Jon Stewart criticized CNN for constantly plugging Jake Tapper and Alex Thompson’s new book Original Sin, which reflects on Joe Biden‘s declining health, in the midst of his diagnosis with an aggressive form of prostate cancer.
On the latest episode of The Daily Show, Stewart played a series of clips of Tapper repeating promoting the book, out today, and teasing that viewers will “not believe” what he uncovered about the former president.
“Don’t news people have to tell you what they know when they find it out?” Stewart asked. “Isn’t that the difference between news and a secret? ‘You won’t believe what we found out.’ No, that’s why I watch breaking news.”
Stewart then played a compilation of media outlets reacting to Original Sin and its “bombshell” allegations. “Nothing could slow down this coming, feeding news frenzy about Biden’s cognitive health, other than maybe a report on his actual physical health,” Stewart said. “Doing the story seems almost disrespectful. Can CNN thread the needle? How do you pivot from excitedly promoting your anchor’s book to somberly and respectfully promoting your anchor’s book?”
He added, after showing a clip of a CNN staffer saying it’s going to be a “tough week” for the book’s authors, “It’s so hard, it’s such a difficult time, so unfathomable in terms of the pain his family must be feeling.”
Stewart noted that CNN shouldn’t be using the timing of Biden’s cancer to promote the book, either. He refuted the media’s claims that the book is “even more important now.” “Why are they hawking this fucking thing?” he responded. “Is this a Girl Scout cookie situation? ‘Whoever sells the most Tapper books gets a Schwinn!’”
Stewart also reflected on Donald Trump‘s unusual response to Biden’s cancer diagnosis, which was announced earlier this week. The president shared a statement on Truth Social wishing his predecessor a “fast and successful recovery.”
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“That’s it? No exclamation points? No all caps? No insults? Whole thing’s spelled correctly?” Stewart quipped. “It’s really got all the telltale signs of a post definitely written by Donald Trump. I look at this post, I wonder when they saw this post, if Truth Social sent him a security alert. They just sent him a quick message: ‘We noticed some suspicious humanity on your account. If this was in fact you, President Trump, please reply: Nancy Pelosi’s husband is gay.’”
He added, “But the fact that Trump responded to Biden’s diagnosis with the most performa, bare minimum, ChatGPT statement, was so astonishing, even the corrupt ‘lamestream media’ gave Trump his props.”
Stewart played a clip of news reporters praising Trump for being so civil in his statement. “What he did was not noteworthy and important,” Stewart responded. “Has any president—has any person, ever, had a lower bar to clear? I have to salute the president. I certainly disagree with him on many things, but I have to applaud that after hearing this devastating news about Joe Biden, that Donald did not take cancer’s side.”
From Rolling Stone US
