"I'm a man of simple desires," Larry Wilmore said on Monday's Nightly Show. "All I want to do is eat soul food with every single person running for president." That's been a mixed bag for past "Soul-Food Sit-Down" candidates Lincoln Chafee, who subsequently dropped out of the race, and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), who's in first or second place for the Democratic nomination. But Sen. Rand Paul (R-Ky.) bravely stepped up to sit down and try not to talk with food in his mouth for Monday's installment. Wilmore, who does eat while dishing out rapid-fire questions, asked Paul about his criminal justice reform plans, guns, his "black hair" regimen, and why fellow medical doctor Ben Carson is beating him in the GOP polls. But he largely focused on Donald Trump.
After trying to get Paul to zing Trump with a "yo mama" joke — "I need better writers," Paul said gamely, after failing to land a punch line — Wilmore asked him if he hates Trump. "I love Donald Trump," Paul said. "I think he's hilarious." That earned the senator some "weak tea" bags, but Wilmore pressed on, asking Paul if he would agree to be Trump's running mate. "It would be an utter and absolute disaster, and I would want no part of it," Paul said, earning a "Keeping it 100" sticker. With Paul finally at ease, the segment ended. This probably won't help Paul's campaign much, but he deserves credit for sitting down with Wilmore — and when the cameras stopped, hopefully he was at least able to enjoy his meal. Peter Weber
The Week
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