A Change.org petition calling for the Commission on Presidential Debates to have former "Daily Show" host Jon Stewart moderate a debate has garnered more than 100,000 signatures.
The petition was written by Mariel Waters of Stanhope, New Jersey, who lists what she believes to be Stewart's qualifications for hosting one of the three general election debates in 2016.
"Mr. Stewart has interviewed 15 heads of state, 22 members of the United States Cabinet, 32 members of the United States Senate, 7 members of the United States House of Representatives, and scores of other political leaders from this country and around the world while establishing himself as the most trusted person in (satirical) news," the petition reads.
Waters also notes in her petition that "The Daily Show" received a Peabody Award for its coverage of the 2000 and 2004 presidential races.
Stewart also has "moderator trust," according to the petition.
"Many in the US believe Jon Stewart shares their worldview and values," it reads, citing a Reuters/Ipsos poll that reported that 52.1 percent of respondents agree that Stewart "generally shares [their] view of the world" on "some or most issues."
At least one of the current presidential contenders agrees. Former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley tweeted out that he had signed the petition.
In the unlikely event that Stewart was invited and accepted
— he turned down an offer to host "Meet the Press"
— O'Malley's chances of being one of the candidates on the general election debate stage are low. He's currently polling fourth among Democrats in the
Real Clear Politics average of polls at 1.7 percent, behind Vice President Joe Biden, who isn't even in the race.
The petition has been up for two weeks, but has seen a recent spike in activity,
CNN reports. The number of signatures has shot up by more than 1,200 percent since Wednesday.
The Commission on Presidential Debates, which has hosted the general election debates in every presidential cycle since 1988, has not responded to the petition. Neither has Stewart, who
hung up his hat at "The Daily Show" on Aug. 6 after 17 years.
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