While George W. Bush was the guest on Jimmy Kimmel’s show late Wednesday night, the liberal comedian couldn't let go of his obsession with another former president.
Bush was there to talk about his new book of paintings, centered on American immigrants. But from the very beginning, Kimmel wanted Bush to bash Trump and fawn over the Obamas instead. Kimmel was so delighted by a story of Bush mocking Trump during his 2017 inauguration that it was the first thing he asked about:
JIMMY KIMMEL: I had so many questions that I didn't get to. And one of them, which was like something I really wanted to ask about, is something that turned out Hillary Clinton wrote about in her book. She said that after Trump -- you remember that guy? [ Laughter ]
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Yeah.
KIMMEL: After Trump gave his speech at the inauguration, you turned around and said to a small group of people, including her, "That was some weird [ bleep ]." [ Laughter ] [ Cheers and applause ] Is that an accurate account of what was said?
Bush chuckled and said he “couldn’t remember.” But shortly after this, the two-faced Kimmel tried to get Bush to compliment the Obamas. He gushed over a passage from President Obama’s book talking about calling his predecessor after the Navy SEAL Osama Bin Laden raid before raving over his guest’s friendship with Michelle Obama. Kimmel prodded, “As far as friends go, like do you have her phone number in your cell phone?”
Later on in the interview, Kimmel again brought up Trump to get Bush to attack him, while talking about Bush’s recent Washington Post op-ed on immigration: “Mr. President, you wrote an op-ed in The Washington Post on Friday in which you called for immigration reform. You said some things that I don't think too many people in your party agree with. Is that fair to say?”
But Bush disagreed, saying many in the GOP agree with rational immigration reform.
Considering his book’s subject, Kimmel could’ve asked the former president about President Biden's border crisis, if he was going to get political. Instead, he tried to get Bush to bash Trump with this nasty and frequently misquoted media smear: “Is your artwork either consciously or subconsciously a reaction to four years of [Trump] calling immigrants murderers and rapists and all sorts of horrible things?”
Unlike the talk show host, Bush remained civil and wouldn’t trash talk another president (which NBC’s Today show also tried to get him to do during another interview.)
Kimmel’s obsession with Trump continued after the break with the sarcastic quip, “Before Donald Trump, there weren't a lot of funny clips involving the President of the United States. But of what there were, you were in a lot of them!”
This isn’t the first time the shameless hack, who repeatedly attacked President Trump during his term, has gone out of his way to protect President Biden amidst his scandals. A little over a month ago, the comedian mocked GOP warnings about COVID being spread through historic immigration surges at the border under President Biden.
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Read transcript portions below:
Jimmy Kimmel Live!
4/21/2021
JIMMY KIMMEL: I had so many questions that I didn't get to. And one of them, which was like something I really wanted to ask about, is something that turned out Hillary Clinton wrote about in her book. She said that after Trump -- you remember that guy? [ Laughter ]
PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH: Yeah.
KIMMEL: After Trump gave his speech at the inauguration, you turned around and said to a small group of people, including her, "That was some weird [ bleep ]." [ Laughter ] [ Cheers and applause ] Is that an accurate account of what was said?
BUSH: [chuckling] You know, I can't remember. [ Laughter ]
KIMMEL: That's a very good answer.
….
KIMMEL: That is President Bush, the painter. That's his book, "Out of many, one." Mr. President, you wrote an op-ed in "The Washington Post" on Friday in which you called for immigration reform. You said some things that I don't think too many people in your party agree with. Is that fair to say?
BUSH: I don't think so. I think a lot of people in my party agree with what I wrote. I think there's some loud voices that, you know, send a different signal. But I think most Republicans would like to see rational immigration reform.
KIMMEL: Is your artwork either consciously or subconsciously a reaction to four years of [Trump] calling immigrants murderers and rapists and all sorts of horrible things?
BUSH: My artwork is an attempt to elevate the debate on immigration. I want people to take a hard look at what immigrants have meant to our country. And not fear immigration, but to welcome it within the law. And, you know, I got a -- I put that "Washington Post" editorial some rational policy, Jimmy, and there's places we all can agree. Like DACA. Or, you know, or work visas. But I think we all mainly agree also that we need border enforcement. And reforming the system will actually make the border not only more secure, but more compassionate.
KIMMEL: Well, I don't know if we all agree. But yeah, I think most -- certainly most Americans agree on those subjects.
