Comedian Jon Stewart ripped Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) on Monday over a flat joke.
Stewart played a clip of Schumer’s remarks during “The Daily Show,” in which the lawmaker said, “Democrats are adamant that we must protect the health care of the American people.”
The comedian chimed in, “If you had stopped there, that would be great. But you’re going to keep talking, aren’t you?”
The recording of Schumer continued with footage of him next to Sen. Amy Klobuchar (D-Minn.).
“New data came out today from KFF — and that is not Kentucky Fried French Fries, KFF,” Schumer said before gazing at Klobuchar.
“That’d be Kentucky French Fries, hmm?” the New York senator added, chuckling.
Stewart slammed him for the stale line.
“Who is that joke even for? Six-year-olds who watch C-SPAN? What the f‑‑‑ are you doing?” Stewart reamed.
“Chuck Schumer is a human flat tire. You just can’t, ‘Kentucky Fried French Fry.’” he said, doing an impression of the 74-year-old Democratic leader. “Look at Klobuchar! Poor Klobuchar.
“That is the face of someone who talked to their dad, who said, ‘Just please don’t do your Indian accent in the restaurant. That’s all I’m asking.’”
Stewart has been a harsh critic of Schumer in recent months, slamming him for supporting a continuing resolution earlier this year.
“And for those of you who may have felt like this was a total capitulation, Sen. Schumer just felt like this wasn’t the moment for Democrats to press their case, because Trump is still too strong,” Stewart said of that move earlier this year.
“Apparently, the grand plan is Dems keep fecklessly complaining until [Trump’s] 48 [percent] approval comes down to 40, which is a plan, but it’s forgetting one crucial piece of information in Schumer’s popularity calculation,” Stewart said.
Schumer’s stance has since hardened, as the president’s approval has fallen. This time around, Schumer and other Senate Democrats have refused to vote in favor of a stopgap bill to fund the government until Nov. 21 in an effort to reverse cuts to Medicaid and ensure Affordable Care Act premium subsidies are extended.
The GOP backlash to the government shutdown has been voiced by federal agencies, which have issued statements blaming Democrats for federal closures.
“After five failed votes, it should be clear to Republicans that we cannot go forward unless they sit down and seriously negotiate with Democrats to address the health care crisis. It’s that simple,” Schumer told reporters amid the stalemate.