Trump: If they can elect a comic, we can elect a reality show host

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News with a Twist

Inauguration of Guatemalan Comic as President Boosts Trump

Jon Stewart considers entering the fray

  

The Associated Press reported today that TV comic and political neophyte Jimmy Morales was being inaugurated as Guatemala’s next president on Thursday amid uncertainty over how he plans to run the Central American nation beset by entrenched poverty, rampant corruption and violent criminal gangs.

Reaction in the U.S. was immediate. Republican front-runner Donald Trump tweeted, “If #Guatemala can elect TV comic, surely #US can elect TV reality show host. Clearly reality host more qualified than comic.”

Trump’s spokesperson, Katrina Pierson, in a separate statement said, “Mr. Trump believes that given the U.S. under Barak Obama is also beset by entrenched poverty, rampant corruption and violent criminal gangs, we should follow Guatemala’s lead and elect a bona fide TV personality.”

In an immediate challenge to the Trump statements, Prescott (Press) Relationstein, a representative of Jon Stewart’s publicity agency BWR, issued the following statement: “While Jon Stewart also believes it is time to elect a TV personality, he is deeply offended by Donald Trump’s characterization that reality show hosts are more qualified than comics to be president of the United States. In that regard, given Jimmy Morales’s historical precedent, and Mr. Trump’s egregious insult, Jon Stewart is seriously considering throwing his hat into the ring and running for president as a Democrat.”

Reaction to the Stewart news was swift. Both leading candidates for the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, announced that if Mr. Stewart enters the race neither will agree to appear on Mr. Stewart’s popular TV show, The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. 

It took Martin O’Malley, currently running a distant third in the Democratic race, to remind the front runners that Stewart is no longer the host of  The Daily Show. O'Malley, looking for any angle to move up in the polls went on to say, “I intend to make their lack of awareness that Stewart left the show months ago a major theme in Sunday’s Democratic debate.”