Stephen Colbert blames Fox News, Republicans for fomenting 'insurrection' at Capitol

Stephen Proctor
Updated ·3 min read
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The Late Show With Stephen Colbert scrapped its planned program in favor of an unexpected live show Wednesday night in response to the shocking events at the Capitol earlier in the day.

Not long after President Trump gave a speech outside the White House, in which he told his supporters to march to the Capitol, a riot broke out as his supporters stormed the complex and forced their way inside in an effort to disrupt the certification of the presidential election. Legislators were rushed to secure locations, while offices and the senate chamber were ransacked. Tragically, four people died in the melee, one shot by a police officer, the others of medical issues.

Colbert opened the show visibly angry, saying he wasn’t even sure he wanted to talk about what had transpired.

“I've rarely been as upset as I am tonight,” Colbert said. He soon added, “Who could have seen this coming? Everyone? Even dummies like me. This is the most shocking, most tragic, least-surprising thing I've ever seen.”

While Colbert acknowledged the large part Trump played in the events of Wednesday, he placed much of the blame on Fox News and congressional Republicans.

After saying that Sen. Josh Hawley (R-MO), who was vocal about objecting to the certifications in a few states, has blood on his hands, Colbert said, “Speaking of which, how about you Fox News? You think maybe years of peddling his [Trump’s] conspiracy theories had anything to do with this?”

And Colbert got a little colorful.

“‘Oh, but come on, man,” Colbert said, speaking as Fox News. “You know we have our opinion side and our news side. Come on, we’re just trying to turn some coin for Uncle Rupee. You know, sell a few lubricated catheters.’ Like those lubricated catheters, you know where you can stick your excuses, and you can skip the lubrication.”

Colbert also had a scathing message for Republicans.

“For years now, people have been telling you cowards that if you let the president lie about our democracy over and over, and then join him in that lie and say he's right when you know for a fact that he is not, there will be a terrible price to pay,” Colbert said. “But you just never thought you’d have to pay it too.”

Colbert specifically called out just a few of the senators who played to Trump’s base by saying they would object to certifications in certain states, despite knowing full well that it would not overturn the election.

“A little question for the Republican senators who helped foment this insurrection,” Colbert said. “Why’d you run away? I mean, these are your peeps. They love you. Why didn't you hang out with your buddies, Marsha Blackburn, Kelly Loeffler, Ron Johnson, John ‘Not That Kennedy’ Kennedy? Because you can run all you want for the rest of your lives, but you can never escape the responsibility of what you brought upon American democracy today. I mean, this was never some sort of peaceful protest. This was Charlottesville come home to roost on Capitol Hill.”

Finally, Colbert offered one last rebuke of congressional Republicans.

“In 2022, when all of those Republicans who — make no mistake — are responsible for what happened today and are running for reelection, let's remember them for who they showed themselves to be today: cynical cowards who believe the voters should not get to choose who governs this country. Let’s hope the voters prove them all wrong.”

The Late Show With Stephen Colbert airs weeknights at 11:35 p.m. on CBS.

Watch this Republican Congresswoman credit ‘motherly instincts’ for helping her children avoid the MAGA siege at the U.S. Capitol:

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