Discussion:

Discussion for article #239643

CNN should do it just for the ratings bump. Can you imagine Trump vs. Stewart?

I might even pay to watch that.

I signed. Stewart would be a great moderator. Seriously, the man would ask intelligent, relevant questions. I hope this happens. Please, powers-that-be … and Jon Stewart. Thank you.

The first ever pay-per-view Presidential debate. The proceeds, minus administrative fees and production costs, could go towards the Trump wall.

The election has already devolved into a three ring circus, the debates may as well be moderated by a comedian.

I would like to see that too. But Trump is such a loud blowhard who is rude, arrogant et al., not sure Stewart could shut him down.

Hell no, Comedy Central. They probably have a bigger audience than CNN anyway.

I just don’t know why they call these things debates. They are not actual debates, they are question and answer sessions. I agree Jon would at least ask the hard questions.

Make that 150,001. I’d like to see it.

We have to call these things something other than debates. A debate is what Lincoln and Douglass engaged in, and TV debates are little more than content-free zingers

The format for each debate was: one candidate spoke for 60 minutes, then the other candidate spoke for 90 minutes, and then the first candidate was allowed a 30-minute “rejoinder.” The candidates alternated speaking first. As the incumbent, Douglas spoke first in four of the debates

He had no problem with O’Reilly

I am an addict when it comes to politics, but I’m pretty sure I’d choose a slow death instead…

Word is that the lengthy outdoor debates were exciting and drew huge crowds, but we are no longer people who want to be presented with that much information and want it summed up in a few sentences.

I think we are presented with that much information, just not in a debate format. Those debates were just as much about entertainment as they are now. The people watching didn’t have much say. The backroom deals were even far worse than they are now because there were no external pressures to force daylight into the process.

Agreed. I don’t think this is a crazy person petition. He’s smart, he’s witty, he has a good grasp of a wide range of issues, he can attack from the right and the left, he’s got nothing but time to prepare, and let’s be honest, why the hell wouldn’t a news channel want this? The ratings are why they want to broadcast debates in the first place!

The only problem is that the RNC would almost never agree to this as Jon is unabashedly liberal. Even if he would be fair to their candidate(s), I can’t see them agreeing.

“Stewart’s first gig post-late night will be hosting WWE’s sold-out SummerSlam, one of professional wrestling’s biggest nights, on Sunday.”

Moron.

I have a better chance of winning the Miss America pageant.

He’s done this kind of thing for charity before.

Oh wait - you were talking to yourself? My bad.

Well, that would certainly show which candidate has what it takes to stay in the kitchen when it gets hot.

@jordanolsen26

Jon Stewart was interviewed by Mo Rocca, a Daily Show alumni, on August 9 on the CBS program Sunday Morning, and Stewart said this about politicians. In a nutshell, he despises them. I can’t see him listening to a bunch of them bloviating and not bursting out laughing

“Do you like interviewing politicians?”

“No. I despise it,” said Stewart. “As most sentient creatures, I think, would. Imagine having to interview salespeople. They’re salespeople! They live in a world of denial and conjuring. It’s very strange, it’s very strange to talk to people who have lost their awareness that that’s what they’re doing. At least with a salesperson, they’ll every now and again, they go, ‘Look, I shouldn’t be tellin’ you this. This is a piece of crap.’”