Stewart: Kennedy legacy losing to 'naked guy that owns a truck'

Democrats are concerned that they could lose the Senate race in Massachusetts to Republican Scott Brown because it might derail President Barack Obama's domestic agenda. The Daily Show's Jon Stewart wants to know why Democrats wouldn't be able to pass legislation with an 18-vote majority in the Senate -- which he notes is bigger than any congressional advantage former President George W. Bush ever enjoyed.

Stewart also poked fun at Brown, noting a statement in which he followed a statement announcing his candidacy with, "this is my truck," and that he posed nude for a magazine in 1982.

"So the Democrats are losing to Captain Freeball," Stewart remarks. "The Kennedy legacy goes down to a naked guy who owns a truck.

The irreverent Stewart also made fun of Brown's Democratic opponent, Martha Coakley, who was considered a shoe-in for the seat but whose campaign has fizzled. He noted that Coakley is prone to oversized gaffes.

"Coakley believes [Boston Celtics legend] Larry Bird is a 'Sesame Street' character," Stewart claimed mockingly. "Coakley went into the bar named Cheers and didn't know anybody's name."

Then he proceeded to excoriate Democrats for conceding their legislative agenda, despite the fact they hold more congressional seats than did Republicans under most of President George W. Bush's term.

Democrats, meet me at camera three. Let me see if I have this straight. You need to replace perhaps the most beloved liberal in the history of the Senate with a candidate that believes [former Red Sox pitcher] Curt Schilling is a Yankee fan. Because if this lady loses, the health-care reform bill that the beloved late senator considered his legacy will die. And the reason it will die -- the reason it will die is because if Coakley loses, Democrats will only then have an 18 vote majority in the Senate. Which is more than George W. Bush ever had in the Senate when he did whatever the [bleep] he wanted to do.

This video is from Comedy Central's The Daily Show, broadcast Jan. 18, 2010.