The Daily Show: Ears Edition - Jon Stewart on Interviewing Former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf

Episode Date: March 24, 2024

Jon Stewart recounts one of his most profound interviews with former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf, and the unique precautions he had to take because of it. During the interview, Jon offers President Pervez Musharraf some tea and a Twinkie and then checks in with Stephen Colbert about the guest that made security insane at Colbert Report.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This election cycle has already been quite a ride. Scared, nauseous, wishing this thing had seatbelts, Pod Save America is here to help. I'm John Lovett and each week, me and my co-hosts, John Favreau, Tommy Vitor and break down the political news that makes you laugh, cry, and scream into the void to help you figure out what matters, and what each of us can do about it. you need for next week's news when you won't be burdened by what has been. Listen and subscribe to Pod Save America on your favorite podcast platform now.

You're listening to Comedy Central. Out of all the interviews that you've had in these many years, does the one that stands out as the most profound? Oh, most profound interview. Well, so I've interviewed people like literal dictators, like people that have killed people. Like, I don't know if you remember Prevez Musharraf was the leader of Pakistan,

and this was post-911, so, and Al-Qaeda had been threatening him with an assassination. Now, I've had great, like Milali Yosov, I and Bishop Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, like people people of pure goodness. Like, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, they, the, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th. tho, th, th, th, th, th, th, th. th. th. th. th. th. th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, the, the, the, th, th, th, the, the, tho, tho, tho, the, thooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo, tho, tho, tho, Desmond Tutu, Jimmy Carter, like people of pure goodness. Like you just, they vibrate on a different plane of kindness and goodness than most people. And you can feel it on them. And then you have dictators. Slightly different vibe. So Pervez Musharraf, it was only memorable because, so he was at the time the president

of Pakistan and he was under assassination threat. He'd just written a book and it was his autobiography, I think. And so he came here to the show to promote it. And that day, we had snipers on the roof. We had AK-47s in the hallway, guys marching, we had bomb dogs, we had, I mean, it was a level of security that I had never seen before. And I realized, like, this man is risking his life to tell his story on this show. I should have read the book.

That's what I remember thinking is, I thought, oh shit. I feel terrible now. Here's this guy's, he could die, and I'm just going to be like, so is Pakistan hot? Like I didn't know shit. But the crazy part was, even with all that security layer, right, in the studio, they put a Kevlar front on the desk. Like, this was no bullshit. Many of you are younger so you don don't remember after 9-11,

like we all lost our minds safety-wise. So like, so they put a Kevlar front on the Daily Show desk, and I'm in there and I'm looking at it, and I say, because there are secret service agents from both countries, America and Pakistan in the room. And I go, what's so, tell me about th, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, so, the, the, they, and they, and they, and they, and the, and the, and the, and the, and th, and th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th, th... th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. th. thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. they's, they's, they's, they's, they's, about this, what's going on? And they said, well, if somebody manages to get through any kind of security issues and tries to assassinate President Musharraf, we will jump and push him down below the Kevlar to protect him from the bullets. And I said, you know, funny thing is, I'm also, you know, because he'll, you know, because he, the the room.. said you know funny thing is I'm also you know because he

you know I understand he'll be there and then I'll be sitting there what should I do without misinterbeat a New York City cop walk by and he goes you should fucking duck. My guest tonight, the president of Pakistan, his new memoir is called In the Line of Fire. Please welcome President Pervez Musharraf. How are you, sir? Thank you, sir. Thank you, sir. Thank you. Thank you, sir. Please. Now, I know it is, it is customary in Pakistan to offer tea to a guest for hospitality's sake.

So I have brought you, this is a jasmine green tea. Thank you very much. in Pakistan to offer tea to a guest for hospitality's sake. So I have brought you, this is a Jasmine Green tea. Thank you very much. May I pour? Yes, indeed. Thank you, sir. This is, do you recognize? Very thoughtful of you.

Is this a tea? Is this a tea? Yeah, it is a good tea? Is it a, is no, you didn't. It's a good tea. But it is good tea. I've also, this is an American deluxe, it's called a Twinky. It is made up of a collection of things that are not edible, but when put all together, it becomes edible. It becomes edible. Thank you. of things that are not edible, but when put all together, it becomes edible. We don't

know how they do it. Let me have this. So please, sir, to you, to your health sir, thank you so much for doing this. We appreciate it. Thank you. It's quite good. Is it good? Where's Osama bin Laden? I don't know. You know where he is? You lead on, we'll follow you. Thank you very much, sir. Your, I have to say this. This, I know, I confess to you, I know not that much about the history of Pakistan, your history. This is a remarkable tale told in very plain spoken language about a really difficult, volatile

situation that you confront in Pakistan, holding together people that are moderate, people that are more extreme, people that are tribal, and trying to connect it all. How has that been to hold that together? A difficult job, indeed, and especially made more difficult because international perceptions are pulling in one direction and domestic perception sometimes pull in the different direction. So I've had to learn the art of tight rope walking many times, and I think I've become quite an expert at that. The diplomatic aspect tha tha tha thi thi thi thi thi thi thi thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, that thi, that that that that that that that that that thi, thi, how that's, how that, how that, how, how, how, how, how, how, how, how, how, how, how, how thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. that's, that's, that's, that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's that's, that's, that's, that's, that's, thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. th art of tight rope walking many times. And I think I've become quite an expert at that.

