Sarah Silverman may be a comic known for using the words “fag,” “retarded” and calling Jesus fictional, but the journalists at MSNBC were absolutely entranced over her speech on Monday to the Democratic Convention. At one point, Silverman admonished the Bernie Sanders crowd for being reluctant to support Hillary Clinton: “Can I just say to the Bernie or bust people, you're being ridiculous.”
Brian Williams lectured viewers that you can’t “dismiss her as a comedian speaking to this convention” or “dismiss the potential of a real moment.” Rachel Maddow gushed, “ That was, A, an important speech and a really important ad lib in terms of the way it was greeted and what it meant.”
Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson said of the comedian, who is known for fart humor, marveled, “That could have been the most significant speech of the evening.” Republican operative Nicolle Wallace enthused, “I thought it was the most effective speech by a celebrity I've ever seen.”
The “significant” speech from Silverman included this over-the-top praise of Clinton: “She's like the only person ever to be overqualified for a job as the president.”
A partial transcript is below:
MSNBC live coverage
7/25/16SARAH SILVERMAN: Hillary is our Democratic nominee and I will proudly vote for her. [Boos, mixed with shouts and cheering.] It’s so inspiring. It's so inspiring, just a few years ago, she was a secretary and now she's going to be president. Come on. She's like the only person ever to be overqualified for a job as the president.
9:21
SILVERMAN: Can I just say to the Bernie or bust people, you're being ridiculous.
...
9:30
BRIAN WILLIAMS: Sarah Silverman, of the great state of New Hampshire, to dismiss her as a comedian speaking to this convention would, I think, dismiss the potential of a real moment there.
MADDOW: That was, A, an important speech and a really important ad lib in terms of the way it was greeted and what it meant. Interesting moment.
WILLIAMS: Our friends were watching with us. Gene, what’d you think?
EUGENE ROBINSON: We're waiting for the political heavy hitters. [Robinson tries to clear his throat.]
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WILLIAMS: Gene was moved by the moment obviously.
ROBINSON: No. This heavy hitting lineup that's coming later in the evening, that could have been the most significant speech of the evening.
MADDOW: Speaking as a Bernie supporter.
ROBINSON: As a Bernie person who has credibility with Bernie supporters, who can just say, “You're being ridiculous.”
WALLACE: I think the more important story she told, it's so — it just epitomizes everything that's wrong with politics and why everyone is so sick of politicians this year. She was able to say, “I am a Bernie person. He moved me and inspired me.” and said it all along, he speaks to her heart. Hillary to her head and she literally was the bridge. “And I'm voting for Hillary Clinton," something no one else all weekend has been able to communicate as effectively. And she wouldn’t take no for an answer. I thought it was the most effective speech by a celebrity I've ever seen.
