Late Show host Stephen Colbert devoted part of his show’s monologue to thanking Sen. Mitt Romney, a Republican from Utah, for “serving the Constitution” over Trump, calling the president a “monstrous child in the White House.”
“Folks, I hope you’re sitting down because I’ve got some terrible news: the news,” Colbert said to opened Wednesday night show addressing Trump’s Senate impeachment acquittal. “It’s official. Nothing means anything. Right is wrong. Up is down. Missouri is Kansas.”
The comedian used his monologue to put Senate Republicans, including Sens. Lamar Alexander of Tennessee and Susan Collins of Maine on blast, accusing them of not having “the balls” to condemn Trump. However, Colbert later took the time to thank GOP Sen. Mitt Romney, 72, for deciding to vote for Trump’s conviction and removal from office.
“Hearing Mitt Romney take his oath to God seriously was like finding water in the desert,” Colbert said. “Because we know Republicans are lying when they say that Trump didn’t do anything wrong or that maybe he did, but he shouldn’t be removed.”
He continued, “Every person who leaves the White House and writes a book about it, or every journalist who gets to peek behind the curtain, like the two we had last night, they all tell us the Republicans privately are horrified by Donald Trump and want something, someone to do something to stop him. But they don’t have the balls to say that out loud when it matters.”
Colbert noted he admires Romney’s claim that he was adhering to his religious beliefs.
“The Old Testament does say you worship God, not golden cows,” he said, comparing Trump to a GOP idol. Romney’s claim that he was adhering to his “oath to God” inspired Colbert to reflect on the meanings of an oath.
“Now, oaths may not mean a lot to some people. But here’s what it’s about. When you take an oath, you can’t think one thing and say another. You are asking God to witness, on the pain of your immortal soul, that what you whisper in your heart is what comes out of your mouth, though most of these guys are talking out their ass,” said Colbert.
“Please join me in thanking Mitt Romney for being honest, for not lying to us or to himself, for serving the Constitution rather than that monstrous child in the White House,” the host ended his monologue.
