Perhaps one reason The Atlantic story alleging Trump is a secret Hitler fan has flopped is because Trump’s critics, such as CBS’s Stephen Colbert, see fascism in the littlest of things. On Thursday’s taping of The Late Show, Colbert tried to suggest that Trump’s desire to hold a rally at Madison Square Garden is some sort of attempt to recall the pro-Nazi rally that took place there in 1939.
Colbert declared, “I don’t think winning or losing has anything to do with this. Aides say for three straight presidential campaigns Trump has mused about holding a rally at Madison Square Garden adding, ‘he has just been obsessed with this.’”
Everyone knows Trump loves rallies, crowds, and a good story, so holding a large, headline-grabbing rally in the world’s most famous arena in his former hometown makes sense given his personality. Colbert, however, wasn’t so sure, “It's just, it's just a coincidence. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that in 1939 they held a pro-Nazi rally there. Yeah, it was, it was a stain on MSG's history and I imagine a very uncomfortable courtside seat for Spike Lee.”
The 1924, 1976, 1980, 1992 Democratic and 2004 Republican Conventions were also held there. Regardless, Colbert reverted to Wednesday’s news, “The big news continues to be that Trump's former chief of staff, John Kelly, said that Trump is a fascist who loves Hitler. Well, at least he's not a fascist who loves Hitler. What's that? I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Hold on one second. I'm being told that's exactly what I just read out loud but my brain refused to receive the sounds my mouth was making. Got it. Okay. That's good. Well, that's fascinating. So, in 11 days we all get to find out finally whether we live in a fascist country.”
Colbert proceeded to highlight Kamala Harris’s recent town hall with CNN where Anderson Cooper asked her, “Do you think Donald Trump is a fascist?”
After Harris answered, “Yes, I do,” an excited Colbert replied, “Bam. Thank you. Kamala Harris is not afraid, no hesitation, zero hesitation. She's not afraid to tell the truth. Follow up. Do you think Donald Trump has lost his damn mind?”
After replying the same, “Yes, I do” clip, Colbert asked, “Do you ever have a dream where Donald Trump falls head first down a long marble staircase into a hot tub full of porcupines,” to which he played the clip for a third time.
Later in the show, Colbert welcomed NBC political analyst Jonathan Alter and asked him about covering Trump’s hush money trial, “What's the most memorable thing you remember?”
Alter reminisced, “Remember, Donald Trump had not been held accountable since his father died like 30 years ago, nobody had ever been able to tell him anything. And this was kind of provisional accountability because the sentencing is coming up and a lot depends on the election, but it was real accountability and it was real dramatic and also, look, Stormy Daniels dissing Trump to his face for hours on end. That was fun, you know.”
Colbert agreed, “That's my idea of porn.”
Here is a transcript for the October 24 show:
CBS The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
10/24/2024
11:39 PM ET
STEPHEN COLBERT: I don’t think winning or losing has anything to do with this. Aides say for three straight presidential campaigns Trump has mused about holding a rally at Madison Square Garden adding, “he has just been obsessed with this.” Maybe he just wants to take over for Billy Joel, [TRUMP VOICE] “Rosenberg's H bomb. Sugar Ray, Bing Bing Bong, person, woman, man, camera, Joe DiMaggio. It's just person one.”
It's just, it's just a coincidence. I'm sure it's just a coincidence that in 1939 they held a pro-Nazi rally there. Yeah, it was a stain on MSG's history, and I imagine a very uncomfortable courtside seat for Spike Lee. The big news continues to be that Trump's former chief of staff, John Kelly, said that Trump is a fascist who loves Hitler.
Well, at least he's not a fascist who loves Hitler. What's that? I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Hold on one second. I'm being told that's exactly what I just read out loud, but my brain refused to receive the sounds my mouth was making. Got it. Okay. That's good. Well, that's fascinating. So, in 11 days we all get to find out finally whether we live in a fascist country.
I'm not saying that's a good feeling, but definitely the feeling and if you feel the same way, you're not alone last night, Anderson Cooper asked Kamala Harris point blank what she thought.
ANDERSON COOPER: Do you think Donald Trump is a fascist?
KAMALA HARRIS: Yes, I do.
COLBERT: Bam. Thank you. Kamala Harris is not afraid, no hesitation, zero hesitation. She's not afraid to tell the truth. Follow up. Do you think Donald Trump has lost his damn mind?
HARRIS: Yes, I do.
COLBERT: Do you ever have a dream where Donald Trump falls head first down a long marble staircase into a hot tub full of porcupines?
HARRIS: Yes, I do.
COLBERT: Okay, final question. If you win the presidency, do you commit now to coming back on my show?
HARRIS: We are not going back.
…
COLBERT: What's the most memorable thing you remember?
JONATHAN ALTER: Well, I mean, the most memorable thing was sitting a few feet away from the jury foreperson when he said "guilty, guilty, guilty" 34 times and I've covered a lot of big stories, this was right up there. Remember, Donald Trump had not been held accountable since his father died like 30 years ago, nobody had ever been able to tell him anything. And this was kind of provisional accountability because the sentencing is coming up and a lot depends on the election, but it was real accountability, and it was real dramatic, and also, look, Stormy Daniels dissing Trump to his face for hours on end. That was fun, you know.
COLBERT: That's my idea of porn.
