Stephen Colbert, Seth Meyers, and Trevor Noah pan Republican reactions to the House impeachment vote

Late night hosts on the House impeachment vote

(Image credit: Screenshots/YouTube/Late Night, The Daily Show, Full Frontal, The Late Show)

last updated 1 November 2019

The House approved a road map to impeaching President Trump on Thursday, and since it was Halloween, The Late Show paid homage to a holiday classic.

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"The resolution passed by a vote of 232 to 196, with zero Republican votes," Stephen Colbert said, teeing up a loaded question: "Are they just complaining about process with those zero votes, or are they really so lacking in any honor that they are willing to publicly state that blackmailing a foreign government to interfere in our election is okay?" It was the latter, and Colbert had a "quick follow up" involving the Titanic, an iceberg, and a mad captain.

Republicans also brought visual aids and odd complaints. Rep. Steve Scalise (R-La.), for example, accused the Democrats of using "Soviet-style tactics" — "Ah yes, the classic Soviet-style rules for impeaching their leaders," Colbert said. "Remember, Stalin was in power only 30 years when he was impeached by dying" — and Rep. Devin Nunes (R-Calif.) called the Democrats a "cult" chasing "one outlandish conspiracy theory to another." Really? Colbert asked. "Wow, that is the pot saying the kettle was born in Kenya."

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Late Night's Seth Meyers laughed at Nunes' "cult" comment and Scalise's Soviet poster, "but at least that guy brought a visual aide," he said. "Republican Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy tried to use his words, but he said something so confusing" it sounded like he'd "asked Siri to read a quote from Alexander Hamilton after spilling water on your phone." Thursday's vote "was obviously a historic moment and a huge blow to Trump and his supporters," who have "started to freak out," Meyers said. "The House has now formally endorsed the impeachment inquiry, and that's because the basic facts of what happened are indisputable."

"Before you get too excited, please remember this is just a vote to define the rules for the process of impeachment," Trevor Noah cautioned at The Daily Show. "They still have to vote on impeachment, then they vote on the rules for the impeachment trial, then they vote on whether or not to convict. ... Seriously, there are like so many steps before you can actually punish an American president. Congress impeaches presidents like white parents discipline their kids. 'Young man, if you don't listen, I'm going to tell you again!'" 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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