How does this help? How on earth does anything like this help us to get rid of Donald Trump?
Hillary would have made a great president. Donald Trump nearly destroyed us. Calling her 'despicable' is stupid in the face of all we've been through, yet you come into my space, knowing how I must feel about the loss in 2016, knowing how much I like and appreciate Joe Biden, knowing what I'm trying to do here, and you come purposely to shit on it.
Am I supposed to thank you now for promising to vote for Biden? Piss off.
THANK YOU! I too used to love Jon Stewart but then I started noticing his sexism. It was subtle at first but the uneasiness within me kept growing. I started noticing how few female guests he had on (how few people of color too which really became noticeable once Trevor Noah became host) and how few female correspondents there were. I became even more uncomfortable with his frat bro humor. Of course, it came out full force when Hillary was running. The Bernie Bros really exposed the misogyny within the leftwing community and it was absolutely disheartening. Still is.
I didn't watch him last time and have no plans to do so. I'm incredibly disappointed to hear he went after Biden's age (or Biden in general) because everything you said is true. Biden is our last, best hope for democracy. Trump made that crystal clear (again) yesterday with his comments about NATO. Stewart knows this. He's a New Yorker. He knows how terrible Trump is and, during his time advocating for 9/11 first responders, he got a crash course in which party cares about people and which party doesn't. HE KNOWS!!! I just don't understand it.
I don't understand it, either, especially in light of how effective the Hillary-bashing was in 2016. That incessant chatter all but killed her chances and gave us Donald Trump. Why on earth would they think going after Biden in such destructive ways was something they needed to do?
Jon Stewart was by Joe Biden's side when Biden signed the First Responders law Stewart had worked so hard to enact. He stood there as Biden praised him for his work, and he thanked him. He should have no valid gripe against Biden--at least compared to Trump--and yet he threw it all away for a few cutting jokes.
I HATE that this is happening again. And I HATE that the public is going to eat it up.
I don't think so. Stewart doesn't play that way. I think it's more that he's a bit of an asshole and he gets off on making fun of people he thinks need a take-down.
This all makes me sick & frustrated! Why are people like Stewart not realizing the repercussions of Trump winning? Why are they not seeing the seriousness of the situation?We are witnessing a second Germany with Hitler when people were not paying attention or taking him seriously. I pray we all come to our senses & soon!!!
Ramona, did you happen to see Lawrence O’Donnell’s A-block from The Last Word on MSNBC last night? I thought it was particularly good and hope it will be shared widely. Lawrence spoke persuasively about some of the problems (ageism in particular) in how the presidential race is being covered. You may be able to see part of it here, although they left off the interview with Timothy Snyder: https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/lawrence-biden-on-his-worst-day-is-better-than-trump-on-his-best-day-204101189938
(I’m sure you can hear the whole thing on the podcast, but it would be audio only.)
Thank you so much, Lenora! I was going to look for it since I hadn't seen it but I'd heard about it. I'll add the link to the end of my piece. Thank you! ❤️
I saw it the same way, Ramona. It was lazy and more of the same. The great artists evolve -- keep it fresh. Dude had 10 yrs., and we got this lazy nonsense.
I'll give him a try a few more times for a better sample size, but I am admittedly skeptical.
Oh, I so agree. It was lazy. And predictable. Stewart saw his usual bashing, even of the good guys, as a great way to get back on board, and apparently he was right. Big whoops from everyone today, which is why I felt compelled to write my version. (And to add Lawrence O'Donnell's great take on the folly of ageism in politics just now.)
Not that it will make a splash but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
Agreed, Ramona. Ageism is bigotry and it is wrong. Biden is 100% competent. And his accumulated policy experience brings priceless wisdom. I feel so indignant about people making fun of superficial, involuntary attributes like hair color, wrinkled skin, walking more stiffly because of a back injury…I mean, come on, people!
I never liked Jon Stewart in the first place, because I saw the meanness underneath. But I don't like any of the talking heads, no matter what their alleged orientation is, because they're all the same. Don't listen to the words, listen to the tones they use. Same.
I agree with your wholeheartedly. The other issue I don't understand is why the networks cover Trump and his meanness, hate, and lies ad nauseam. He is prime time - all the time.
