Trevor Noah and Seth Meyers puzzle out the GOP's bifurcated response to Roy Moore and sex abuse


Trevor Noah began his segment on Roy Moore on Monday's Daily Show by giving a confused two cheers to Republican senators who are running away from the Alabama GOP Senate nominee, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell. "Ha-ha, look at Mitch McConnell's face," he said. "He looks like a man who made a point that... I agree with... about how we should believe the victims — I'm not used to this feeling, this is weird." He spent the rest of it criticizing Moore's loyal supporters elsewhere on the right, and especially Moore's evangelical Christian base, some of whom "only use religion when it suits them."
Moore, "as a devoted member of the Christian right who's been accused of horrible acts, he knows the one place a person can find forgiveness: You've got to go to a church, and then you take a right and go down two blocks to Sean Hannity's house," Noah said, playing some of Hannity's cringeworthy radio interview with Moore. Still, "Republican politics can basically be divided into two eras: there's BG and AG — before the grab and after the grab," Noah said, referring to President Trump's Access Hollywood confession. "Because once they made sexual assault seem like a partisan issue, it enabled all of their party members to use politics as a shield for their sex crimes."
On Late Night, Seth Meyers also focused on the "grotesque lengths" Moore's supporters are taking to defend him, with some awkward clips. "Not only are the accounts of Moore's accusers credible and supported by more than 30 sources," plus an unfortunate high school yearbook signing, Meyers said. "But people who know Moore have since come forward to corroborate the fact that Moore liked to date teen girls." It's nice that McConnell wants Moore out, Meyers said, "but now the question, what specific actions will the GOP take to stop Moore?" Watch below. Peter Weber
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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 for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
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.
-
Road trip: New England’s maple syrup season
Feature New England is serving up maple syrup in delicious and unexpected ways
By The Week US Published
-
Music Reviews: Mdou Moctar, Panda Bear, and Tate McRae
Feature “Tears of Injustice,” “Sinister Grift,” and “So Close to What”
By The Week US Published
-
What's at stake in the Mahmoud Khalil deportation fight?
Talking Points Vague accusations and First Amendment concerns
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wife
speed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster show
Speed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top Grammys
Speed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
The Louvre is giving 'Mona Lisa' her own room
Speed Read The world's most-visited art museum is getting a major renovation
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Honda and Nissan in merger talks
Speed Read The companies are currently Japan's second and third-biggest automakers, respectively
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Taylor Swift wraps up record-shattering Eras tour
Speed Read The pop star finally ended her long-running tour in Vancouver, Canada
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Drake claims illegal boosting, defamation
Speed Read The rapper accused Universal Music of boosting Kendrick Lamar's diss track and said UMG allowed him to be falsely accused of pedophilia
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' ignite holiday box office
Speed Read The combination of the two movies revitalized a struggling box office
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published