Jon Stewart thinks Jon Gruber's 'dickish comments' are the GOP's best shot at finally sinking ObamaCare


A year after its disastrous launch, the ObamaCare website is running flawlessly, just in time for 2015 open enrollment, Jon Stewart noted on Tuesday night's Daily Show. Too bad that good news has been completely swamped by year-old comments from MIT health economist and ObamaCare consultant Jonathan Gruber. Stewart played all the highlights of Gruber suggesting that voters are stupid and Democrats hid the structure of ObamaCare.
Stewart said he can see why Republicans hate this "super-egghead" economist "jerk" from "Taxachussetts" who talks in the same "pinched nasal tone" as Hollywood uber-nerd Eddie Deezen. But now Democrats hate this "Progressive boogeyman," too. Nancy Pelosi, who has cited him by name before, says she doesn't even know who he is. Stewart said the Democrats should "come clean" about previously denying that the individual mandate is a tax.
Then he addressed Republicans: "You've tried to kill this law every which way: 50,000 congressional 'repeals,' defunding threats, lawsuits up the wazoo — which, by the way, fully covered now under ObamaCare — but you keep trying, and now your best remaining move, the strongest card in your deck, looks to be the Gruber" and his "off-handed and kind of dickish comments." Well, that plus the Supreme Court. --Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Today's political cartoons - April 20, 2025
Cartoons Sunday's cartoons - Pam Bondi, retirement planning, and more
By The Week US
-
5 heavy-handed cartoons about ICE and deportation
Cartoons Artists take on international students, the Supreme Court, and more
By The Week US
-
Exploring the three great gardens of Japan
The Week Recommends Beautiful gardens are 'the stuff of Japanese landscape legends'
By The Week UK
-
RFK Jr. visits Texas as 2nd child dies from measles
Speed Read An outbreak of the vaccine-preventable disease continues to grow following a decade of no recorded US measles deaths
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Shingles vaccine cuts dementia risk, study finds
Speed Read Getting vaccinated appears to significantly reduce the chances of developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Measles outbreak spreads, as does RFK Jr.'s influence
Speed Read The outbreak centered in Texas has grown to at least three states and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is promoting unproven treatments
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
RFK Jr. offers alternative remedies as measles spreads
Speed Read Health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. makes unsupported claims about containing the spread as vaccine skepticism grows
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Texas outbreak brings 1st US measles death since 2015
Speed read The outbreak is concentrated in a 'close-knit, undervaccinated' Mennonite community in rural Gaines County
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US
-
Mystery illness spreading in Congo rapidly kills dozens
Speed Read The World Health Organization said 53 people have died in an outbreak that originated in a village where three children ate a bat carcass
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
Ozempic can curb alcohol cravings, study finds
Speed read Weight loss drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy may also be helpful in limiting alcohol consumption
By Peter Weber, The Week US
-
New form of H5N1 bird flu found in US dairy cows
Speed Read This new form of bird flu is different from the version that spread through herds in the last year
By Peter Weber, The Week US