Trump sells. He's a never-ending source of fascination, I guess. They've given up any thought of actual responsibility to their readers in favor of the razzle-dazzle of the perennial bad boy.
I think so, too. I'm hoping it's not too late but the antics of the Republicans in congress are beyond the pale. The right wing courts, including the Supreme Court, are troubling. The damage already feels irreparable.
Me too. It's going to be Biden-bashing and Dem-bashing right up until the time we either squeak through when it should have been a landslide, or Trump wins.
I thought the ending of the monologue was prescient. That no matter what happens, progress is painfully slow, and takes a lot of hard work. It took Jon literal decades to get healthcare for 9/11 first responders, which is something I still give him a lot of credit for. He was dead right about that, and it would do everyone well to remember that when they expect things to change RIGHT NOW.
The part that irked me was when he compared Biden and Trump and said both were vibrant or capable or whatever. The latter is neither, he is a dangerous madman who shouldn't be allowed to own a houseplant, never mind run the country. That was my main problem. Biden's team is doing a piss poor job, and he is right that Biden should not be above criticism. I don't even care if he makes fun of Biden. What I DO think is irresponsible is acting like there's an actual choice here. There isn't. There wasn't last time, either.
Yes, Jon Stewart was by his side when Biden signed the bill Stewart had worked so hard for. Biden put it into action and this is how he repays him.
The ending monologue was okay, but before that he said it didn't matter which of those men won the presidency. He literally said it didn't matter. What a statement, coming from a place of privilege where, apparently, nothing Trump does will ever hurt him.
I think he blew his entire debut. If he was sending a message about where he would be for the next crucial months I got it loud and clear. It would be comedy over democracy.
Y'all are missing the point, I think. Trump IS too crazy and old to be Prez. But, Biden is too old too, yet Democrats still back him...see all your comments above. Stewart knocks the Biden campaign as a warning to the party. Stewart is frustrated that the Democratic party won't nominate a young vibrant candidate to blow Trump out of the water. There are so many...Newsome, Buttigieg, Warnock, Whitmer, Beshear, Duckworth, Booker, Brown, Kelly. Yet Biden - at a 39 % approval - is the guy? He has done a great job true, but he is falling behind Trump because......he IS too old. Most of the country thinks so, and they are not wrong. Biden should step aside and the Dems should nominate a younger someone to lead us from and in the 21st century who can blow MAGA away instead of the neck-and-neck race to the bottom we have now. That is Jon Stewart's point.
Besides the very real fact that most Democrats WANT Joe Biden as president, there's the very real fact that it's FEBRUARY. The election is in NOVEMBER. It would be insanity to suddenly dump Biden and start a full-blown primary battle between everyone who wanted to be president.
Screw the polls. They're wrong most of the time. Most Dems do not think Biden is too old. He should NOT step aside. And you and Jon Stewart are plain daffy if you think any of that is going to happen.
Joe Biden is our candidate. Period. Now, you can either go on complaining and pretending there's another way or you can get with the program and make sure Biden wins. Because if he doesn't Donald Trump WILL.
Wow.....angry much? I will indeed make sure Biden wins, Trump is an obvious danger. But Dems need to make sure MAGA died with Trump...and that means a 21st century candidate and party.
Angry? You can't even imagine. I've been putting up with this shit throughout every presidential election since JFK. No Democrat is ever good enough, while the Republicans hand us human garbage.
You want another candidate? Then get busy and start grooming one for 2028. 2024 is taken. It's Joe Biden, and every time you supposed Democrats get on your soapbox to tell the country what a weak candidate he is, you show your hand. You're going to make sure Biden wins? How? When? Because you sure as shit aren't going to get it done like this.
Ahh...sweet rancor is so satisfying. Sorry about all those elections. Carter actually gave me shivers at one of his rallies and Obama! Well...
I'm not on a soapbox, I'm just opining on Jon Stewarts show and what I think he was trying to communicate. His wasn't a hit job, it was a warning.
I'll vote for Biden...I pray he wins for all our sakes, but it's going to be close. He IS a weak candidate and shouting Bullshit won't change that. My - and Stewarts - position is it didn't have to be this way. If Biden had made it clear a year ago that he wasn't going to run again, a fresh young anti-MAGA candidate would have smashed them MAGA fu$%ers. Instead we have tired old Joe, tied with Caligula. Spilt milk, I know...but the Democratic party can - must - do better in the future..
