According to Jon Stewart, former President Donald Trump has a "very good chance" of winning the 2024 election if he becomes the Republican nominee.
Speaking during a virtual interview Sunday as part of The New Yorker Festival, Stewart said that the January 6 attack on the United States Capitol, which took place after a mob of Trump's supporters stormed the Capitol on the false premise that the election was stolen, was equivalent to a "television special."
Jon Stewart on Trump, Cancel Culture, and Optimism | The New Yorker Festivalwww.youtube.com
Stewart said:
"I think he's got it — he's got a very good chance. And they're smarter about it."
"The danger of the coup — again, January 6 is the TV event moment of it. It's the special that came out. And that's what all the TV networks were focused on."
Stewart observed that Trump is "brilliant at understanding what will drive the television narratives," and predicted that should Trump run again, he will use his campaign to promote more lies about "fraud" in the election process.
"But what I think they really learned from this exercise was there are really specific pivot points within the American electoral system, and those pivot points are generally the administration of elections run by partisans, but not ideologues."
He also pointed out that while Trump, who has yet to announce his candidacy, has exhibited an "antibiotic-resistant strain of populism" since 2016:
"He came at the right moment for that audience with the right message, and unapologetic."
"And in a lot of ways, I think every time you thought that something was disqualifying or something would defeat him, but for those of us who have been in New York, we probably saw like, if nothing else, the dude's resilient."
Many concurred with Stewart's assessment... and have continued to sound the alarm.
He\u2019s not wrong, and that\u2019s scary as hell.https://twitter.com/huffpost/status/1447858311869702144\u00a0\u2026— Rennecke (@Rennecke) 1634064480
Of course he can... Trump's a cheater, a grifter, a carnival barker who dreams of money and revenge.https://twitter.com/HuffPost/status/1447858311869702144\u00a0\u2026— Kathy Spiers (SPY-ers) (@Kathy Spiers (SPY-ers)) 1634032096
There's nothin' funny about this.https://www.rawstory.com/jon-stewart-2655281027/\u00a0\u2026— Tea Pain (@Tea Pain) 1634045349
Jon Stewart get a whole lot of the possible election danger right. 3:00-4:40. 2020 "exposed fragility" and my former party, the GOP, will exploit that as much as possible.https://twitter.com/Independent/status/1447956762825474055\u00a0\u2026— NADNAR- Not A Democrat Not a Republican (@NADNAR- Not A Democrat Not a Republican) 1634060257
In 2016, far too many people tried to assure us the institutions of American democracy would prevent Trump from doing his worst.\n\nFive years later, we ignore warnings like this one from Jon Stewart at our peril.https://www.rawstory.com/jon-stewart-2655281027/\u00a0\u2026— Mike Sarzo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08 (@Mike Sarzo \ud83c\udff3\ufe0f\u200d\ud83c\udf08) 1634064360
Hes 100% right. Dems and biden might have a chance if they can pass reconciliation and a few other things by abolishing the filibuster. But seeing as that likely won't happen. Its almost certain gop will retake the white house in 2024 with trump being the favoritehttps://twitter.com/thehill/status/1447600654734794765\u00a0\u2026— Halloween's Real Monster (@Halloween's Real Monster) 1633971703
It doesn't take a majority to take a country down. All it takes are people in the right political places, an undermining of democratic principles & institutions & a core of rabid followers willing to do the bidding of the cult leader. All these parts are already in place.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1447600654734794765\u00a0\u2026— Ed Barrett (@Ed Barrett) 1633982336
Great. You know...the fact we're even ENTERTAINING him in such a position makes this country STUPID beyond belief. He tried to end us. And you'd let him try to do it again? GTFOH.https://thehill.com/blogs/in-the-know/in-the-know/576192-jon-stewart-says-trump-has-a-very-good-chance-in-2024\u00a0\u2026— J. Hicks (@J. Hicks) 1633978359
If the Republican party allows the Orange Man to contest in 2024, they deserve whatever destruction is coming their way.https://twitter.com/thehill/status/1447691996265648136\u00a0\u2026— Ol\u00faAfol\u00e1b\u00ed (@Ol\u00faAfol\u00e1b\u00ed) 1633991720
Last week, news emerged that Trump's advisers have instructed him to wait before he makes an official announcement confirming his candidacy.
According to a Washington Postreport, which cited individuals familiar with the discussions, advisers who have told the impatient Trump he has to wait before making an announcement are nervous that an early announcement would mobilize Democrats and increase voter turnout.