While there is no shortage of great political commentary these days—whether it’s John Oliver, Samantha Bee, Trevor Noah, Stephen Colbert, or Larry Wilmore—there is still a sense that one person’s voice is missing from this incredibly wacky election cycle. Jon Stewart hasn’t done much publicly since retiring: He’s lobbied on behalf of 9/11 first responders and helped his wife set up a sanctuary for farm animals. So while he has been fighting the good fight, there are many that pine for the former host of The Daily Show’s take on everything that is going on as November gets ever closer.
Those people are in luck, as Stewart sat down with former Obama advisor David Axelrod at The University Of Chicago’s Institute Of Politics for Axelrod’s The Axe Files podcast. In the conversation, they cover a lot of political ground—talking about what gave rise to Donald Trump’s success, what type of politician Hillary Clinton seems to be, the problems with gridlock in government and selfish scheming in the media, and Larry Wilmore’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner (sorry Bernie Bros, Sanders doesn’t even get a mention). It’s an interesting, if a bit depressing, discussion about the state of affairs from a voice that is very much missed during these chaotic times. It shows a lot of insight by the comedian and satirist, and a deep understanding of many of the problems that both parties have created for its citizenry.
For those who watch the whole video, which is about one hour and 15 minutes long, they will find the enlightening conversation ending on an incredibly awkward note as Stewart is asked about rumors concerning his friend Louis CK. It’s a cringeworthy moment to go out on, but it doesn’t taint all of the engaging political discourse that has run before it.