Michael Douglas is hoping Democrats deliver President Donald Trump an electoral “massacre” in the midterms, but fellow entertainer Jon Stewart has a warning about what the party should do if it wins.
The Oscar-winning actor predicted sweeping Democratic victories during a Wednesday appearance on BBC Radio 4’s “Today” program, suggesting the party could take control of both chambers of Congress and begin investigating people close to Trump.
“I’m hoping for a massacre, and we’ll see… overwhelming Democratic votes across the board,” Douglas said while promoting his autobiography, One Helluva Ride, in the United Kingdom.
The longtime Democratic supporter believes voters in traditionally Republican-friendly areas could help change the balance of power in Washington.
“The president has exhausted his promises and repetitions, and we’re seeing areas, especially in the Midwest, that haven’t been Democratic in years,” Douglas told the BBC.
“Obviously, Congress is going to change and I think – it wasn’t thought possible until recently – that the Senate will too.”
The “Wall Street” and “Basic Instinct” star also predicted that Democrats would investigate alleged financial misconduct involving Trump’s associates if they regained congressional control.
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Douglas suggested that economic issues would come first, with investigations potentially following a shift in power.
“They’ve got a pretty good plan as to what they want to do, and it doesn’t mean indicting the president immediately. I think they hear the people talk, and they’re going to work on these issues of affordability, if there is this dramatic change,” he explained.
“Then, I think they’re going to start handpicking the people around Trump, the people that made a lot of money… there’s a lot of corruption issues, and they’re going to start to one-by-one pick them off.”
His remarks arrive as Democrats debate how aggressively to pursue Trump if they retake the House after next week’s elections, with some party figures questioning whether another impeachment effort would accomplish anything.
Former Vice President Kamala Harris wants Democrats to concentrate their resources on investigations and legislative priorities rather than attempt to impeach Trump for a third time.
“I think that going in the direction of impeachment is not a good idea, just to be honest with you,” Harris told MeidasTouch’s Aaron Parnas on Tuesday. “Just because we have limited resources, and I think the energy and the resources need to be put into accountability, need to be put into investigations.”
Harris, who served in the Senate during Trump’s previous impeachment proceedings, questioned whether another attempt could succeed.
“Remember, I was in the Senate for the last go-around, and the votes aren’t there,” she noted.
She urged Democrats to be “uncompromising” in their oversight, citing healthcare cuts and the war in Iran, while insisting the party also needed to accomplish something legislatively.
Stewart delivered a more profane warning about impeachment during a question-and-answer segment of “The Weekly Show” podcast, where he was asked what Democrats should do if they regain control of Congress.
“I don’t want to see a f—ing five-act performative play of House hearings,” the former “Daily Show” host responded. “I just don’t want to see it. I don’t want to see everybody having the opportunity to pantomime accountability because you know they’re actually not going to bring it.”
The comedian wasn’t opposed to investigating alleged wrongdoing, but he questioned the value of making impeachment proceedings the centerpiece of the party’s agenda.
“You want to do some investigations of some s—, that’s great,” Stewart said.
He compared impeachment to a less urgent patient waiting for treatment while someone with a life-threatening injury needs immediate attention, arguing that Democrats should focus on problems affecting Americans’ daily lives.
Stewart also urged the party to govern rather than devote its energy to political theater.
“You want to do some things that are ancillary, a little side project, you want to do the investigations as a hobby, knock yourself out. Fix s—,” he said.
Other Democrats haven’t ruled out impeachment, although their statements differ on whether the evidence already warrants such action.
Sen. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., told NBC’s “Meet the Press” on Sunday that lawmakers shouldn’t decide the outcome of congressional investigations before conducting them.
“If that corruption leads in the direction of impeachment, it will lead wherever it leads,” Schiff said.
He maintained that reducing costs should remain the party’s primary objective, with oversight directed toward corruption that he believes contributes to higher expenses.
Georgia Sen. Jon Ossoff took a firmer position on Trump’s conduct during a Senate debate against Republican Rep. Mike Collins hosted by the Atlanta Press Club.
“In my view, based upon the evidence I’ve seen thus far, the president’s misconduct, abuse of power, and corruption already exceed any prior standard for impeachment,” Ossoff declared.
Even so, Ossoff did not commit to convicting Trump. He said he would review any articles of impeachment approved by the House on their merits as a senator.
House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., has likewise left the possibility open. Asked about impeachment by ABC News last month, Jeffries said Congress should follow the evidence and the Constitution before determining its response.
Republican leaders have offered a different assessment of what Democrats intend to do.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, R-La., predicted Tuesday that Democrats would move almost immediately toward impeaching Trump if they gained the necessary majority.
“Remember, they’ve already filed articles of impeachment in this Congress. And they’re raring to go,” Johnson told conservative commentator Scott Jennings.