Ahead of President Barack Obama’s Tuesday night visit to The Daily Show before host Jon Stewart’s departure in August, the White House traveling press corps released a “greatest hits” of quotes from the taping earlier in the day. Obviously, most of them are jokes, and most of these come from Stewart and The Daily Show‘s writing staff. However, Obama managed to get a few zingers in as well.
First, the two discussed the elephant in the room — Stewart’s plans to leave the show he helped turn into a satirical juggernaut:
OBAMA: “I can’t believe you’re leaving before me. I’m going to issue an executive order. Jon Stewart cannot leave the show. It’s being challenged in the courts.”
STEWART: “To me this is a state’s rights issue.”
Political talking points, unsurprisingly, sneaked their way into the conversation. Still, Stewart being Stewart, the host managed to poke occasional holes in the President’s politics. This was especially case when the Iran Deal came up:
STEWART: “This new thing, you called it earlier, diplomacy. That sounds interesting.”
OBAMA: “Iran will remain a problem in the region [and] we have taken off the table what would be a catastrophic problem if they got a weapon.”
And what about all that hope and change Obama’s 2008 campaign had promised? Like Pepperidge Farm, Stewart never forgets:
OBAMA: “Government works better now than it ever has given what we ask it to do.”
STEWART: “You’ll find almost unanimous agreement that you’ve failed.”
But let’s not get too serious, kids. That’s probably what Stewart was thinking when he decided to bring up his current favorite GOP contender, Donald Trump:
Stewart closed by asking Obama if he had any advice he would “bequeath to future president (Donald) Trump.”
Obama joked: “I am sure the Republicans are enjoying this.”
“Anything that makes them look less crazy,” Stewart said.
(Via The Hollywood Reporter)
