The Daily Show shops for a brand of president other than Bush vs. Clinton, the 'Coke and Pepsi of politics'


Tuesday night's Daily Show took a serious look at presidential branding, and the possibility that the 2016 race will be between two established "brands," Hillary Clinton and Jeb Bush. Correspondent Michael Che found at least one person excited about the return of "the Coke and Pepsi of politics," Republican strategist Chip Saltsman. Che played along: "Why would you want to shop for a president at Family Dollar," since you might get an "off-brand" commander-in-chief like Obama, he asked. "We tried our black-guy phase. It's over. Now we need to get back to what works."
NYU history professor Jonathan Zimmerman played devil's advocate, arguing that we don't need a name brand in the Oval Office. When Zimmerman says that a name doesn't matter, Che almost stumps him by asking if he'd vote for a candidate named Phillip Hitler. But Che did more than spitball name-brand politics — he also resurrected an old brand name, by trying to create a campaign for Lili Van Buren, "an offspring of a president so forgettable he wouldn't offend either the left or the right." Whoever wrote her stump speech deserves a raise. --Peter Weber
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
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.
-
Critics' choice: Outstanding new Japanese restaurants
Feature An all-women sushi team, a 15-seat listening bar, and more
-
Why do Dana White and Donald Trump keep pushing for a White House UFC match?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION The president and the sports mogul each have their own reasons for wanting a White House spectacle
-
'Quiet vacationing': a secret revolt against workplace culture
The explainer You can be in two places at once
-
Trump BLS nominee floats ending key jobs report
Speed Read On Fox News, E.J. Antoni suggested scrapping the closely watched monthly jobs report
-
Trump picks conservative BLS critic to lead BLS
speed read He has nominated the Heritage Foundation's E.J. Antoni to lead the Bureau of Labor Statistics
-
Trump takes over DC police, deploys National Guard
Speed Read The president blames the takeover on rising crime, though official figures contradict this concern
-
Trump sends FBI to patrol DC, despite falling crime
Speed Read Washington, D.C., 'has become one of the most dangerous cities anywhere in the world,' Trump said
-
Trump officials reinstating 2 Confederate monuments
Speed Read The administration has plans to 'restore Confederate names and symbols' discarded in the wake of George Floyd's 2020 murder
-
Trump nominates Powell critic for vacant Fed seat
speed read Stephen Miran, the chair of Trump's Council of Economic Advisers and a fellow critic of Fed chair Jerome Powell, has been nominated to fill a seat on the Federal Reserve Board of Governors
-
ICE scraps age limits amid hiring push
Speed Read Anyone 18 or older can now apply to be an ICE agent
-
Trump's global tariffs take effect, with new additions
Speed Read Tariffs on more than 90 US trading partners went into effect, escalating the global trade war