Comedian Jon Stewart explored the challenges Democrats face when agreeing with opposing viewpoints. On his show Friday, he pointed out the discomfort in siding with RFK Jr. on certain issues.
"How do you walk that tightrope?" Stewart asked Sen. Bernie Sanders. "There’s a gag reflex... Robert Kennedy says ultra-processed foods are killing Americans, and I’m like, ‘yeah, God awful. That’s got to change.’”
Stewart interviewed Sanders on "The Weekly Show," where the senator emphasized bipartisan cooperation. "When Republicans say good and appropriate things, we should work with them," Sanders said.
Stewart noted the backlash when agreeing with controversial figures. "If you agree with Robert Kennedy Jr. on anything...you’re dog-piled. Elon Musk says government waste is a problem, and we’ve yelled about that for years. But the reaction is, ‘How dare you?’ It’s fascinating," he said.
Sanders revealed he was holding a hearing to address misleading food labels. "Why hasn’t the FDA implemented strong warnings about food leading to obesity and diabetes? We’ve been irresponsible," he said, agreeing that Kennedy was right about food issues.
However, Sanders drew a line on RFK Jr.'s stance on fluoride. "I disagree with him on removing it from drinking water," he said. "Walking that line is what we’re trying to figure out."
Stewart highlighted a flawed system. "Food companies design products to bypass your brain’s defenses, causing obesity and diabetes. Then pharmaceutical companies profit with drugs like Ozempic. It’s a crazy cycle," he said.
Sanders agreed, noting that scientists have called much of the food advertised on TV "addictive." "The government hasn’t acted with urgency. Kennedy’s right on some issues, but balancing that with the crazy stuff he says is the challenge," Sanders said.