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President Obama Won't Let Jon Stewart Quit

by Hope Racine

Although it was sad to watch Jon Stewart interview the president for (probably) the last time, there were too many best moments from Obama's appearance on The Daily Show on Tuesday to pick from. Stewart, who is retiring from his 16-year run on Aug. 6, has interviewed Obama seven times on the show, three times while he was president. As many expected Tuesday's interview to focus entirely on the Iran deal, it ended up being more like a final recap on Obama's presidency, which, like Stewart's run, is soon coming to a close.

Although far from a serious interview, Obama and Stewart were not as quick on the jokes during the episode. Instead, the president chose to focus on his recent successes, such as the rulings on Obamacare and marriage equality, as well as the Iran deal. "A lot of the work that we did early starts bearing fruit later," Obama said. "It just so happens over the last couple of months people are seeing some of the work that we started way back when I first came in. Like Iran, for example."

As always, Stewart was tough with his questions, pressing the president about some of the campaign promises that have still gone unfulfilled, and particularly focusing on Iran and the Middle East. Tuesday's show offered up a unique view of a relaxed, confident Obama, who spoke candidly and reminded the American people that he actually does know what he's talking about.

Even though we're all still gutted about the news that Stewart is leaving, this interview was a perfect way to finish up his long, successful run on The Daily Show. If you missed it, don't worry — we've got you covered. Here are six of the best parts of Stewart's last interview with Obama. Sob.

When Obama Told Stewart He Couldn't Leave

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"I can't believe you're leaving before me," Obama said. "In fact, I'm issuing a new executive order that Jon Stewart cannot leave the show. It’s being challenged in the courts." Stewart shrugged and shook his head. "To me, this is a states' rights issue," Stewart said. Stop playing with our heartstrings, Obama. We beg you.

When Obama Promised Climate Change Effort

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"The way I'm feeling, I've got 18 months," Obama said. Referencing the upcoming conference on climate change, Obama expressed a desire to cultivate global agreement to combat climate change, as well as further alternative fuel sources. "That's my goal right now," Obama said.

When Stewart Found The Solution To The Middle East

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"Whose team are we on in the Middle East?" Stewart asked Obama, before launching into a convoluted attempt to make sense of Middle Eastern politics. Obama politely shut him down, before going on to talk about the difficulty of reaching an agreement with Iran, as well as balancing the trickiness that is the Middle East. "This new thing, you called it earlier, 'diplomacy,'" Stewart responded. "That sounds interesting."

When Obama Made Fun Of Dick Cheney

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While talking about the Iran deal, Obama managed to get in a jab at some Republicans who opposed the dealing, joking that many people seem to think that "if you had brought Dick Cheney to the negotiations, everything would be fine." Stewart laughed before saying, "Let's not get crazy."

When Obama Talked About The Media

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While other politicians have straight up attacked the media, Obama acknowledged the media and journalists have a job to do. "There are some that get on my nerves more than others," he admitted. But the larger problem, he thought, was that journalists are too likely to "get distracted by shiny objects." According to Obama, as a result, it's difficult to get wide-scale coverage or discussions about important matters.

When Obama Got A Dig At Trump

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"I'm sure the Republicans are enjoying Mr. Trump's current dominance as the front-runner," Obama said. Stewart agreed, saying, "Anything that makes them look less crazy."

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