RECAP

"These people are f***ing children!": Jon Stewart torches GOP freakout over Biden's Israel ultimatum

Stewart called out Ted Cruz for accusing Biden of helping Hamas by opposing Israeli assault on Rafah

By Nardos Haile

Staff Writer

Published May 10, 2024 11:13AM (EDT)

Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)
Jon Stewart on "The Daily Show" (Comedy Central)

Comedian Jon Stewart on Thursday's edition of "The Daily Show" called out Republican hypocrisy in their reactions to President Joe Biden's vow to stop providing Israel with offensive weapons in the event of a full-scale invasion of the city of Rafah.

Stewart began the discussion by highlighting clips of Fox News anchors who called Biden's foreign policy decision "a moral failing we can't even begin to calculate."

Stewart mocked the response by comparing it to the right-wing freakout over alleged liberal efforts to go after home appliances. 

"Maybe it's an appliance that changed its name to be more inclusive now? Is Mr. Coffee They/Them Coffee? Is that the danger we now face?" he quipped.

However, Stewart highlighted that the ultimatum Biden has given Israel to not invade the city isn't as dramatic as they are making it out to be. 

"Oh my God!” Stewart said in a fake outrage, “The Biden administration has paused one shipment of 3,500 munitions, of the over 300,000 munitions Israel has already dropped on Gaza, to try and prevent the Israelis from attacking the area where all the refugees of this war are currently sheltered.”

But that hasn't stopped conservatives like Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, from perpetuating claims that "Joe Biden has been the greatest friend to Hamas and Hezbollah that there is on planet Earth."

"You people are f***ing children! That came out wrong. . ." he said.

"I am curious why would Biden halt that shipment now?" Stewart questioned before playing an interview with the president on CNN, in which he said that he has made it clear to Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that Israel will not receive U.S. support if the country goes into densely populated centers in Gaza.

"If they got into the population centers? The whole place is a population center. They've been in a population center for six months. Gaza's all population center. You know what you never hear around Gaza? Yeah, I don't live in the populated area. I live in upstate Gaza," Stewart countered.

We need your help to stay independent

Stewart questioned: "Is there no one who can offer a more nuanced analysis of our newly formulated position in this conflict, preferably in some type of catacomb or echoey tunnel?"

Then the show swiftly transitions to a clip of former President Donald Trump, clearly outside the courtroom where he is on trial in New York, "What Biden is doing in respect to Israel is disgraceful. if any Jewish person votes for Joe Biden, they should be ashamed of themselves."

Stewart began laughing and said, "My apologies to you, rabbi. Thank you so much for taking time off of your condomless porn star hush-money trial to deliver a shame lecture to Jews. I will reflect on your moral standing next Yom Kippur.”

"The Daily Show" airs Monday through Thursday at 11 p.m. on Comedy Central and streams on Paramount+


By Nardos Haile

Nardos Haile is a staff writer at Salon covering culture. She’s previously covered all things entertainment, music, fashion and celebrity culture at The Associated Press. She resides in Brooklyn, NY.

MORE FROM Nardos Haile


Related Topics ------------------------------------------

Gaza Israel Jon Stewart Recap Ted Cruz The Daily Show