Stephen Colbert wryly annotates Trump's feuds with Bob Corker, Jeff Flake


There are some nights when all Stephen Colbert has to do is roll the tape and read the tweets, and Tuesday's Republican Party crackup made for one of those nights. "It's like a new Civil War, except this time neither side is trying to help black people," he joked on Tuesday's Late Show. He read through "the latest shots from Fort Trumpter" on Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.), who responded in kind with some scathing tweets and interviews. In one, Corker called Trump's lunch with Senate Republicans an act of theater but added, "More power to him." "No, less power to him!" Colbert responded. "You already made him the most powerful man in the world, because you helped get him elected."
Corker's morning battle with Trump was soon subsumed by Sen. Jeff Flake's (R-Ariz.) stabs at Trump as he dramatically announced his impending resignation from the Senate floor. Colbert played some of the highlights, like when Flake promised he would no longer be "complicit or silent" in the face of Trump's transgressions, despotism, and tweets. "No, I will be complicit and absent," Colbert said, imitating Flake. "You're acting like all Donald Trump does is go on Twitter to threaten global civility. He also threatens football players."
"First McCain, then Corker, now Flake — why is it that Republicans only speak up against Donald Trump when they know they're not running for re-election?" Colbert asked. "They finally grow a set, then they say, 'I'm taking my balls and going home.'" There are hand gestures. 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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