Jon Stewart critiques right-wing media and Donald Trump’s attacks on Kamala Harris, highlighting their reliance on racist and sexist tropes in the latest episode of “The Daily Show.”
California, Bollywood Fever: On Monday night’s episode of “The Daily Show,” host Jon Stewart observed the challenges right-wing media and former President Donald Trump face in attacking Vice President Kamala Harris. Stewart pointed out that their attempts often revert to typical racist and sexist tropes.
In his first episode since President Joe Biden ended his re-election campaign, making Harris the presumptive Democratic candidate, Stewart played clips showing Trump trying various attacks on Harris, to mixed results.
“She doesn’t like Jewish people,” Trump claimed in one clip, prompting Stewart to retort, “Join the club, we’re getting crushed out there. Right now, I’m not even sure how much we like ourselves. It’s not like the old ‘Seinfeld’ days when we were riding high. You could get a bagel in Iowa. But of course, that attack may ring hollow seeing as Kamala Harris’s husband is — let me check my notes — Jewish. Have anything else that could denigrate all of Kamala Harris’s accomplishments by suggesting it’s merely the power of the Jezebel?”
Stewart then played a clip of Megyn Kelly accusing Harris of “sleeping her way into politics,” and another of Ben Shapiro claiming she was handed her posts in California due to a relationship with Willie Brown.
Stewart noted that right-wing pundits were just getting started. One Fox Business commentator referred to Harris as the “original ‘Hawk Tua’ girl.” Stewart quipped, “That’s the kind of substantive and elevated take from a guy who looks like he’s one Mike’s Hard Lemonade away from getting in a fight at his sister’s wedding.”
Stewart also highlighted the inconsistency in the right-wing narrative about Harris’s record as California’s attorney general, fluctuating between claims of her being too soft or too tough on crime. “She is too soft on crime! She’s too tough on crime? People, we open in three months! You’re flailing! Dig deep!” Stewart joked.
Some critics have resorted to personal attacks, with one noting Harris is not liked by her staff. Stewart responded, “Your candidate’s Donald Trump. His catchphrase is literally ‘you’re fired!’ He’s the Anna Wintour of authoritarian wannabes. Donald Trump hired 44 cabinet members. 75% of them want nothing to do with the guy. His secretary of state called him a fucking moron. His chief of staff said he’s the most flawed person I’ve ever met. You know why he needs a new vice presidential running mate? He tried to get the last one killed!”
Stewart pointed out that Trump’s attempts at new nicknames for Harris, like “Laffin’ Kamala Harris,” reflect their struggle. Stewart noted, “You know what, I hate to say it guys, but you tried. You gave it your best. I kind of think you’re gonna have to go back to your classics. It’s worked for you in the past. It’s your comfort zone. I think you’re gonna have to play the hits.”
He then aired clips from Fox News and Newsmax, where pundits labeled Harris a “DEI” and “token hire,” and one commentator said, “this woman, this disaster, whose only qualification was having a vagina and the right skin color.”
Several talking heads appeared confused over Harris’s multi-racial heritage, leading Stewart to joke, “If these people ever saw a Pizza Hut-slash-Taco Bell they’d lose their fucking minds. ‘What is this, a DEI restaurant?’”
Stewart threw to “Daily Show” senior political correspondent Josh Johnson, who suggested that the winning attack might simply be screaming, “SHE’S BLACK!!” Johnson added, “They have all kinds of attacks ready. I’m seeing ‘Black,’ ‘Black,’ ‘Black woman.’ I got this one: ‘American African,’ which sounds scary when you flip it like that.”
Johnson humorously continued, “They were looking at me when they said this one: ‘like you, but lady.’ Also got some more ‘Black,’ ‘Blackity Black,’ urban, doesn’t crack.’ At least they know. Oh, I can’t even say this one. ‘From Kenya.’ I think that one is leftover from the last time someone was, you know, Black.”
Stewart concluded with a suggestion for Republicans upset about the switch in candidates: “How about we do this out of fairness? I’m a fair person. You can replace your old guy too. Even Steven.”
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