If, if, if. Must, must, must. You know where that gets you nine months before the election? Nowhere. You just want to run your mouth off. Well, go do it somewhere else. Pretend you're actually working at something.
Grace Ramona...sorry to crash your party with a different point of view. It's disappointing you chose to reply with insults. We want the same thing. I just hoped for a better, younger thing. I'll leave you be now.
Before you go, Barry, try to remember what you said. That you want Biden to win. There are better ways of doing it than reminding voters of why you're so reluctant.
To me, the salient point is this: if Jon was so set against Joe as our candidate, he could have spoken up quite a lot sooner. Waiting until it's too late for us to develop another option (who would Jon prefer?) and then proceeding to bash him... it's not helpful at all.
It's not up to Jon Stewart to pick a candidate for us. We have a candidate. Now it's imperative that we make sure he wins. That means shut off the 'Joe is weak, Joe is bad, Joe is old' spigot and play up his very real successes.
He's a good man and a proven leader. That should be our focus against opponents who want to take him down. And that includes those who pretend to be on our side but still can't get enough of Biden-bashing.
I didn't mean to suggest it was Jon's prerogative to choose for us, but that he has had the option to speak up lo, these many months. He's got a huge bullhorn and the ability to use it constructively or destructively.
I frankly have no interest in who Jon Stewart thinks should be our candidate--now or in the past. The point is, he chose to go on the attack against the candidate in place for no legitimate reason other than to improve his ratings.
If he has influence, that makes him dangerous now. If he continues along these lines he's no friend of democracy.
There has already been a primary. Only Kamala Harris can receive the delegates, and campaign funds. Do we need to put that on a billboard? You don’t just install someone.
I’m sad to agree with you. It is painful watching Joe Biden slur, stumble, and shuffle when he walks. He is a good person who has dedicated his life to public service. And it’s not “old” that concerns me but the obvious decline. And he is sounding angry and defensive with statements like “who else could” or “only I can”. I think those of us that vote blue admire Joe and have a certain degree of loyalty. There is just too much at stake. Too much.
Who do you have in mind to replace him? Can they win? Are you sure? Joe is right. He won the primary. He has the delegates. He has the war chest. The probability is that he and only he can win. But only with support. Otherwise it’s Donald.
Nice that Substack keeps track of comments to months old - er - comments. Kamala Harris can replace Biden, kick Trumps ass and give us all something to hope for. Personally think a Kamala/Pete ticket would steamroll MAGA. Of course...a vote for Biden IS a vote for Kamala too. Don't yell at me again Ramona.....😉
To add to the previous - she'd be the first woman who also happens to be black - whip smart, young, energetic. Her candidacy - done right - would be as transformational as Obama's. Who can't get behind that?
Looks like everyone with a brain can get behind that, including me. I'm big enough to admit when I get it wrong. I got it wrong! (Note the date. So don't yell at me!)
100% agree with you Ramona. I thought he came back to make a difference, not to bash Biden. You are not the only one. I will not be watching this show at all.
Ramona! Thank you for writing this, for a number of reasons. One of them is that I too used to watch and enjoy John Stewart regularly. Listening to him recently, I was confounded. Had I changed so much? I’m glad for your analysis showing me That he has morphed.
(I mean, of course I’ve changed too. it’s been years. Would be sad if there’d been no evolution.)
How does this help? How on earth does anything like this help us to get rid of Donald Trump?
Hillary would have made a great president. Donald Trump nearly destroyed us. Calling her 'despicable' is stupid in the face of all we've been through, yet you come into my space, knowing how I must feel about the loss in 2016, knowing how much I like and appreciate Joe Biden, knowing what I'm trying to do here, and you come purposely to shit on it.
Am I supposed to thank you now for promising to vote for Biden? Piss off.
I repeat: Piss off.
THANK YOU! I too used to love Jon Stewart but then I started noticing his sexism. It was subtle at first but the uneasiness within me kept growing. I started noticing how few female guests he had on (how few people of color too which really became noticeable once Trevor Noah became host) and how few female correspondents there were. I became even more uncomfortable with his frat bro humor. Of course, it came out full force when Hillary was running. The Bernie Bros really exposed the misogyny within the leftwing community and it was absolutely disheartening. Still is.
