Jon Stewart says 'no thank you' after article floats 2024 presidential run

Jon Stewart
(Image credit: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

He's not running.

Comedian Jon Stewart is dismissing speculation he could launch a 2024 presidential bid in response to an article from Politico. The opinion piece, written by Juleanna Glover, suggested that if President Biden doesn't seek re-election, the former Daily Show host should run.

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Glover, who has advised numerous Republican candidates, in the Politico article argued Stewart is "a better fit than most politicians for what modern politics has become" as one of the most "effective communicators in public life." She also suggested he would be particularly well-suited to a 2024 run given the possibility Fox News host Tucker Carlson could throw his hat in the ring. "If Carlson runs," Glover claimed, "he may feel like he has no choice."

Stewart discussed the possibility of running for office in an interview with The New York Times earlier this year. When asked if he's considered it, he said, "Oh God, how do you not?"

But Stewart said he wasn't sure "that I'd have the temperament for it," adding, "Sometimes I feel like I can be more effective on the outside than on the inside."

The idea of Stewart running for president came up when the comedian was honored with the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in June. But comedian Pete Davidson suggested that while Stewart "really could be president tomorrow," he's "smart enough to not want the job."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.