If you want to understand what the Republican in the White House is thinking or doing, the best person you can turn to is a liberal Democrat. At least, that’s what CBS's Late Show host Stephen Colbert seemed to believe on Wednesday night.
While talking with Alabama Senator Doug Jones (D), Colbert was particularly interested in two topics: whether President Trump creates an atmosphere that leads to violence and if the Democratic official had to bring in an exorcist when he moved into the office of Republican and former Attorney General Jeff Sessions.
The liberal late-night host teed up his guest by stating: “Many are saying that while the President himself does not condone violence, he doesn’t denounce white nationalism or white supremacy, and that gives a tacit platform to these views, which lead to violence.”
“Absolutely,” Jones replied before quoting an anchor on the liberal MSNBC channel.
“You know, I was watching Chris Hayes last night,” the guest noted, and he claimed that the host of the weeknight All in program had said something very similar.
Jones -- who describes himself as being in the “radical middle” politically -- stated Hayes was “absolutely right” that Trump has his own base, and part of that group is “very active and very engaged with him, but he needs to do more” to “really lead us into a better place.”
However, the Democrat senator noted, America is “still fighting” civil rights battles:
It’s not just black and white anymore. It involves religion, it involves race, it involves gender, you name it.
The senator then referred to last week’s shooting in New Zealand, asserting that “[w]e’ve got to stand up” against such violence “and the hate and the rhetoric that we see.”
Jones then made a statement that proves he is a faithful viewer of MSNBC.
“Part of this story is that the Klan felt empowered because politicians gave them that power, gave them the green light to do things” through “a dog whistle-type signal.”
Of course, Jones referred to the Ku Klux Klan because the former U.S. attorney had successfully prosecuted two members of the Klan for the 1963 Birmingham church bombing that killed four African-American girls.
“We are still seeing such hate in this country,” he added, “and it seems like we might be exporting it.”
Earlier in the segment, Colbert asked Jones if he “literally” got the office previously occupied by Sessions.
“Did you have to bring in an exorcist or something like that?” the late-night comedian asked.
“No,” Jones responded before stating that making the move was “difficult.”
He added that “seniority has now caught up with me” since Republican Senator Tom Cotton from Arkansas will soon get the office, and Jones will relocate to another building.
During the segment, Jones caught the Late Show host off guard by noting that his wife, Laurie, “goes to bed with you every night.”
Colbert smiled and waved at her in the audience for a moment before continuing the interview.
