Jon Stewart Uses a Donut to Call Out Where Democrats
Jon Stewart is once again calling out the Democratic Party for what he sees as a fundamental flaw in their political strategy: an unwavering commitment to playing by the rules, even when the opposition is openly exploiting every loophole available.
In a fiery and insightful monologue on The Daily Show, Stewart breaks down how Republicans have historically leveraged loopholes and procedural tricks to gain an advantage—while Democrats continue to insist on following norms that no longer hold weight in today’s political landscape.
He points to the GOP’s strategic maneuvers, including the way they stacked the Supreme Court in their favor during Donald Trump’s presidency. Mitch McConnell, the Senate Minority Leader, famously blocked Barack Obama’s Supreme Court nomination of Merrick Garland in 2016, claiming it was too close to an election year. Yet just four years later, Republicans rushed to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the court in record time, weeks before the 2020 election. This blatant hypocrisy, Stewart argues, is a prime example of how Republicans don’t hesitate to use every advantage at their disposal—while Democrats continue to believe in playing fair.
But it doesn’t stop there. Stewart also highlights how Trump attempted to bypass Senate confirmations by appointing his preferred cabinet members in an acting capacity, sidestepping the traditional approval process. While some of these appointments were later challenged in court, Trump’s strategy still allowed his administration to operate with handpicked loyalists without needing official confirmation.
Stewart, visibly frustrated, offers a direct plea to Democrats:
“Let this show be the utterly ineffective hypocrisy finders. I can tell you from experience, it does nothing,” he says, referencing the frequent attempts by liberal commentators to call out Republican inconsistencies. “You guys need to be the loophole guys who figure out how to get sht done, because they don’t give a f** about your norms. They will exploit any loophole, even if they have to go through clearly closed windows to do it.”
Stewart resorts to a comically absurd yet fitting analogy to drive his point home. First, he demonstrates the concept of threading a needle—a tedious, precise, and delicate process that represents how Democrats try to navigate politics within the existing rulebook. Then, he dramatically switches to a donut, illustrating how Republicans take a much more direct (and often aggressive) approach. The visual comparison is both hilarious and painfully accurate, highlighting the vast difference in political tactics between the two parties.
The takeaway? Democrats need to wake up and recognize that playing fair in a rigged game won’t get them anywhere. While Republicans are willing to bend and break norms to secure power, Democrats still hope that sticking to tradition will yield results. Stewart’s monologue is more than just a comedic rant—it’s a wake-up call for the party to rethink its approach before it’s too late.
As the 2024 elections approach, this debate will only become more relevant. Will Democrats finally adapt and find their own ways to fight fire with fire? Or will they continue to thread the needle while their opponents eat the whole donut?
