Seth Meyers looks at how Democrats can stop Trump, sees Elizabeth Warren
Democrats face lots of challenges in opposing President Trump's agenda, not least because "every day there's some new, absurd controversy" that draws everyone's attention, Seth Meyers said on Wednesday's Late Night, pointing to the hullaballoo over whether Trump really wanders the East Wing in a bathrobe. "While the media is obsessing over bathrobes" — that's clearly late-night comedy territory — "Trump and Republicans are quietly rolling back Obama-era [rules] on everything from the environment to Wall Street," Meyers said, including a rule that "literally says you can't try to rip people off." Meyers clearly thinks this rule rollback is a bad idea.
"So the question is, can Democrats do anything to stop Trump's slash-and-burn agenda?" Meyers asked. He said they've come close, citing the 51-50 confirmation of Education Secretary Betsy DeVos. "DeVos was nearly stopped in part as a result of the grassroots energy building on the left right now," he said. "But Democrats have to do more than just be against things — they also have to have something to offer to Americans who are so desperate for change that they voted for Donald Trump."
He played a clip of Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) speaking over the weekend. "'The excuses end now' — Elizabeth Warren is like a high school football coach giving a halftime speech," Meyers said, "but the Democratic Party is like the Atlanta Falcons drifting off during a halftime speech and forgetting there's more football to play." Quarterbacking the Democrats, as Meyers explains it, is House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), and that just won't do, he said. "Democrats, you're the Pussycat Dolls of Capitol Hill — it's been a while since you've had a hit." Republicans obviously don't care what Democrats have to say, he added, noting Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell's move to silence Warren on Tuesday night, and his reasoning. "Nevertheless, she persisted?" Meyers repeated. "McConnell tried to slam Warren and instead he gave her the tagline for an action movie." Watch below. Peter Weber
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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.
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