CBS’s Stephen Colbert welcomed former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to a live edition of The Late Show early Tuesday morning in Chicago to recap night one of the Democratic National Convention. Together, the duo would hail President Joe Biden’s “patriotic” decision to step aside after the party brass forced him out.
Colbert flattered Clinton by asking, “You gave a powerful speech tonight. You touched on many things, but if there's one thing you want people to take from the speech tonight, what would it be?”
Clinton naturally wanted people to think that Kamala Harris is the best, “I really know Kamala Harris's heart, her integrity. I think she has the character, experience, and vision to be our president, and I hope the American people agree. I mean, that’s really—”
Transitioning to Biden, Colbert declared, “Tonight, President Biden gave quite a moving speech and passed the torch selflessly and patriotically to Kamala Harris” before wondering, “You've seen a lot in politics. You've been around the block, lady, and you've seen a lot of shocking things. Did this surprise even you, this turn of events over the last month?”
As part of a long, rambling answer, Clinton asserted that, “it was shocking for any leader to voluntarily give up power. But I thought that was one of the most selfless acts of patriotism I’d ever seen. That the president was ready and willing to do that.”
Clinton would proceed to hype Biden’s alleged accomplishments, “He got so much done. You know, I said in my speech that, you know, he returned decency and dignity and competence to the White House. And he got an enormous amount of, you know, legislation through. The relationships with our allies around the world, standing up to adversaries like Putin and Russia. I mean, you look at his record. It was pretty remarkable, and it will go down in history as a great achievement.”
After Clinton recalled her history with Biden as a senator and member of the Obama Administration, she concluded, “He has given his best to our country. That may seem a little old-fashioned to some people. I think it is in the highest standard of service and leadership that our country has to offer, and I'm so proud of him. I thought tonight was a great moment.”
Amid raucous cheers from the audience, Colbert agreed, “I agree. I think that and disagreeing with the Supreme Court over immunity was one of the most patriotic things he could have done.”
Switching topics yet again, Colbert hyped, “Now, you have a new book. It's called Something Lost, Something Gained, where you write about moving past your dream of being president. And how does it feel now to see a woman who is not you reaching for that same dream?”
Clinton answered, “And I have to say it feels really good. It felt exhilarating. It feels exciting. You know, maybe because I have known Kamala and have a lot of confidence in her and what she's capable of doing, I think I know how hard the job is and have concluded she's more than ready to take it on.”
But are voters ready for her? Based off this interview, probably not because Colbert isn’t interested in highlighting her history of embracing far-left policies.
Here is a transcript for the August 20 show:
CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
8/20/2024
1:35 AM ET
STEPHEN COLBERT: You gave a powerful speech tonight. You touched on many things, but if there's one thing you want people to take from the speech tonight, what would it be?
HILLARY CLINTON: You know, I really know Kamala Harris's heart, her integrity. I think she has the character, experience, and vision to be our president, and I hope the American people agree. I mean, that’s really—
COLBERT: Well. Tonight, tonight, President Biden gave quite a moving speech—
CLINTON: Yes, he did.
COLBERT: — and passed the torch selflessly and patriotically—
CLINTON: Yes.
COLBERT: — to Kamala Harris. You've seen a lot in politics. You've been around the block, lady, and you've seen a lot of shocking things. Did this surprise even you, this turn of events over the last month?
CLINTON: Yes and no, I mean.
COLBERT: That's a very political answer.
CLINTON: No, it was. Yeah, I kind of, you know, live in the world of yes and no. Because yes, it was shocking for any leader to voluntarily give up power. But I thought that was one of the most selfless acts of patriotism I’d ever seen. That the president was ready and willing to do that.
And you know, as you can see from the speech tonight, he got so much done. You know, I said in my speech that, you know, he returned decency and dignity and competence to the White House. And he got an enormous amount of, you know, legislation through. The relationships with our allies around the world, standing up to adversaries like Putin and Russia. I mean, you look at his record. It was pretty remarkable, and it will go down in history as a great achievement.
And for him to, you know, decide “okay, it's time for me to pass the torch and to let my vice president go forward,” I was so touched by that. I’ve known the president a long time. I have served with him. I was a colleague of his in the Senate. I was Secretary of State when he was vice president in the Obama Administration and what he said and I think you have this clip, Stephen, from the song that he and his family like so much.
He really has given his best, he gave the best of his family under the most excruciating, painful circumstances. He gave his best to the state of Delaware that he represented for so many years. He has given his best to our country. That may seem a little old-fashioned to some people. I think it is in the highest standard of service and leadership that our country has to offer, and I'm so proud of him. I thought tonight was a great moment.
COLBERT: I agree. I think that and disagreeing with the Supreme Court over immunity—
CLINTON: Yeah.
COLBERT: — was one of the most patriotic things he could have done.
CLINTON: One hundred percent.
COLBERT: Now, you have a new book.
CLINTON: Yes.
COLBERT: It's called Something Lost, Something Gained, where you write about moving past your dream of being president.
CLINTON: Right.
COLBERT: And how does it feel now to see a woman who is not you reaching for that same dream?
CLINTON: Well, I thought a lot about what it would feel like. And I have to say it feels really good. It felt exhilarating. It feels exciting. You know, maybe because I have known Kamala and have a lot of confidence in her and what she's capable of doing, I think I know how hard the job is and have concluded she's more than ready to take it on.
But when, you know, the president decided to step aside and then quickly endorsed his vice president, my husband and I quickly endorsed her as well. Because we thought it was the right thing to do. And we thought she deserved it and she'd earned it. So you know, look, it is something lost, something gained and, I’ll be back. Actually in this theater October 13 to talk about the book. So I'm very much, you know, looking forward to that.
