Stephen Colbert wonders if Trump is getting tired of losing on the shutdown fight
"It's now Day 34 of the government shutdown, which we've entitled, 'No Country Cuz Old Men,'" Stephen Colbert said on Thursday's Late Show, "and it doesn't look like it's going to end anytime soon" after the Senate rejected two rival bills to reopen the government. "But even though both bills lost, the biggest loser here is the president, because the Democratic bill got more votes than [President] Trump's," Colbert said. "The Democrats won the losing! This is a two-day losing streak for Donald Trump," he added, noting that on Wednesday night "he finally tweeted a white flag" in his State of the Union fight with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-N.Y.).
"Pelosi dominated him," Colbert said. "We finally got what we were promised in 2016: A woman declaring victory over Donald Trump." Trump may be a big loser here, but he isn't the only loser, he added, noting some of the "dire" consequences of 800,000 federal workers not getting paid, including a terrifying statement from the air traffic controllers' union. "That is dangerous," he deadpanned. "You don't want burned-out air traffic controllers waiting tables! You could end up with onion rings instead of fries."
Not everyone seems all that worried about the plight of the unpaid federal workers, though, Colbert said, showing Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross shrugging in confusion. "Fun fact: He's worth $2.9 billion," he said. "That's one point for you, atheists." And Colbert only got a tiny bit of joy out of Jared Kushner eating a little slice of humble pie on the shutdown, even if it was served by Trump. Watch below. Peter Weber
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.
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.
-
How drones have detected a deadly threat to Arctic whalesUnder the radar Monitoring the sea in the air
-
A running list of the US government figures Donald Trump has pardonedin depth Clearing the slate for his favorite elected officials
-
Ski town strikers fight rising cost of livingThe Explainer Telluride is the latest ski resort experiencing an instructor strike
-
‘One Battle After Another’ wins Critics Choice honorsSpeed Read Paul Thomas Anderson’s latest film, which stars Leonardo DiCaprio, won best picture at the 31st Critics Choice Awards
-
Son arrested over killing of Rob and Michele ReinerSpeed Read Nick, the 32-year-old son of Hollywood director Rob Reiner, has been booked for the murder of his parents
-
Rob Reiner, wife dead in ‘apparent homicide’speed read The Reiners, found in their Los Angeles home, ‘had injuries consistent with being stabbed’
-
Hungary’s Krasznahorkai wins Nobel for literatureSpeed Read László Krasznahorkai is the author of acclaimed novels like ‘The Melancholy of Resistance’ and ‘Satantango’
-
Primatologist Jane Goodall dies at 91Speed Read She rose to fame following her groundbreaking field research with chimpanzees
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclubSpeed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's illsSpeed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