I do a lot of- The diplomatic aspect of appealing to. It was very interesting to me to read your thought process after 9-11. You received a phone call from Colin Powell the next day saying, get on board or get off-board. Yeah, you are with us or against us. Two days later, Richard Armitage, his undersecretary calls and said, oh, and by the way, if you don't, there's some bunker busters with Pakistan's name on it. But your thought process was very logical. What walked through us, what you were

thinking? Thought process was basically the interest of my own country, the national interest of Pakistan and the security of Pakistan. And in that, one did, of course, take into consideration that we are a nuclear state and destabilization of a nuclear state would cause disturbance to the whole world, obviously, and one has to take very deliberate decisions that you do not cause such an upheaval. But basically, may I say, all said and done, primarily it was our Pakistan's national interest on which I based the decision.

It happened to be in the interest of the world also, and therefore we are pursuing it with all the vigour. It was interesting to me that one of your first thoughts was, can we th, can th, can th, can th, can th, can th, can the, can the, can, can the, can the, can thi, can thi, can thi, can thi, can thi, can thi, can thi, can thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, cause tho, cause tho, cause tho, cause tho, cause tho, cause tho, cause tho, cause tho, of the world also and therefore we are pursuing it with all the vigor. It was interesting to me that one of your first thoughts was, can we take these guys in terms of America? When they said that, you know, I wasn't expecting that. I wasn't expecting one of your first thoughts to be, all right, so let's see, okay. Let's say we do go to war with with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with America with war with war with war with war with America with war with war with war with America with war with America with war with war with war with America. Okay. And you drew it out on the board and you thought, yeah. Well, let me admit that we did take into consideration everything. Should we adopt a confrontationalist

approach? Right. And should we cooperate at all? Now, if we did not cooperate, then obviously somebody else would cooperate. They are going to, we knew that the United States is going to reach out to whoever did this terrible terrorist act of 9-11, and they happened to be in Afghanistan. There is no way of reaching Afghanistan except through Pakistan. So therefore, whether we are on board or not, they would be treading through Pakistan, whether through its airspace or through its land. Therefore, this had to be taken into consideration, certainly. Why is it that the North and Western provinces, the Waziristan and those areas, that are so difficult

to gain control of, you actually recently made a truce with tribal leaders in that area? I was saying in America the idea of, let's say making a truuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuusesesesesesesesesesesesesesesesesese, the the the their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, their, thruse, thruth, thruth, thruth, thruth, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi, thi making a truce with Florida or, you know, because we wouldn't. They don't deserve it. But here you are the leader of the state and you're going to them. What is required in a truce with these leaders? Is it saying, we'll let you be as long as you don't hurt the national interest? First of all, we need to understand with whom are we reaching the truths. And then we need to understand what is the greatest danger that is confronting us there. Today, the focus has shifted from Al Qaeda to Taliban in that area.

Now, what is the greatest danger? Taliban are the people. They are the P. They are the locals. They are the Pactoon ethnic group. Whereas Al-Qaeda were not the local. They were outsiders and they were easily recognizable. These people are from the people. And now the greatest danger is that this Taliban movement gets converted into a Pahtun people's movement.

So therefore the important thing at this moment, as I see it, the strategy is, wean the people away from the Taliban. Ween the non-Taliban Pachtun away from the Taliban-Paketoon. Now, that is the basis of whatever we are doing. Will they no longer than give hospitality to the Al-Qaida's that live in the air, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, the bad, thiaiazahahahahahahahahahahahahahaqa, thiae, thiaz, thiaz, thiaz, thiae?. Their, thiaiaiae?. Their, thiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiaiae, t.a, t.a, t.a, t.a, t. Anda, t. Anda, thaha, thae, thiiiia, thia, thia, thia, thia, thia, thia, thia, thia, thia live in the air, the bad Taliban, so to speak? Yes, indeed. This is an agreement not to support the Taliban, but to fight the Taliban, to confront the Taliban. Well, that was interesting in the book. You're, you are one of the primary targets of al-Qaeda. You describe two assassination attempts, both on the same bridge, by the way, I'm not you you you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are you are the the the the their their, you are their, you are their, you are their, you are their, you are their, you are their, you are thia, you are, you're, you're, you are thia, thia, thia, thia, thia, thia. thia. thia. thia. thia. thia. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. thiiii. thii. thi. thi. thi. thi. thi. this is, thi. th, by the way. I'm not, again, a leader of a country. I come up with a new way to go to work.

