Comedian and political commentator Jon Stewart admitted his surprise over President-elect Donald Trump‘s victory, a result that left him and other liberals unprepared.
What Happened: Stewart shared his astonishment on his “The Weekly Show” podcast. He confessed that liberals were not ready for Trump’s clear election win.
Stewart said that he anticipated that Trump would rely on undemocratic tactics to secure his return to the White House. However, Trump’s fairly easy victory proved him wrong.
During his show, Stewart humorously remarked that he wasn’t sure if the left had a team of lawyers ready for such an outcome.
"I feel like we were prepared for all scenarios and in each one of those scenarios it was, how is Donald Trump going to finagle his way back into the White House? How is he going to use undemocratic principles?" Stewart said.
"And it turned out, he used our electoral system as it is designed," he said. "I'm not sure we have a team of lawyers for that."
"What measure of intimidation and underhanded [shenanigans] will this man use to worm his way back into the Oval Office?” Stewart said he had thought.
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"I love to sit back and think about the autopsy and where you move from there, but I think I still feel as though I'm in that moment of vertigo to some extent," he added in the podcast.
Stewart also slammed the Kamala Harris campaign’s ground game, terming it a colossal failure.
"By the way, I don't ever in my life want to hear about our vaunted ground game will put us over the top. It's a 50/50 tossup race, we're sure of it, but the vaunted ground game — turns out that people knocking on other people's doors doesn't get them to do what you want them to do as, I believe, vacuum and Bible salesmen have probably known for many, many centuries," Stewart said.
Despite the unexpected turn of events, Stewart maintained a positive outlook on the country’s future and the potential for change and organization.
"I still believe in this country, and I still believe in individuals, and I still believe in the power of change and organization, goodness, competence. I mean, for God's sake, the Mets made the playoffs," he said.
Why It Matters: Stewart’s admission underscores the unexpected nature of Trump’s re-election, which defied the expectations of many in the liberal camp.
The comedian’s remarks also highlight the perceived shortcomings in the Kamala Harris team’s campaign strategy, suggesting a need for a reassessment of tactics for future elections.
Despite the surprise and disappointment, Stewart’s optimism about the power of change and organization offers a hopeful perspective for those disheartened by the election outcome.
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This content was partially produced with the help of Benzinga Neuro and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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