Jon Stewart's Election Day forecast: Strong GOP winds mixed with showers of fear and disenfranchisement
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
Jon Stewart's (potentially) final installment of Democalpyse 2014 gives you a sense of where he thinks today's elections will leave Congress: "Come on, Republicans! Just Go Ahead & Take Over Already." Fox News blames the Democrats' poor prospects on lack of a serious message — though, Stewart notes, Republicans are hardly running on "rational argument"; he summarizes their platform as: "Vote for us or get beheaded while pooping blood."
But Stewart also sees another reason behind the GOP's expected gains: A bunch of voter ID laws that happen to keep inordinate numbers of minorities, young people, and women from casting ballots. "Far be it for me to question anyone's motives," Stewart said, "but come on, a lot of these laws smell pretty voter suppression-y." Texas has one of the strictest voter ID laws, but plenty of states that may determine control of the Senate, like North Carolina and Kansas, have needless ID restrictions, too, he said. Hey, at least if Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) becomes Majority Leader, Daily Show viewers will get a lot more of Stewart's patented Cecil the Turtle impression. --Peter Weber
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
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.
-
Book reviews: ‘Bonfire of the Murdochs’ and ‘The Typewriter and the Guillotine’Feature New insights into the Murdoch family’s turmoil and a renowned journalist’s time in pre-World War II Paris
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
What to expect financially before getting a petthe explainer Be responsible for both your furry friend and your wallet
-
Witkoff and Kushner tackle Ukraine, Iran in GenevaSpeed Read Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner held negotiations aimed at securing a nuclear deal with Iran and an end to Russia’s war in Ukraine
-
Pentagon spokesperson forced out as DHS’s resignsSpeed Read Senior military adviser Col. David Butler was fired by Pete Hegseth and Homeland Security spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin is resigning
-
Judge orders Washington slavery exhibit restoredSpeed Read The Trump administration took down displays about slavery at the President’s House Site in Philadelphia
-
Hyatt chair joins growing list of Epstein files losersSpeed Read Thomas Pritzker stepped down as executive chair of the Hyatt Hotels Corporation over his ties with Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
-
Judge blocks Hegseth from punishing Kelly over videoSpeed Read Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth pushed for the senator to be demoted over a video in which he reminds military officials they should refuse illegal orders
-
Trump’s EPA kills legal basis for federal climate policySpeed Read The government’s authority to regulate several planet-warming pollutants has been repealed
-
House votes to end Trump’s Canada tariffsSpeed Read Six Republicans joined with Democrats to repeal the president’s tariffs
-
Bondi, Democrats clash over Epstein in hearingSpeed Read Attorney General Pam Bondi ignored survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and demanded that Democrats apologize to Trump
