Washington Post columnist Perry Bacon Jr. traveled to his native Kentucky to be interviewed for a segment on Comedy Central’s The Daily Show by temp and fellow native Kentuckian Desi Lydic. Bacon, who used to be a congressional and White House correspondent, urged people to harass Republicans in public places such as church and the grocery store in response to some of their recent legislation.
The premise for Lydic’s segment was that not everybody in Kentucky agrees with what Republicans are doing, which is not exactly an insightful observation. In addition to interviewing people who agreed with her, Lydic also cited some poorly worded polls to justify her claim that Kentuckians disagree with Republicans on guns, abortion, and “gender-affirming care.”
In a bar, she asked Bacon, “So it's safe to say that a lot of these laws that are passing from extreme legislators are not reflective of the values of the people of Kentucky.”
Bacon, who presents himself as an expert on extremism in the Republican Party, responded by saying that Republicans are simply trying to appease Donald Trump and their Fox News-watching base:
So my view is we’re seeing an extreme Republican agenda because our legislators are governing like Republicans, not like Kentuckians. If you look at the laws being passed in Kentucky, they’re the exact same ones being passed in Florida or Mississippi, so these are much different states with much different priorities, but they have the exact same agenda because the Republicans in every state are just passing a list of things Donald Trump and other right-wing Republicans like and that our popular on Fox News.
Republicans did not need Trump or Fox to tell them to be pro-life, pro-gun rights, or opposed to giving hormones to children. Still, Lydic wondered, “Where do we go from here? Is there any solution?”
For Bacon, the answer is harassment, “I think ultimately we have to, in the short term, shame them out of passing the most aggressive versions of these bills, criticize them enough to make sure that they are told when they go to church or when they go to the grocery store that ‘you passed a terrible bill and acted like a bigot.’”
It is safe to say that neither Bacon nor Lydic would appreciate it if you harassed them about their political views at the grocery store.
Yet, Lydic’s biggest problem with Bacon’s proposal was not the morality, but practical effects as she proceeded to make fun of Sen. Rand Paul being attacked, “Are you sure that shame would work with Kentucky Republicans? I mean, look at Rand Paul, if I got my ass kicked in my front yard by my neighbor, I would never leave my house again.”
Bacon conceded that it may not work, but harassment is still a worthwhile strategy, “I'm not saying it's a foolproof plan, I’m just saying that if these legislators have to walk in public and live their life, and I do think you want to make clear that you have done something terrible.”
For the Washington Post and Comedy Central, refusing to give minors puberty blockers is “something terrible,” but harassing them in public is something that is good and necessary.
This segment was sponsored by Skechers.
Here is a transcript for the April 26 show:
Comedy Central The Daily Show
4/26/2023
11:15 PM ET
DESI LYDIC: So it's safe to say that a lot of these laws that are passing from extreme legislators are not reflective of the values of the people of Kentucky.
PERRY BACON JR.: So my view is we’re seeing an extreme Republican agenda because our legislators are governing like Republicans, not like Kentuckians. If you look at the laws being passed in Kentucky, they’re the exact same ones being passed in Florida or Mississippi, so these are much different states with much different priorities, but they have the exact same agenda because the Republicans in every state are just passing a list of things Donald Trump and other right-wing Republicans like and that our popular on Fox News.
LYDIC: You know, let’s just keep this flowing, I don't want to see this glass empty.
Where do we go from here? Is there any solution?
BACON: I think ultimately we have to, in the short term, shame them out of passing the most aggressive versions of these bills, criticize them enough to make sure that they are told when they go to church or when they go to the grocery store that “you passed a terrible bill and acted like a bigot.”
LYDIC: Are you sure that shame would work with Kentucky Republicans? I mean, look at Rand Paul, if I got my ass kicked in my front yard by my neighbor, I would never leave my house again.
BACON: I'm not saying it's a foolproof plan, I’m just saying that if these legislators have to walk in public and live their life, and I do think you want to make clear that you have done something terrible.
