Left-leaning comedian Jon Stewart took aim at Democratic Party leaders after Democrats reclaimed both chambers of Congress in Tuesday’s historic midterm sweep, arguing that the party must dismantle the “bullsh-t system” controlled by its longtime establishment.
On “The Daily Show,” Stewart celebrated the Democrats’ sweeping “blue tsunami,” which flipped seats nationwide. But he cautioned that the victory would mean little if the party failed to use its newfound power, urging Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer to step aside.
“The first job in this moment is to tear down the obstacles and old ways of thinking that got us into this mess,” Stewart said on the latest episode of his podcast, “The Weekly Show.” “Someone has to meet this moment, and it cannot be, ‘Oh, we get to impeach everybody.’ Like, f—k that.”
“You have an opportunity to actually govern. Do it. Seize it,” Stewart continued. “And one of the first things you need to do is eliminate the seniority system in Democratic politics. It is a bulls—t system, and it needs to go.”
“They’re already saying, ‘Chuck Schumer deserves a lot of credit for putting this together…’ Chuck Schumer deserves—Chuck Schumer fought tooth and nail against half of these f–king people!” Stewart said.
“And even if he didn’t, he does not understand the urgency of this moment or what the future requires. I truly believe that.”
Schumer is confronting a possible revolt after nearly 10 years at the helm of the party. Several newly elected Democrats have already indicated they would not back him for Senate majority leader when the new Congress begins in January.
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Kansas Sen.-elect Adam Hamilton, the first federally elected Democrat from the state in nearly a century, has said he will not support Schumer.
Democratic senators-elect Troy Jackson of Maine, Julianna Stratton of Illinois, Abdul El-Sayed of Michigan and Peggy Flanagan of Minnesota also do not appear to be supporting the 75-year-old Brooklyn native.
Schumer, however, has projected confidence that he will retain his position. Speaking to reporters Wednesday, he said the concerns raised by incoming lawmakers and their supporters were not centered on him, according to Fox News.
“The issue is not me,” Schumer said. “I’ll be re-elected as majority leader, but the issue is focusing on the American people and what they want.”
Stewart, 63, previously criticized Schumer and House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries in September. At the time, he said that even if Democrats regained control of Congress, it would not be enough for them to define themselves solely in opposition to Trump’s agenda.
Instead, Stewart argued, Democrats would need “a prescription for rebalancing this economy in a smart and urgent way.”
He also said he did not believe delivering results for Americans was “in [Schumer’s] DNA,” adding that he was “hopeful he won’t be there as the leader.”
