Jon Stewart downplays Democrats' socialist agenda, claims they just want a stronger 'safety net'

In a Monday interview with former Wisconsin Democratic Party Chair Ben Wikler, comedian Jon Stewart downplayed the more radical elements of the Democratic Socialists of America platform and boiled the activist organization's goals down to strengthening the social safety net for Americans.

"Generally, their crazy ideas aren't where the energy is," he said. "The energy isn't around, like, 'We shouldn't have prisons or borders.' The energy is around a belief that their economic populism... and when you call it socialism, I think it is a misnomer in the same way if you call Social Security socialism... It is about strengthening a safety net for a country that has suffered too long overvaluing capital and money and undervaluing labor and work. That's all it f*cking is."

The DSA does, however, overtly embrace socialism in its platform. "DSA has written this program for ending capitalist oligarchy and creating a real democracy," the group's newly revamped platform reads. "Some of these demands may be won under our current system, but we know complete victory will require building a new society from the ground up. We push these demands to their furthest extent today, so we can fight for their fullest realization in a socialist future. Join us."

The DSA also has not shied away from advertising what many would consider the more extreme aspects of its platform, including eliminating core pillars of the US government. On its website, the organization states that it supports eradicating not just prisons and police but also the Senate, the presidency, and the Supreme Court.

"For the working class to govern, we need a new political system. End political corruption and legalized bribery: get rid of lobbyists, dark money, and Citizens United, and publicly finance all elections," the website reads. "Abolish the Electoral College. Replace the President and Supreme Court with an executive and judiciary chosen by and subordinate to Congress."

Wikler, who unsuccessfully ran for Democratic National Committee chair earlier this year before losing to Ken Martin, similarly sought to downplay the DSA's influence within the Democratic coalition, arguing that the party is a "big tent" that includes ideological factions ranging from centrists to democratic socialists.

"The DSA nuts are just proof of 'a big tent,'" Wikler said. "What people are experiencing in their day-to-day lives, and then they tell people you can do something about this, and I invite candidates, and there are candidates who identify as centrists running in some states, there are democratic socialists in other states. It is a big tent."

After minimizing the DSA's policy goals, Wikler himself went on to endorse expanding the Supreme Court, a proposal that some prominent Democrats have opposed.

"The U.S. Supreme Court's going to keep striking this stuff down until we reform, meaning either expand or put term limits on the U.S. Supreme Court," he maintained. "We got to do that too."

Stewart responded, "Going big. Go big or go home."