I didn't watch him last time and have no plans to do so. I'm incredibly disappointed to hear he went after Biden's age (or Biden in general) because everything you said is true. Biden is our last, best hope for democracy. Trump made that crystal clear (again) yesterday with his comments about NATO. Stewart knows this. He's a New Yorker. He knows how terrible Trump is and, during his time advocating for 9/11 first responders, he got a crash course in which party cares about people and which party doesn't. HE KNOWS!!! I just don't understand it.
I don't understand it, either, especially in light of how effective the Hillary-bashing was in 2016. That incessant chatter all but killed her chances and gave us Donald Trump. Why on earth would they think going after Biden in such destructive ways was something they needed to do?
Jon Stewart was by Joe Biden's side when Biden signed the First Responders law Stewart had worked so hard to enact. He stood there as Biden praised him for his work, and he thanked him. He should have no valid gripe against Biden--at least compared to Trump--and yet he threw it all away for a few cutting jokes.
I HATE that this is happening again. And I HATE that the public is going to eat it up.
Follow the money, I bet. His Hillary-bashing in 2016 helped elect Trump, now he's being brought in again to bash Biden to re-elect Trump.
I don't think so. Stewart doesn't play that way. I think it's more that he's a bit of an asshole and he gets off on making fun of people he thinks need a take-down.
But not, for god's sake, in this election year!
I just remember that he was lukewarm about Covid vax. I think he's for sale.
I agree with J R-W. He ONCE didn't play that way. He's a whore.
This all makes me sick & frustrated! Why are people like Stewart not realizing the repercussions of Trump winning? Why are they not seeing the seriousness of the situation?We are witnessing a second Germany with Hitler when people were not paying attention or taking him seriously. I pray we all come to our senses & soon!!!
Ramona, did you happen to see Lawrence O’Donnell’s A-block from The Last Word on MSNBC last night? I thought it was particularly good and hope it will be shared widely. Lawrence spoke persuasively about some of the problems (ageism in particular) in how the presidential race is being covered. You may be able to see part of it here, although they left off the interview with Timothy Snyder: https://www.msnbc.com/the-last-word/watch/lawrence-biden-on-his-worst-day-is-better-than-trump-on-his-best-day-204101189938
(I’m sure you can hear the whole thing on the podcast, but it would be audio only.)
Thank you so much, Lenora! I was going to look for it since I hadn't seen it but I'd heard about it. I'll add the link to the end of my piece. Thank you! ❤️
I saw it the same way, Ramona. It was lazy and more of the same. The great artists evolve -- keep it fresh. Dude had 10 yrs., and we got this lazy nonsense.
I'll give him a try a few more times for a better sample size, but I am admittedly skeptical.
Oh, I so agree. It was lazy. And predictable. Stewart saw his usual bashing, even of the good guys, as a great way to get back on board, and apparently he was right. Big whoops from everyone today, which is why I felt compelled to write my version. (And to add Lawrence O'Donnell's great take on the folly of ageism in politics just now.)
Not that it will make a splash but sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.
He was messaging the Biden campaign that they are inept, not Biden directly.
Not exactly true. If he had been he would have been defending Biden instead of mocking his every utterance, his every movement, his AGE.
Agreed, Ramona. Ageism is bigotry and it is wrong. Biden is 100% competent. And his accumulated policy experience brings priceless wisdom. I feel so indignant about people making fun of superficial, involuntary attributes like hair color, wrinkled skin, walking more stiffly because of a back injury…I mean, come on, people!
I never liked Jon Stewart in the first place, because I saw the meanness underneath. But I don't like any of the talking heads, no matter what their alleged orientation is, because they're all the same. Don't listen to the words, listen to the tones they use. Same.
I agree with your wholeheartedly. The other issue I don't understand is why the networks cover Trump and his meanness, hate, and lies ad nauseam. He is prime time - all the time.
Trump sells. He's a never-ending source of fascination, I guess. They've given up any thought of actual responsibility to their readers in favor of the razzle-dazzle of the perennial bad boy.
Never mind what kind of damage it does.
It's just sickening . . maybe I'm a pessimist, but the damage he is doing seems irreparable.
I think so, too. I'm hoping it's not too late but the antics of the Republicans in congress are beyond the pale. The right wing courts, including the Supreme Court, are troubling. The damage already feels irreparable.
