“The Daily Show” video-clip crew didn’t have to work too hard to find contradictions in Donald Trump’s use of the words “war” and “military operation” for host Jon Stewart to tear into Monday night – they came from the same speech.
Stewart noted that the War Powers Resolution has a 60-day limit, after which the president must go to Congress to decide whether to continue the conflict – which Trump has indicated he will not do.
“I was kind of under the impression that that’s not his choice,” Stewart said. “That it would be, I don’t know, illegal.”
Stewart then ran clips a recent Trump speech in which he made a point to refer to the Iran conflict as a “military operation,” then went on to say “they don’t like the word war … they call it a military operation, because that way you don’t have a war. You don’t have legal problems.”
Watch Stewart crash out at that moment in the video below.
“You almost have to admire the brazenness,” Stewart said, recovering.
“It’s like going up to a McDonald’s cashier: ‘Yeah, I’m going to get a cup of water,’” Stewart said. “Well, I say water, it’s because I don’t like to use the word soda. If I say water, I get it for free. … My plan is to use the word water to avoid any … payment problems.”
Stewart noted that Trump’s “military operation” strategy only works if he’s disciplined about saying it.
Cut back to Trump’s speech. “You know, we’re in a war,” the president says.
“Same day! Same podium!” Stewart exclaimed. “It’s like he’s just looking the cashier in the eye, filling up his cup with soda.”
