Usually when a Democratic politician goes on a late night comedy show, the host will tell the politician what a big fan they are, but on Wednesday, New Jersey Sen. Cory Booker reversed the roles and gushed to ABC’s Jimmy Kimmel about how great he thinks he is. Naturally, Kimmel also made it clear he was a Booker fan as he later asked Booker to give him and his fellow liberals tactical political advice.
Kimmel began the interview with the customary “How are you doing?” and Booker immediately started waxing poetic. He went on about how his family used to live in Los Angeles and the city’s history of violence and racism before trying to tie that into the current moment, “Comedians from Richard Pryor to Redd Foxx who helped heal and turn the absurdities of the time into not just laughter but really helping them deal with the anguish. And we're in that time now. There's a reason why authoritarian leaders attack artists, because they're so powerful. And we are in one of these moral moments again and a lot of people tune in now, not just to laugh, but actually to have someone who can help them address what's going on. Feel a part of a larger family.
The two men then started patting each other on the back. Kimmel affirmed that “Oh, I appreciate that,” as Booker responded, “Yeah, it's really important work.” Kimmel then tried to deflect, “Your job is slightly more important,” but Booker lavished praise on his host, “You know, look, we need everybody right now.”
Kimmel then brought up Bruce Springsteen and his recent U.K. trip, where he called Trump “treasonous,” “Yeah. Are you talking about Bruce Springsteen? Because this must really –”
The idea that casually throwing around the idea of treason in front of a bunch of foreigners is fake bravery aside, Booker continued gushing praise on liberal celebrities, “Listen, look. Bruce has a line, 'The poets around here write nothing at all, they just stand around and let it all be.' It’s an allusion to the fact that in a time of patriotism, politicians are important, but poets are more important, artists are more important… Bruce is, again, he's an artist who understands the roles of artists during difficult times. He sings to America's pain but also to America's possibilities. He expands empathy and deepens connection. And for him to attack an artist like that doesn't show his strength, it shows his weakness.”
Later, in the interview, Kimmel did make sure to get in the usual late night softballs, “I know you're a guy who likes to work with people, and I know that you probably have friends in the Senate who are Republicans. Do you get any sense from them that they acknowledge that this is happening?”
Booker affirmed Kimmel’s suspicions, “So this is the problem—first of all, yes. Absolutely. From Signalgate—I mean, when outrageous stuff happens, the conversations are clear. But this is the problem we have in the United States. We're seeing it with law firms, we're seeing it with universities. It was said by Jefferson, when the public fears their government, there is tyranny. When the government fears its people, there is liberty.”
Several lamentations later, Booker demanded Republicans answer, “When is it going to be enough for you to say, “No, I am going to step up and step out because, unless the people use their power, because the power of the people is greater than the people in power if we use that.” Donald Trump and the Congress won't stop unless we stop them.”
Kimmel agreed but also wondered, “But I think what a lot of people want to know is, how do we do it? How do we use that power? What specifically do we do?
Although Booker did not cite Kimmel directly, it was hard to forget his role in the health care debates of Trump’s first term as Booker urged Democrats to use emotion over logic, “So, we've done it before. This is—this is the sequel. He's trying to, in this big bill that he's got, he's trying to take health care away from millions of people… King said this so, so powerfully, that the problems we have to repent for is not just the vitriolic words and violent actions of the bad people but also the appalling silence and inaction of the good people.”
Ultimately, Booker’s appearance highlights the truth of the late night shows. Democrats view them as part of the team. They are not to be entertainers. They exist to deliver whatever the latest party talking points are and to be a platform for aspiring 2028 candidates.
Here is a transcript for the May 28-taped show:
ABC Jimmy Kimmel Live!
5/29/2025
12:23 AM ET
CORY BOOKER: Comedians from Richard Pryor to Redd Foxx who helped heal and turn the absurdities of the time into not just laughter but really helping them deal with the anguish. And we're in that time now. There's a reason why authoritarian leaders attack artists, because they're so powerful. And we are in one of these moral moments again and a lot of people tune in now, not just to laugh, but actually to have someone who can help them address what's going on. Feel a part of a larger family.
KIMMEL: Oh, I appreciate that, very nice.
BOOKER: Yeah, it's really important work.
KIMMEL: Your job is slightly more important.
BOOKER: You know, look, we need everybody right now.
KIMMEL: Yeah. Are you talking about Bruce Springsteen? Because this must really –
BOOKER: Listen, look. Bruce has a line, “the poets around here write nothing at all, they just stand around and let it all be.” It’s an allusion to the fact that in a time of patriotism, politicians are important, but poets are more important, artists are more important.
KIMMEL: You’ve never done anything but good for the world, correct? I mean, really, Bruce Springsteen.
BOOKER: Bruce is, again, he's an artist who understands the roles of artists during difficult times. He sings to America's pain but also to America's possibilities. He expands empathy and deepens connection. And for him to attack an artist like that doesn't show his strength, it shows his weakness.
…
KIMMEL: I know you're a guy who likes to work with people, and I know that you probably have friends in the Senate who are Republicans. Do you get any sense from them that they acknowledge that this is happening?
BOOKER: So this is the problem — first of all, yes. Absolutely. From Signalgate — I mean, when outrageous stuff happens, the conversations are clear. But this is the problem we have in the United States. We're seeing it with law firms, we're seeing it with universities. It was said by Jefferson, when the public fears their government, there is tyranny. When the government fears its people, there is liberty.
And so, we have Republicans that are in office right now that are so afraid of Donald Trump, that they're letting things go, they're not calling out any kind of hearings or accountability. We, the people, have to make our politicians fear the consequences of doing injustice, doing wrong, more than they fear that Donald Trump will run a primary against them or put $100 million, or troll them on the internet. This is about — this is one of those moments where we are not going to see change in Washington unless more of us have said enough. When is it enough? When they start disappearing people off of our streets in violation of due process? In violation of a 9-0 Supreme Court?
When is it enough when they start arresting justices? When is it enough, when they start making law firms kowtow to him and offer homage just for who they chose to represent? Or to cut funding for scientific research, for cancer research, for Alzheimer's research, from Harvard and other institutions that are vital to our system? When is it going to be enough for you to say, “no, I am going to step up and step out because, unless the people use their power, because the power of the people is greater than the people in power if we use that.” Donald Trump and the Congress won't stop unless we stop them.
KIMMEL: I agree with you completely. But I think what a lot of people want to know is, how do we do it? How do we use that power? What specifically do we do?
BOOKER: So, we've done it before. This is — this is the sequel. He's trying to, in this big bill that he's got, he's trying to take health care away from millions of people. You only need to go back to 2017 to see how we stopped it last time. I would like to say that John McCain voted the way he did because of the eloquence of his fellow colleagues who finally got to his conscience.
No. It was literally millions of Americans, hundreds of thousands of people from his state, from all across the political aisle coming to him saying, you do this and this hospital will close. You do this and this extraordinary, beautiful child who has disabilities, they formed an organization back then called the Little Lobbyists where they rolled in their wheelchairs and spoke truth to power to Congresspeople in the hallways and said, don't cut my health care. That's what stopped him last time. That's what made Susan Collins, Murkowski, and McCain change their votes and vote against that and so that's where we are right now and King said this so, so powerfully, that the problems we have to repent for is not just the vitriolic words and violent actions of the bad people but also the appalling silence and inaction of the good people. This is the time Americans have to step up and —.
