Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Kimmel, and Jimmy Fallon have some fun with Pence's Biden certification dilemma
Georgia had two big Senate elections Tuesday, and "to support the Republican candidates, last night the president went down to Georgia — as devils often do," Stephen Colbert said on Tuesday's Late Show. "But the main thing on his mind was tomorrow's congressional certification of Joe Biden's win. The president still thinks he has a chance to somehow overturn that, partly because the guy overseeing the certification ceremony" is his loyal Vice President Mike Pence, "and he really expects Pence to have his back on this."
"The thing is, Pence's role as president of the Senate is a purely ceremonial job," Colbert noted. "The vice president can't arbitrarily decide who's the next president! Otherwise, in 2001 I'm gonna guess Al Gore would have picked Al Gore." Still he said, "this is gotta be a painful moment for Pence, having to choose between the country he loves and the man he's pledged to help destroy it."
The Late Show predicted how Pence will choose in an animated short.
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.
"Yeah, Trump has to be begging Pence to stop Congress from certifying the Electoral College vote tomorrow," which Pence can't do, Jimmy Fallon said at The Tonight Show. "Pence's only role is to preside over the ballot counting — he's basically one step above a BINGO caller." That may be sad, Fallon said, but at least Pence isn't Trump, "still campaigning for an election he already lost. Imagine Justin Guarini tweeting today, 'Text 50815 to make me the next American Idol!'"
"Trump still has a lot of supporters, he still has plenty of talking heads who eagerly peddle these cockamamie claims that the election was stolen," and "at least a dozen Republican senators and about 140 Republicans in the House are planning to object to certifying the results of the election tomorrow," Jimmy Kimmel said on Kimmel Live. "It's a move that will certainly fail. The only question now is what is Mike Pence gonna do about?"
"Pence is in a pickle because the vice president is the one who officially declares the winner, and Boss Baby is pressuring Pence to say he's the winner — which makes no sense," Kimmel said. "The vice president's role is ceremonial, it's like the Oscars: He basically opens the envelope and announces the name. But Trump wants him to pull a La La Land, and Mike Pence is now in a tight spot." Watch him feign pity for Pence below. Peter Weber
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.
-
The best new music of 2024 by genre
The Week Recommends Outstanding albums, from pop to electro and classical
By The Week UK Published
-
Nine best TV shows of 2024 to binge this Christmas
The Week Recommends From Baby Reindeer and Slow Horses to Rivals and Shogun, here are the critics' favourites
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: December 28, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff 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
-
Jussie Smollet conviction overturned on appeal
Speed Read The Illinois Supreme Court overturned the actor's conviction on charges of staging a racist and homophobic attack against himself in 2019
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Quincy Jones, music icon, is dead at 91
Speed Read The legendary producer is perhaps best known as the architect behind Michael Jackson's 'Thriller'
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
OJ Simpson, star athlete tried for murder, dead at 76
Speed Read The former football hero and murder suspect lost his battle with cancer
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published
-
Momofuku's 'Chili Crunch' trademark uproar
Speed Read The company's attempt to own the sole rights has prompted backlash
By Rafi Schwartz, The Week US Published