In an interview with New York Magazine about his directorial debut, Rosewater (opening Nov 14), Daily Show host Jon Stewart touched on a few bonus topics, including the not-so-“hopeful” prospect of “President Hillary,” her impressive potential challenger Elizabeth Warren, and the Borg takeover of Nancy Pelosi.
After mocking the Ebola Scare, Ted Cruz, Mitt Romney, and Dick Cheney, Stewart got the opportunity to offer up some thoughts on the prospects of Hillary 2016. When asked if the thought of “President Hillary” cheers him up at all, Stewart said not really; while “competent,” he said, Hillary is “a little hawkish for me”:
We need such a systemic overhaul that it’s very hard for me to look at any individual and be hopeful. I just feel like we’ve forgotten to invest in our own country, in the infrastructure here. I’m not talking about isolationism. But I do think we have this incredible political mechanism that can begin to churn more efficiently and make those changes. God knows we can’t figure out how to get out of our own fucking way now. Hillary strikes me as competent. She’s certainly very bright. But she’s a little hawkish for me.
Stewart also reprimanded Clinton for repeatedly saying in an interview on The Daily Show in July that America needed to “tell our story” better around the world, suggesting our biggest problem abroad was our image:
I think that, honestly, was somebody trying out a campaign theme in the way that I might try and work out a comedy bit with some friends. I think she came over and was like, “Here’s my campaign theme: retelling America’s greatness to the world. America’s got to tell its story.” Well, America’s story is complex. In Iran, they hear that story and go, “We had a democratic government, and you overthrew it to install a shah.” But I don’t understand why owning that history means that you don’t believe in America. The whole thread of “Obama’s not American because he apologizes for America” is such utter horseshit. It is unconscionable and in some ways negates almost entirely the rest of your criticisms.
As for her potential competition, Warren, Stewart said he was “impressed” by her evolution from advocate to politician:
I’ve been impressed by her. You can’t help but watch the evolution of somebody who comes on as an advocate and then becomes a politician and see the caution grow. It’s like watching an uninhibited free spirit suddenly have to look both ways before crossing the street wearing a suit.
When asked about getting “really frustrated” in his interview with Pelosi about money corrupting politics, Stewart took down the House Democrat leader with a Trekky reference:
Nancy Pelosi has been overtaken by the Borg. She said, “Yes, we have to get money out of politics.” “Well, what about the Democrats, don’t they have to take it out?” She says, “We’re not the problem.” “What about the revolving door of people going out of Congress and getting lobbyist jobs?” She says, “That’s the executive branch, not our branch.” What? It’s sort of like the old George Costanza thing: “It’s not lying if you believe it.”
Read the full interview here.
H/T Mediaite.
