Jon Stewart explains why it's 'a mistake' to focus too much on Donald Trump

Appearing on CNN's "State of the Union" with host Jake Tapper, comedian and social critic Jon Stewart warned that Americans -- and the media -- are spending way too much time focusing on Donald Trump's antics while a great many other dangers to the country are being ignored.

"You were talking a second ago about identifying the weak points in the guardrails of democracy, it's also obvious," host Tapper suggested. "I know you have spoken about this in the past, that Donald Trump has also identified those weak points. He is now endorsing candidates for secretary of state in battleground states, candidates who are all in on the big lie in Arizona."

"I think we make a mistake focusing this all on Donald Trump as though he is -- I don't know, [Marvel comic's] Magneto and some incredible supervillain that has changed the nature and temperature of the United States. He has just been an effective vessel," Stewart replied.

"Again, he is not singing new songs," Stewart continued. "This is something -- he is maybe singing them better than [Barry] Goldwater. But I think it's a mistake to focus it all on this one individual and not to focus it more on the idea that power is its own reward, whether it be in the financial industry or in government. Power doesn't cede itself. Unless we can figure out a better way to balance that power for, you know -- for workers and voters and different groups, we will be vulnerable."

"I don't know that autocracy is purely the domain of Donald Trump," he added.

Watch below:

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