Sirius XM radio host Howard Stern suggested Monday that former Daily Show host Jon Stewart would be an ideal candidate for the presidency.
Stern is one of America's most famous radio personalities, with a decade-spanning career of shock jock humor and interviews with guests such as Donald Trump before his rise to the presidency. Stern praised Stewart, who has remained a prominent political figure even after retirement from his Comedy Central show, commenting on issues ranging from legislation to debate over the COVID lab leak theory.
"Over vacation, I’m watching a ton of this one guy, and I’m watching him debate all kinds of different people," Stern recalled on The Howard Stern Show.
He added, "He knew more than any of them. And his name is Jon Stewart. Jon Stewart. Now listen, bear with me, Robin. When Jon Stewart hosted The Daily Show, they said that he was the most trusted newsman in the country. Like Walter Cronkite trustworthy."
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Stern continued, suggesting to his co-host Robin Quivers that Stewart has the necessary political knowledge, "When you hear this guy talk, whether he’s supporting army veterans or he’s talking about various - whatever it is, and I’m not going to go into everything I watch, the guy is so f------ smart and bright and also witty and really measured when he takes on a debate."
Quivers added on to Stern’s praise of the former Daily Show host, "He really cares, I mean, the reason you can debate him on any issue is because he cares about the issues."
"You know, he would work his a-- off to be a good president. I’m telling you, he could also win because people like Jon Stewart," Stern insisted.
"But he gave up The Daily Show because it was too much," Quivers recalled.
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"Well, he owes it to his country to run," Stern said.
Quivers asked if Stewart would be willing to take up such a role even though it would be a "lot more work than The Daily Show."
"A lot more work, but the guy would be terrific and I think he’d do it. So I’m putting it out there," Stern said, claiming he had not discussed the idea with Stewart himself.
"The way Zelenskyy is doing in Ukraine, Jon Stewart would be great, and I will not accept Trevor Noah as a substitute," he said. Before becoming president of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelenskyy was a comedian.
He later added, "I would like Jon to come on the show and accept the nomination right here, and I would back him, and how will I back him? I’m not putting up any money because I’m very cheap."
Stern endorsed Biden in 2020 after supporting Hillary Clinton in 2016.