“The Daily Show” host Jon Stewart tore into JD Vance on Monday after the vice president acknowledged his rhetoric about immigration had been “imperfect,” only to falsely blame immigrants for unrest in France days later.
Stewart first aired footage of Vance being asked at a recent town hall in Michigan why he was “scapegoating immigrants for the issues you’re supposed to be solving as a vice president.”
Vance began: “I appreciate the question.”
Stewart immediately cut in.
“In no way, not on any planet, not in any timeline, does JD Vance appreciate that question,” Stewart said. “He fucking hates that question. It makes his beard itch. And that might be your first tell that the answer that this young woman is going to get is not going to be the real one. But I’m sorry to interrupt. Continue.”
Stewart then played Vance’s full response: “I appreciate the question. And I would say, and to the extent that my rhetoric has been imperfect here, that’s on me.”
“Oh, is it your rhetoric?” snarked Stewart.
“Oh, ah, pobody’s nerfect. Sometimes you incite violence against vulnerable communities, and then later on, you apologize. I mean, we all read ‘Mein Bad.’ Sure, no, I get that,” he said, as a spoof image of Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler’s book “Mein Kampf” retitled as “Mein Bad” flashed on the screen.
“So, the dehumanizing rhetoric against immigrants, which all of us thought was a cornerstone and intentional strategy of both Donald Trump and JD Vance’s rise to power, including falsely accusing an entire community of Haitian people of eating people’s pets, which Vance admitted was just a useful lie — actually, that wasn’t intentional. It was all just sloppy word choice. That was all on him. ‘Oh, eating them? No, no, no, I meant to say, they’re booping the dogs. They’re booping the cats.’ The point is, I take JD Vance at his word, and I’m sure that the vice president will do better the next time he has an opportunity not to demonize immigrants, which, as luck would have it, may or may not be just two days later. But just keep that in mind.”
Stewart then turned to examining the unrest in France, which grew out of high school protests, via news coverage noting that officials said it was “a left-wing movement that is behind the protests and not immigration” and “not anything to do with Islam or Muslim communities” but “French society across the board.”
“Got it,” said Stewart. “Not Muslims, not immigrants. Remember what we were talking about earlier in the show? JD Vance, here’s a chance to perfect your rhetoric.”
Stewart then highlighted a social media post from Vance blaming the unrest in France on immigration. The full post read:
“Western liberals imported the third world into France and other countries in the name of diversity and compassion. They ignored fundamental questions of assimilation and compatibility. They were told it would lead to this and they didn’t listen. I pray that France, a beautiful country of amazing people, will stop this madness before more of its landmarks burn. And I hope Americans are paying attention. This is the future congressional Democrats seek for your country.”
“Mother fucker,” responded Stewart. “I’m sorry, Vance. Are you seriously suggesting that immigrants have brought a culture of revolution and protest to France? What are you talking about? Have you ever been to the theater? Can you not hear the people sing?”
Watch the full monologue here: