Jon Stewart tried his best to stay optimistic while reporting live on the 2024 presidential election during Tuesday’s broadcast of The Daily Show. That is, until Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman reportedly threw a wrench in Stewart’s plans.
Stewart announced that Fetterman was no longer joining him on the show, having only pulled out of their scheduled interview just moments before going on air.
“[Fetterman] was unable to join us,” Stewart said. “But because we are a professional and venerated news show it’s not like I just have to sit here… with nobody to talk to or nothing to do just because somebody said 30 seconds before we were supposed to have him as a guest.”
He added with a nervous laugh, “It’s not happening.”
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs joined Stewart, instead, where she said she was feeling “optimistic” about her state’s polling results.
While Stewart warned viewers to stay positive as the results rolled in, he did have one result to share by that point.
“We do have one other quick result to announce in the race to be my best friend between Senator Fetterman and Governor Katie Hobbs,” he joked. “Governor Katie Hobbs wins by a jillion.”
By the end of the broadcast, the results looked like they were polling heavily towards Donald Trump, with both Arizona and Pennsylvania favoring the former president.
“Look, I know a lot of people out there are feeling anxious,” Stewart joked viewers at one point. “I just want to assure you that that is very good for our ratings, so keep up the good work out there.”
He ended the broadcast with a final message to viewers, encouraging them to regroup.
“This isn’t the end,” Stewart said. “I promise you, this is not the end. We have to regroup, and we have to continue to fight and continue to work day in and day out to create a better society for our children, for this world, for this country, that we know is possible. It’s possible.”
The Daily Show airs weeknights at 11/10c.
