On Tuesday night, during a special live edition of the CBS Late Show following President Trump's State of the Union address, host Stephen Colbert was joined by Washington Post “journalists” Carol Leonnig and Phillip Rucker. Colbert and his fellow Trump loathers proceeded to trash the President's speech and fear for the future of the republic.
For those who tuned in to the address, President Trump’s guest line up was a sight to behold. However, Colbert disparaged the speech, likening it to a “reality show”:
There was -- people were saying that there was a bit of a reality show touch tonight… He awarded a scholarship, awarded a Medal of Freedom, reunited a soldier with his family. But Pelosi had her own moment when she ripped up that speech. Was that surprising to you based on what you know about her and their relationship?
Rucker and Leonnig appeared on the program to promote their latest book, A Very Stable Genius, which is, as you may have guessed, a less than flattering piece on the presidency of Donald Trump. To answer the aforementioned question by Colbert, Rucker shared an anecdote from his book in which former White House Chief Strategist Steve Bannon referred to Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi as an “assassin.” Rucker concluded:
Well last year she did the clap, remember?...And that's the Pelosi we saw tonight. The assassin move in ripping up the speech.
Colbert heaped praise upon Pelosi for her “smart” way of dismissing the President:
Right which was behind his back, he couldn't see it happen. Which was kind of -- however you feel about her doing it -- it was kind of a smart way for her to do it. Cause then he has to find out later when people tell him.
The left-wing comedian then took it upon himself to question the legitimacy of the American governmental system. In doing so, Colbert admitted to the failure of the Mueller Investigation:
He's above it, likely acquitted tomorrow. The Mueller investigation didn't go anywhere…. The Republicans have fallen in line. Are our checks and balances broken at this point?
Rucker furthered the erratic crackpot theory with his response:
We interviewed more than 200 administration officials for this book, advisers to the President. And a lot of them told us in the interviews that they are broken, that the systems are not working the way they should. That the institutions are being eroded and beaten down by a President who sees himself above accountability.
Difficult to believe these are the very people who view President Trump’s supporters as “stupid.” Colbert then proceeded to engage in his most treasured activity of scorning the President:
When has he been constrained before? People have said that now that Impeachment is likely not to have him removed from office tomorrow, now he'll be off the chain. When has he ever been on the chain? I actually don't think we'll see any difference at all. Maybe from his followers or the people who feel liberated by his acquittal. But I think he'll be the same.
Leonnig was able to get in a final spiteful word as she claimed President Trump has veered into dictator territory:
I know but those guardrails are gone. The presidency that Phil and I see now is the presidency of one. There's only one person who's making the decisions and he's usually barking or bellowing them.
The State of the Union, what was once a day for unification and patriotism, has now become an opportunity for ferocity and revulsion on the part of the leftist media.
Transcript below:
The Late Show With Stephen Colbert
2/5/20
12:19:59 AM
STEPHEN COLBERT: There was- people were saying that there was a bit of a reality show touch tonight.
PHILLIP RUCKER: And to expect any differently?
COLBERT: He awarded a scholarship, awarded a medal of freedom, reunited a soldier with his family. But Pelosi had her own moment when she ripped up that speech. Was that surprising to you based on what you know about her and their relationship?
RUCKER: Well last year she did the clap , remember? So this year she ripped up the speech. We actually have a scene in the book that is really telling about Pelosi. Early on in the Administration, a couple days after the Inauguration, when the President is having a reception at the White House with Congressional Leaders, he's going on about how there was voter fraud. He really won the popular vote because 3- 5 million people voted illegally in California- that's not true. But Pelosi confronted him about it and Bannon, Steve Bannon, whispered to other advisers in the moment and said; "She's an assassin. She's a total assassin. She's gonna get us." And that's the Pelosi we saw tonight. The assassin move in ripping up the speech.
COLBERT: Right which was behind his back, he couldn't see it happen. Which was kind of- however you feel about her doing it- it was kind of a smart way for her to do it. Cause then he has to find out later when people tell him.
RUCKER: He'll see the clips.
(...)
COLBERT: He's above it, likely acquitted tomorrow. The Mueller investigation didn't go anywhere.
CAROL LEONNIG: He beat the Special Counsel.
COLBERT: The Republicans have fallen in line. Are our checks and balances broken at this point?
RUCKER: We interviewed more than 200 administration officials for this book, advisers to the President. And a lot of them told us in the interviews that they are broken, that the systems are not working the way they should. That the institutions are being eroded and beaten down by a President who sees himself above accountability. And we saw after the Mueller --
COLBERT: But isn't that the fault of the people who should be checking him?
RUCKER: The people in that room who had an opportunity to hold him accountable for- a number of Republican Senators now have said that they are going to acquit him, but they think what he did was wrong or improper or not proper with Ukraine.
(...)
COLBERT: When has he been constrained before? People have said that now that Impeachment is likely not to have him removed from office tomorrow, now he'll be off the chain. When has he ever been on the chain? I actually don't think we'll see any difference at all. Maybe from his followers or the people who feel liberated by his acquittal. But I think he'll be the same.
LEONNIG: In 2017, he did have people guiding and guarding and advising him and trying to keep him in some boundaries.
COLBERT: That was three years ago.
LEONNIG: I know but those guardrails are gone. The Presidency that Phil and I see now is the Presidency of one. There's only one person who's making the decisions and he's usually barking or bellowing them. Those guardrails that tried to get the President to recognize the law, recognize the institutions that we hold dear, recognize that the Justice Department is blind...