I am sick to my stomach reading the reviews.
Me too. It's going to be Biden-bashing and Dem-bashing right up until the time we either squeak through when it should have been a landslide, or Trump wins.
And none of them will ever take the blame
Thank you for this. It makes me ill to think that if he continues this vein of "humor" that he could help usher in the return of TFG.
My fear exactly. I'm furious that he wanted to come back to The Daily Show just to be that reckless with our futures.
I wonder about that, too. He went at it with a vengeance. No thought given at all to how those sound bites might be used by the other side.
I thought the ending of the monologue was prescient. That no matter what happens, progress is painfully slow, and takes a lot of hard work. It took Jon literal decades to get healthcare for 9/11 first responders, which is something I still give him a lot of credit for. He was dead right about that, and it would do everyone well to remember that when they expect things to change RIGHT NOW.
The part that irked me was when he compared Biden and Trump and said both were vibrant or capable or whatever. The latter is neither, he is a dangerous madman who shouldn't be allowed to own a houseplant, never mind run the country. That was my main problem. Biden's team is doing a piss poor job, and he is right that Biden should not be above criticism. I don't even care if he makes fun of Biden. What I DO think is irresponsible is acting like there's an actual choice here. There isn't. There wasn't last time, either.
Yes, Jon Stewart was by his side when Biden signed the bill Stewart had worked so hard for. Biden put it into action and this is how he repays him.
The ending monologue was okay, but before that he said it didn't matter which of those men won the presidency. He literally said it didn't matter. What a statement, coming from a place of privilege where, apparently, nothing Trump does will ever hurt him.
I think he blew his entire debut. If he was sending a message about where he would be for the next crucial months I got it loud and clear. It would be comedy over democracy.
Y'all are missing the point, I think. Trump IS too crazy and old to be Prez. But, Biden is too old too, yet Democrats still back him...see all your comments above. Stewart knocks the Biden campaign as a warning to the party. Stewart is frustrated that the Democratic party won't nominate a young vibrant candidate to blow Trump out of the water. There are so many...Newsome, Buttigieg, Warnock, Whitmer, Beshear, Duckworth, Booker, Brown, Kelly. Yet Biden - at a 39 % approval - is the guy? He has done a great job true, but he is falling behind Trump because......he IS too old. Most of the country thinks so, and they are not wrong. Biden should step aside and the Dems should nominate a younger someone to lead us from and in the 21st century who can blow MAGA away instead of the neck-and-neck race to the bottom we have now. That is Jon Stewart's point.
Besides the very real fact that most Democrats WANT Joe Biden as president, there's the very real fact that it's FEBRUARY. The election is in NOVEMBER. It would be insanity to suddenly dump Biden and start a full-blown primary battle between everyone who wanted to be president.
Screw the polls. They're wrong most of the time. Most Dems do not think Biden is too old. He should NOT step aside. And you and Jon Stewart are plain daffy if you think any of that is going to happen.
Joe Biden is our candidate. Period. Now, you can either go on complaining and pretending there's another way or you can get with the program and make sure Biden wins. Because if he doesn't Donald Trump WILL.
Why are you still here?
This is what being a liberal means. It's really pretty straightforward. You probably know plenty of them. They just don't brag about it.
https://constantcommoner.substack.com/p/you-may-think-you-know-a-liberal
Wow.....angry much? I will indeed make sure Biden wins, Trump is an obvious danger. But Dems need to make sure MAGA died with Trump...and that means a 21st century candidate and party.
Angry? You can't even imagine. I've been putting up with this shit throughout every presidential election since JFK. No Democrat is ever good enough, while the Republicans hand us human garbage.
You want another candidate? Then get busy and start grooming one for 2028. 2024 is taken. It's Joe Biden, and every time you supposed Democrats get on your soapbox to tell the country what a weak candidate he is, you show your hand. You're going to make sure Biden wins? How? When? Because you sure as shit aren't going to get it done like this.
Thank you.
Ahh...sweet rancor is so satisfying. Sorry about all those elections. Carter actually gave me shivers at one of his rallies and Obama! Well...
I'm not on a soapbox, I'm just opining on Jon Stewarts show and what I think he was trying to communicate. His wasn't a hit job, it was a warning.