But the same bridge, this is Al-Qaeda trying to, apparently feeling that you have been successful in combating them and terrorism. Yes, indeed, we have been successful because we have eliminated them from our cities we got over six hundred about six hundred eighty the of them from the cities they are no more in our in our cities and therefore i keep traveling through the same bridge every time are the extremist in pakistan a noisy minority

you seem to be at the forefront of the threats yet you see much calmer about about about about about about about about about about about about about about the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the the threats, yet you seem much calmer about it than we are. Yes, I am. Well, yeah. We're going to take a commercial. We're going to come back with a little more with you, Mr. President. Thank you so much again for joining us. We'll be right back. Thank you. Thank you. This election cycle has already been quite a ride.

Scared, nauseous, wishing this thing had seat belts, Pod Save America is here to help. I'm John Lovett and each week. And each week, and the week's to h you figure out what matters and what each of us can do about it. POTSA of America, the context you need for next week's news, when you won't be burdened by what has been. Listen and subscribe to PODS of America on your favorite podcast platform now. Welcome back, we're here with President Hervez Musharraf. In your book, it's an incredible autobiography of a life, very interesting life.

There's no mention of Iraq. Is that because you felt like it was such a smart move and has gone so well that to mention it would be gloating? No, I think we were so overly concerned with our area. I have mentioned about, in a passing reference to Iraq, and I know that the situation, whatever the reasons of going there, I wouldn't get involved in a debate on that, but it has led certainly to more extremism and terrorism around the world. So we're safer.

No, we are not. We are not safer. But I believe in looking at the present and then trying to work out strategies for the future. That's what we should concentrate on. When you met with the president, you met with our president a few days ago, are you able to speak candidly with him about what you feel is working and what isn't and is he seem open or paying to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to to be paying to be paying attention to to be paying attention to be paying attention to speak candidly with him about what you feel is working and what isn't and is he seem open or paying attention or does he, let's say have the TV on or? Let me give to his credit. First of all, well, we didn't discuss Iraq if you are meaning

that, but we did discuss Afghanistan and the environment around on our side of the border. He was listening carefully. And I... Because he sleeps with his eyes open. I just want you to know that. All right, Mr. President, we're delighted that you're here, but we have to put you on the daily show seat of heat. So let's say...

Let's say... If there were an election held in Pakistan today, and not clearly for your job.............................. the the their to.... to.... their to.... to.... their to be to be their to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be to be, to be, to be toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe. toe.. toe...... to be. to be. to bea. to bea. to bea. to bea. to bea. to bea. the the the the the the the the the the te. the te. the the toe. toe. toe. to. to. to. to. toe. toe. toe. toe. to were an election held in Pakistan today, and not clearly for your job because you're doing a wonderful job, for let's say the Merrillty of Karachi or Ombudsman or something, and we put up two candidates, George W. Bush and Osama bin Laden, be truthful. Who would win a popular vote in Pakistan? I think they'll, they'll both lose miserably. You're off the seat of heat, sir. Well done. In the line of fire, a memoir. It's on the bookshelves now, President Provese Moussar. One of us, before we go, as always, we'll check in with our good friends, Stephen Colbert at the Colbert rapport.

Stephen! Hey, John, sorry about the muscle here, but today's guest has made security insane. Really, because, yeah, we had General Musharraf, so it was sort of similar. Who's your, uh... Ted dancing, John. Might not know how to look at him, but he's been shot at more times than 50 cent. So we got bulletproof glass surrounding the studio. Got to wrap the whole audience in full-body Kevlar. And just to be on the safe side,

we placed an ankle tracking bracelet on Shelley Long. Are you, uh, are you being protected, Stephen? You're kidding, John? Only protection I need comes from the blinding radiance of my pearly whites. END END EXPLORE more shows from the Daily Show podcast universe by searching the Daily Show, wherever you get your podcasts. Watch the Daily Show weeknights at 11, 10 Central on Comedy Central, and stream full episodes anytime on Fairmount Plus. This has been a comedy central podcast.

Survivor 47 is here which means we're bringing you a brand new season of the only official Survivor podcast on fire and this season we are joined by fan favorite and survivor 46 runner-up Charlie Davis to bring you even further inside the action Charlie I'm excited to do this together. Thanks Jeff so excited to be here and I can't wait to bring you inside the mind of a survivor player for season 47. Listen to on fire the official survivor podcast starting September 18th wherever you get your podcasts.