Trever Noah once said that many Daily Show viewers considered Jon Stewart their “political Dad.” Last month, our political Dad came home.  Jon Stewart hit the ground running in a spectacular return to The Daily Show. As expected, he picked up right where he left off. His performance proves there is only one true Daily Show host. From his book The Daily Show with Jon Stewart Presents America: A Citizen’s Guide to Democracy Inaction to his return show in early February, Stewart has always had a reputation for “letting both sides have it.” Stewart wasted no time in causing controversy and drawing attacks from both sides.

Stewart did a 100% perfect imitation of what was no doubt going on in Democrats’ minds after Biden provided an outstanding press conference, came within an inch of ending on a perfect note, and then proceeded to return to the podium and refer to an Egyptian president as the president of Mexico. Among the other highlights was when Stewart played a number of clips of Democrats assuring the public that President Biden was completely focused while in meetings behind closed doors. The series of clips ended with Vice President Harris saying that President Biden “was in front of and on top of it all, coordinating and directing leaders who are in charge of America’s national security.” “Did anyone film that?” asked Stewart.

Some progressives, apparently were under the delusion Stewart would serve as a propaganda outlet for them, and that they would be immune to Stewart’s judgment. Progressives of all people should be thanking Jon Stewart. He is not a progressive, he is an independent. If Biden is in fact the Democratic nominee, winning the hearts of independents is more important than ever. Calling out the simple truth about President Biden is essential to winning credibility with independents. This didn’t stop countless progressives from calling Stewart out for his independence. Former MSNBC host Keith Olberman stated “Well after nine years away, there’s nothing else to say to the bothsidesist fraud Jon Stewart bashing Biden, except: Please make it another nine years.”  Conservative congressman Wesley Hunt said “You know you’re in trouble when you’re a Democrat president and Jon Stewart turns on you.”  Apparently Olberman and Hunt do not know that Stewart is an independent, not a Democrat.

All of Stewart’s attacks on Trump were justified. He attacked Trump’s memory more than Biden’s. Stewart did not mock or criticize Biden on a personal level at all, he simply stated the obvious.  The only possible way to repair the damage of the Robert Hur report is with transparency. The public must see that President Biden is fully functional. The public must see President Biden is in fact “on top of it all.” While more gaffes may be inevitable, the good must outweigh the bad. The “did anyone film that?”comment was funny because it was true.

Jon Stewart claimed his status as independent by attacking both sides, but it took a true artist to only deal out attacks to the left that were deserved and were not that damaging. He did in a way only Jon Stewart can.