How do we convince Jon Stewart to run for President?

[Piscivore]

After Obama's second term, of course.

 

[Upchurch]

Step 1: Get him to stop laughing.
Step 2: Convince him to quit his ideal job for a crappy, thankless one.

 

[Ziggurat]

How do we convince Jon Stewart to run for President?

What makes you think he'd be any good at the job?

Being president is about a hell of a lot more than having the right opinions. There's a management skill set that's required too, and that skill set has almost nothing to do with your political beliefs. Stewart has never run for office, he's never held office, he's never even been in an executive position. There is, in short, no reason to think he has this skill set, or at least not anymore than any other random person. So even if you think he's got the right opinions about everything (and I suspect that people only think that if they either don't know everything he believes or if they take their cues for what to believe from him), that doesn't mean he would be a good president.

Plus, of course, why would he ever want the job?

 

[Lurker]

I like Stewart but it is far easier to make quips than to effect change. Plus, he would not win the nomination unless he distanced himself from his comedian personna for a couple of years. Even then it would be tough.

 

[Piscivore]

What makes you think he'd be any good at the job?

Being president is about a hell of a lot more than having the right opinions. There's a management skill set that's required too, and that skill set has almost nothing to do with your political beliefs.

You don't think running a TV show and organizing the Sanity rally takes management skills? he's also one of the smartest people in the public eye right now, demonstrably willing to criticize even his own "side".

But even without all that, he's still at least as qualified as Ronald Reagan ever was.

Stewart has never run for office, he's never held office, he's never even been in an executive position.

That last part isn't true. He has his own production company.

There is, in short, no reason to think he has this skill set, or at least not anymore than any other random person. So even if you think he's got the right opinions about everything (and I suspect that people only think that if they either don't know everything he believes or if they take their cues for what to believe from him), that doesn't mean he would be a good president.

It's not about the opinions he seems to hold, it's about how he demonstrates he at least has his own opinons, and is not parroting a party line.

Plus, of course, why would he ever want the job?

There is that.

 

[Macgyver1968]

It would be a refreshing change to see President Stewart respond to Country X's demands for the US to pull it's military out of Country Y, by bringing out an African-American choir singing "Go **** Yourself"

 

[Ziggurat]

You don't think running a TV show and organizing the Sanity rally takes management skills?

Nothing comparable, no.

he's also one of the smartest people in the public eye right now

Einstein was brilliant too, but he would have made a horrible president.

But even without all that, he's still at least as qualified as Ronald Reagan ever was.

Not so. Reagan had executive experience as the head of a union before he entered politics, and he entered politics at the state level first. He was governor of California for eight years before he ran for president. If you really want Stewart to become president, he's going to need to get elected to something else first to prove himself.

It's not about the opinions he seems to hold, it's about how he demonstrates he at least has his own opinons, and is not parroting a party line.

That's a distinction without a difference here. It doesn't demonstrate that he has the necessary skill set.

 

[Babbylonian]

As a longtime Jon Stewart fan, I'll just say this: No, thank you.

 

[RandFan]

How do we convince Jon Stewart to run for President?

That's insulting to this elections serious GOP contenders.

 

[ravdin]

We don't. He'd make a lousy politician (and I have no doubt he'd agree) and he's doing a lot more good where he is.

 

[Leumas]

He would never be nominated..... he thinks on his own.

Besides.... he does not have a back hole big enough to fit the ventriloquist’s hand.

 

[The Fallen Serpent]

As a liberal and a long time fan of his since the Jon Stewart Show, I think he is right where he is most beneficial to society and himself. My mind could be changed though. If he seriously wanted to dabble in elected office I would give him a fair consideration for a lower office.

 

[Travis]

He might be good for the office. Al Franken has proven to be one of the better senators.

 

[Ziggurat]

He might be good for the office. Al Franken has proven to be one of the better senators.

You sure about that? He was a PIPA co-sponsor.

 

[Barber Shop]

Also Americans electing a Jew for President is about as likely as electing a bla...Oh wait, never mind.

 

[angrysoba]

If he is elected President will he still do his show everyday?

Because if not then, no thanks! And if so then, no thanks!

 

[Denver]

How many of his writers could fit in the oval office?

 

[Ausmerican]

I dont want him to run for President. I want the Daily Show to be an hour long instead of half an hour and I want him to do a series of interviews with everyone that is running for President.

 

[Brainster]

You don't think running a TV show and organizing the Sanity rally takes management skills? he's also one of the smartest people in the public eye right now, demonstrably willing to criticize even his own "side".

But even without all that, he's still at least as qualified as Ronald Reagan ever was.

Says somebody who obviously (and wrongly) thinks Obama was qualified to run the country. Compare running one of the largest states in the country to running a Senate office.

 

[RandFan]

More than qualified.

He was handed a nation in recession and reversed the trend of losing jobs to gaining them. Got us out of Iraq. Improved ties with allies. Made the decision to authorize the operation to kill Bin Laden. Ended the bigoted DADT. Stopped supporting the bigoted DOMA. To name a few things. Also, he didn't start a bogus war or lie to the American people to start that war.