document. There are actual misspellings in the Constitution. The word Pennsylvania is spelled two different ways p e m n and pe n,

With the grammarly mistakes.

Did you correct it or did you think, oh that one, no, let's pass that one to it. How did you did you dismiss the grammarly questions?

Well, I couldn't go in and change it on the.

Actual document spells Pennsylvania two different ways, right.

And it's and the its as actually should be an it apostrophe s So if Ben Franklin had invented social media, they would have gotten a lot of flak for that. Brilliant but so it is uh and they knew it was flawed. That's what's amazing. The founding fathers knew this is a flawed document, and they said.

Would they be surprised at how we've defied them?

I think so. I think many of them.

Would be now 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, 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. I don't think they thought parties would try and weaponize each department against you.

They did not see this rigid two party system coming. And James Madison he knew they were going to be factions, but he thought there were going to be lots of factions like they're greg and maybe six or eight look more like a European parliament. And they would have been shocked by so much of what we have now, including the president. I bring that up because it's kind of timely, and.

They they were very understated in the seventeen arts. It is somewhat timely.

Well.

They when the idea of a single presidency came up in the convention, a lot of the delegates said, are you jesting?

That is a terrible idea.

Wait, they said, are you jesting?

I'm paraphrasing, I'm paraphrasing.

Are you jesting?

But they said, we just fought a war to get rid of a king, why do we want another. One of them said, this is the fetus of monarchy. If we do this, we should have three presidents, twelve presidents, and.

Almost like the court, that the president and the court would be similar. Not a unitary executive, not a single person.

Right, And in the end it was fought for weeks. In the end, the unitary executive one. But I have to say that of monarchy common I mean, it's not a fetus anymore. It's like a teenager.

Right.

It is like we are two hundred and some years later. Right.

It took a while, but it's here.

What what do we mistake about them? You know?

Now, do you watch the arguments that you see about the founder's intent differently, do you does it make you a little crazier knowing what the actual arguments were?

Oh?

Absolutely, I mean it was.

Their mindset was so different in so many ways. It was like a foreign country. And just to give you one example, their idea of rights were very different. Rights were not trump cards, sorry about the right, but they were they.

There were responsibilities with them, they exactly.

They had they should have had a bill of responsibilities in addition to a bill of rights. But they just assumed that we were all going to be part of and contribute to the betterment of our community. And uh, and you saw this all over in the First Amendment, the Second Amendment. And they would be shocked by they would be shocked by how focused we are on individual rights, which I love, I love them, but we need the balance.

Right and that we've in some ways exploited those conversations to just get what we want or do what we want.

Right exactly. And they talked about virtue. They loved that word. And this is before it had sort of a negative take.

How many of them do you think banged porn stars?

How many of them when they talk about virtue?

Well, I talked to many constitutional scholars never, none of them hasn't said that.

But 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. But I imagine their conversations were very frank and very direct, but also sophisticated.

Absolutely, I think it was a genuine difference. I wrote this book a lot of it with a quill pen. And I'm not saying everyone needs to go back to a quill pen, wrote.

You wrote the book with a quill pen.

Yeah, because I was trying to live the Constitution. I had my musket. I carried it around New York.

I wrote a quill the quill pen.

There's out of curiosity. Do you consider yourself a method writer? Is that what this aspens?

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 that is more deliberately and allows you to think different?

I really believe that there were no dings and chimes from the Internet. I could actually focus and maybe come up with some subtle thoughts.

And I can.

If the Constitution were written on a the iPhone with emojis, that would not be good.

Can you imagine that, you know, all men are created equal? Lol, it would have been a nightmare.

Nightm They loved cold takes, not hot takes.

They all about let's take a look at the frozen cons And one of my favorite founding father, Ben Franklin said at the Constitutional Convention, he said, the older I get, the less certain I am of my own opinions, which I love.

I mean exactly.

And they even they baked it into the cake. As far as they really thought amendments will be necessary. This has to be a document that can change with the consent of the government.

Exactly.

They knew it was imperfect. They said, let's figure out ways to change it. But as you say, they didn't see this rigid two party system. Now, the last amendment we had was nineteen ninety two, and I mean you had to get two thirds of Congress to agree. You can't get two thirds of Congress to agree on the color of green pepper. You know, you just can't it's impossible.

Yeah, because they are reddish.

That's a good point.

Thank you very much for the year of Living Constitutionally.

Is available now, Hey, good jojob, great.

Ten.

What comes over tonight? Dead right, Jordan Pepper. They'll be hosting the rest of the week where it is the Mobile Day.

The forty sixth President of the United States and presumptive Democratic nominee Joe Biden calling in to Morning Joe right now, Good morning, sir.

Hey Mikon, I'm more of a presumable.

I'm going to be a Democratic nomine.

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