Nancy Pelosi freaks Stephen Colbert out by predicting a Democratic win next week

(Image credit: Screenshot/YouTube/The Late Show)

last updated 31 October 2018

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) was in a good mood on Tuesday's Late Show. "Up until today, I would have said, if the election were held today, we would win," she told Stephen Colbert. "What now I'm saying is: We will win." "Please don't say that," Colbert pleaded. "Do you want to say that on Hillary's fireworks barge that she canceled?" Pelosi noted that Democrats are on offense six days out. "And how long are the curtains that you're measuring now?" Colbert asked. Pelosi doubled down, predicting that Democrats will also win the Senate and governorships if everyone votes. Colbert crossed himself. "I feel like I should sacrifice a goat or something to take the hex off of what you just said."

Colbert asked if President Trump's feint to end birthright citizenship was a sort of "October surprise," and she said it was hardly a surprise, coming from Trump. "What he was saying today has no relationship to what his authority is," she added. "But that's of course not unusual. ... This is what this election is about: checks and balances, a check and balance on this president. Usually we mean that about policy. In this case we mean this about the Constitution of the United States."

Colbert asked if Pelosi knows she's a polarizing figure on the right — "I've noticed that," she deadpanned — the focus of 130,000 ads run this election alone. She said the attacks on her mean Republicans can't run on their record or policy goals. "You cannot let your opponents choose the leaders of your party," Pelosi said. "They come after me because I'm a very effective legislator." Also, she added, "there's a big difference between the president and me. He has very thin skin and I have very thick skin." Good, Colbert said, then showed a cartoon of her and Sen. Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) at a West Virginia rally. 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.