Stephen Colbert recaps the Democratic debate, debuts a hilarious Bernie Sanders impersonation

Stephen Colbert tries out his Bernie Sanders impersonation
(Image credit: Late Show)

Tuesday night's Democratic debate was "different," Stephen Colbert said on Wednesday's Late Show. Unlike the Republican debates, "nothing really outrageous happened," he lamented. "There were no personal attacks, no salty language — except from the back wall, which for some reason kept repeating 'f CNN'" (the debate was cosponsored by Facebook). Colbert spent the next few minutes recapping the debate, anyways, and he trotted out some pretty dead-on impersonations.

The best was his first one: Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.). After playing a highlight reel of Sanders yelling out percentages, Colbert said, "I would not want to split a check with Bernie Sanders!" — then proceeded to hilariously imitate Sanders complaining over a brunch bill. His Hillary Clinton was a matronly figure telling Wall Street bankers they would have to go to bed without any cocaine if they didn't shape up. Jim Webb was represented by a lawn sign complaining about how little real estate it had, and Lincoln Chafee... well, his Lincoln Chafee was brutal. Martin O'Malley, for some reason, got left out of the recap, and honestly, he's probably fine with that. Watch Colbert in action below. Peter Weber

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up
To continue reading this article...
Continue reading this article and get limited website access each month.
Get unlimited website access, exclusive newsletters plus much more.
Cancel or pause at any time.
Already a subscriber to The Week?
Not sure which email you used for your subscription? Contact us
Peter Weber, The Week US

Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.