The Problem Isn’t Biden or Trump. It’s How America Keeps Secrets.
The Weekly Show with Jon Stewart
Comedy Central
4.5 • 7.5K Ratings
🗓️ 25 January 2023
⏱️ 65 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
The media is chasing the classified documents fiasco like it’s spy vs. spy, Trump vs. Biden. But on this week’s episode, we’re breaking down the absurdity of a national security system that makes it so darn easy to hoard classified documents. We’re joined by Matthew Connelly, professor of history at Columbia and author of The Declassification Engine: What History Reveals About America’s Top Secrets. He gives us the inside scoop on how unwieldy our system for keeping state secrets has become, who it’s really designed to protect, and how we might revamp it so that it can actually, you know, keep a secret. Plus, writers Jay Jurden and Robby Slowik run through the documents the FBI found at Pence’s house—and why they’re going to make Mother very angry.
Season 2 is now streaming on Apple TV+.
CREDITS Hosted by: Jon Stewart
Featuring, in order of appearance: Robby Slowik, Jay Jurden, Matthew Connelly
Executive Produced by Jon Stewart, Brinda Adhikari, James Dixon, Chris McShane, and Richard Plepler
Lead Producer: Sophie Erickson
Producers: Zach Goldbaum, Caity Gray
Assoc. Producer: Andrea Betanzos
Sound Engineer: Miguel Carrascal
Senior Digital Producer: Freddie Morgan
Digital Producer: Cassie Murdoch
Digital Coordinator: Norma Hernandez
Supervising Producer: Lorrie Baranek
Head Writer: Kris Acimovic
Elements Producer: Kenneth Hull
Clearances Producer: Daniella Philipson
Senior Talent Producer: Brittany Mehmedovic
Talent Manager: Marjorie McCurry
Talent Coordinator: Lukas Thimm
Senior Research Producer: Susan Helvenston
Theme Music by: Gary Clark Jr.
The Problem with Jon Stewart podcast is an Apple TV+ podcast, produced by Busboy Productions.
Transcript
Click on a timestamp to play from that location
| 0:00.0 | I won't rob any say to think he was scared to say. |
| 0:02.3 | Robbie, what did you actually want to say? |
| 0:04.1 | It's just that the only way this could be better |
| 0:05.9 | for the Republicans, if it ends up |
| 0:07.5 | their video of Hunter Biden fucking the document. |
| 0:09.8 | You know? |
| 0:10.6 | Boy outy. |
| 0:12.4 | All right, everybody. |
| 0:33.7 | Welcome back to the podcast, The Problem. |
| 0:36.7 | With John Stewart, The Problem. |
| 0:38.4 | Don't forget to watch the Apple TV Plus show. |
| 0:40.2 | More episodes are coming. |
| 0:42.4 | We're currently making them. |
| 0:43.8 | I shouldn't even be saying that. |
| 0:45.2 | That's a state secret that's redacted, which |
| 0:48.0 | brings us to today's podcast, classified documents. |
| 0:51.9 | It is all the rage. |
| 0:53.2 | Who is worse? |
| 0:55.2 | Trump or Biden? |
| 0:57.1 | How could this be that one is refusing to cooperate |
| 1:01.6 | and give back the box that he took from his office? |
| 1:04.2 | Whereas the other one just fucking throws it |
... |
Please login to see the full transcript.
Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Comedy Central, and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.
Generated transcripts are the property of Comedy Central and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.
Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.