I'll vote for Biden...I pray he wins for all our sakes, but it's going to be close. He IS a weak candidate and shouting Bullshit won't change that. My - and Stewarts - position is it didn't have to be this way. If Biden had made it clear a year ago that he wasn't going to run again, a fresh young anti-MAGA candidate would have smashed them MAGA fu$%ers. Instead we have tired old Joe, tied with Caligula. Spilt milk, I know...but the Democratic party can - must - do better in the future..
If, if, if. Must, must, must. You know where that gets you nine months before the election? Nowhere. You just want to run your mouth off. Well, go do it somewhere else. Pretend you're actually working at something.
HOW DARE WE EXPECT MORE FROM THE PEOPLE WE PAY AND "ELECT" TO REPRESENT US!!!!!
Grace Ramona...sorry to crash your party with a different point of view. It's disappointing you chose to reply with insults. We want the same thing. I just hoped for a better, younger thing. I'll leave you be now.
Before you go, Barry, try to remember what you said. That you want Biden to win. There are better ways of doing it than reminding voters of why you're so reluctant.
They pick up on that. You might remember 2016...
To me, the salient point is this: if Jon was so set against Joe as our candidate, he could have spoken up quite a lot sooner. Waiting until it's too late for us to develop another option (who would Jon prefer?) and then proceeding to bash him... it's not helpful at all.
It's not up to Jon Stewart to pick a candidate for us. We have a candidate. Now it's imperative that we make sure he wins. That means shut off the 'Joe is weak, Joe is bad, Joe is old' spigot and play up his very real successes.
He's a good man and a proven leader. That should be our focus against opponents who want to take him down. And that includes those who pretend to be on our side but still can't get enough of Biden-bashing.
I didn't mean to suggest it was Jon's prerogative to choose for us, but that he has had the option to speak up lo, these many months. He's got a huge bullhorn and the ability to use it constructively or destructively.
I frankly have no interest in who Jon Stewart thinks should be our candidate--now or in the past. The point is, he chose to go on the attack against the candidate in place for no legitimate reason other than to improve his ratings.
If he has influence, that makes him dangerous now. If he continues along these lines he's no friend of democracy.
There has already been a primary. Only Kamala Harris can receive the delegates, and campaign funds. Do we need to put that on a billboard? You don’t just install someone.
I’m sad to agree with you. It is painful watching Joe Biden slur, stumble, and shuffle when he walks. He is a good person who has dedicated his life to public service. And it’s not “old” that concerns me but the obvious decline. And he is sounding angry and defensive with statements like “who else could” or “only I can”. I think those of us that vote blue admire Joe and have a certain degree of loyalty. There is just too much at stake. Too much.
Who do you have in mind to replace him? Can they win? Are you sure? Joe is right. He won the primary. He has the delegates. He has the war chest. The probability is that he and only he can win. But only with support. Otherwise it’s Donald.
Nice that Substack keeps track of comments to months old - er - comments. Kamala Harris can replace Biden, kick Trumps ass and give us all something to hope for. Personally think a Kamala/Pete ticket would steamroll MAGA. Of course...a vote for Biden IS a vote for Kamala too. Don't yell at me again Ramona.....😉
To add to the previous - she'd be the first woman who also happens to be black - whip smart, young, energetic. Her candidacy - done right - would be as transformational as Obama's. Who can't get behind that?
Looks like everyone with a brain can get behind that, including me. I'm big enough to admit when I get it wrong. I got it wrong! (Note the date. So don't yell at me!)
https://constantcommoner.substack.com/p/we-can-win-this-election-if-we-want
100% agree with you Ramona. I thought he came back to make a difference, not to bash Biden. You are not the only one. I will not be watching this show at all.
It's so disappointing. No lessons learned there.
Yes. It didn't take long for Stewart to enshittify himself totally, either.
Wonderful post. Thank you!
I miss your writing about anything else but politics.
Next time. Promise.
Ramona! Thank you for writing this, for a number of reasons. One of them is that I too used to watch and enjoy John Stewart regularly. Listening to him recently, I was confounded. Had I changed so much? I’m glad for your analysis showing me That he has morphed.
(I mean, of course I’ve changed too. it’s been years. Would be sad if there’d been no evolution.)
Thank you for writing about issues that matter.
Totally agree. I, too, stopped watching Stewart because of his meanness.