Jon Stewart is back to host The daily show Monday night, and immediately dove into possible “October surprises” that could still impact the final weeks of the presidential election campaign.
Stewart began the segment by briefly reviewing last October's surprises, including the infamous ones Enter Hollywood tape, as well as the media reviewing a selection of recent natural disasters and wars that could become the feared black swan event in the final days of the campaign.
“Why are October surprises always so crap? Why do we never get a nice October surprise that unites our country? Stewart joked, adding that he hopes Internet stars Pesto, the absolute oneness of a baby penguin, and Moo Deng, the mischievous pygmy hippo, can start dating.
Stewart who expanded on October surprises, suggesting that they invariably favor Republicans, who capitalize on death and misery to score electoral points. “If monkeypox breaks out, I don't see how we'll lose!” Stewart said mockingly. “What does the fact that a war, a strike and a natural disaster work in its favor actually say about a party? Sir, the elections are near, but if we can only shock and despair the people, we can do it.”
Turning his attention to recent events, Stewart said an October surprise for him was seeing Elon Musk, bare belly and all, at Donald Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. “[Musk’s] The surprise of October is that MAGA came out.
“Now, you would think that one of the richest men in the world controlling one of the most influential platforms in the world might be a recipe for what some might consider election interference,” Stewart said, before joking to the audience, “You stupid, stupid guys.”
Stewart recalled the 2016 and 2020 elections, when Trump loudly accused Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg of election interference and highlighted the blatant double standard now that Musk, the owner of the embattled Platform former president. The segment delved into Trump's repeated threats to punish and jail people he said were interfering in the election against him, including the team behind the biopic. The Apprentice.
“Trump has threatened nearly all of them with incarceration, lawsuits, or censure, which is why this section of this weekend's rally in Pennsylvania was so surprising, when Elon Musk was discussing why he supports Donald Trump,” he said Stewart, arriving at the main thrust of the segment.
A clip of Musk's speech from the Trump rally was then played: “The other side wants to take away your free speech. You need to have freedom of speech to have democracy. That's why it's the First Amendment.”
Stewart responded, “Elon, weren't you watching the rest of the show? A movie that Trump doesn't like will be sued. A tech tycoon he doesn't like and wants to put in prison. It's not free speech if only Trump admirers can do so without consequences. That's not really how it works. It doesn't go that way. I don't see how his support for free speech is worthy of “exposing your belly.” I just don't.”
Another clip of Musk was then played: “But at least the Constitution remains intact and is there to ensure that we have the First Amendment. The Second Amendment is there to ensure that we have the First Amendment.”
A clearly incensed Stewart went for the jugular: Guns don't protect our free speech. Our free speech is protected by the consent of the governed, established through the Constitution. It is not based on the threat of violence. It is based on elections, on the organization of referendums, on a judicial system. Our social contract offers many ways to remedy these problems and allows the parties to be heard and judged. Guns, from what I can tell, seem to primarily protect the speech of the people holding the gun. It is a tool of intimidation…”
Greeted by enthusiastic applause, Stewart silenced the audience because he wasn't done yet.
“It's a tool of intimidation and I think it's actually being used irresponsibly and recklessly. Because some people in your group thought they were banned from Facebook. I mean, for God's sake, you guys are in Butler, Pennsylvania. The whole reason you're there is because some fucking asshole with an AR-15 tried to permanently challenge his vision of free speech in this country,” Stewart said, referring to Trump's assassination attempt on the 13th July. «That's why you're there. The whole point of a society is that weapons don't decide it. I would rather not trade a government that offers me many remedies for my concerns, legitimate or illegitimate, for a situation in which the My rights are determined by how many militia members agree with me.”
Softening his voice, Stewart concluded by addressing Musk directly. “The country is not perfect and there are many issues we disagree on: choice, immigration, reducing potato chip inflation, the unholy marriage between penguins and hippos. But, honestly, man, a country that can adjudicate these complicated issues through a sometimes frustrating and overly bureaucratic constitutional system of checks and balances and a peaceful transfer of power is the only kind of country where I want the sons of Pesto and Moo Deng grow up. on.”