Here’s Why Jon Stewart Could Be An Excellent Debate Moderator — According To 150K Fans

Jon Stewart is as much a fixture of the presidential election as nasty political ads and baby-kissing. And 150,000 of his dearest fans have signed a petition begging that the former Daily Show host moderate a presidential debate.

However, Jon did indicate before his departure that he was leaving because of the upcoming election, USA Today pointed out. So despite the strong support, the comedian may simply not be up for it.

So far, he hasn’t responded to the Change.org petition. It’s directed at the Commission on Presidential Debates and asks the organization if they’ll consider John as moderator, Time reported.

Stewart is more than qualified, the petition insists, and he has some pretty stellar credentials despite his rather goofy, vulgarity-laced method of delivering the news. But despite his ribald jokes, often at the expense of politicians, he has a track record of thought-provoking interviews with world leaders, Entertainment Weekly added. Plus, Jon’s election coverage in 2000 and 2004 earned him a Peabody Award

In fact, he may just be perfect.

“Mr. Stewart has interviewed 15 heads of state, 22 members of the United States Cabinet, 32 members of the United States Senate, 7 members of the United States House of Representatives, and scores of other political leaders from this country and around the world while establishing himself as the most trusted person in (satirical) news.”

(Plus, it would be pretty fascinating to watch him go head to head with his “favorite” candidate, Donald Trump)

But perhaps more important than that, the petitioners argue that Jon represents the “worldview and values” of many Americans. A Reuters poll showed the comedian “generally” shared opinions on issues with 52 percent of respondents. That’s higher than the approval rating for most candidates.

And as MTV News pointed out, he’s also just as confused and noncommittal about his politics as the rest of us, and quoted Stewart as once saying, “‘Liberal’ and ‘conservative’ have lost their meaning in America. I represent the distracted center.”

People trust him and are accustomed to hearing his opinions on the hot political topics of the day, know he isn’t biased, has no loyalties, and actually knows what he’s talking about. More importantly, he cares.

Conveniently, since his departure from The Daily Show (a seat that will now be assumed by Trevor Noah), Stewart apparently has no project commitments, making him available should he wish to be a moderator.

And here’s the no-brainer: Few people will likely be interested in watching the presidential debates (even though Donald Trump has proven to make them quite fascinating), but if Jon Stewart is at the helm, his fans will surely tune in, MTV News added.

So what do you think? Would you watch a presidential debate if Jon Stewart was the host?

[Photo Courtesy Brad Barket/Getty Images]