Reeling from a shooting that targeted Republican congressmen on Wednesday, CBS late night host Stephen Colbert made a surprising gesture.
Colbert, who has bitterly opposed President Trump, opened his show by acknowledging the tragedy and commending leaders in Washington for their response. “Even in the horror of this day,” the comedian said, “there was reason to take heart in bipartisan responses like this.”
“So I just want to say thank you,” Colbert continued, “to the congressional leadership and to the president for responding to this act of terror in a way that gives us hope that whatever our differences, we will always be the United States of America.”
Just hours before the shooting, Colbert referred to the president as a “scary clown” in a tweet. On Tuesday, Colbert’s program featured him interviewing a Melania Trump impersonator who mockingly implied the First Lady is unhappy to be living in the White House with her husband.
Given the tenor of the host’s prior swipes at Trump, Colbert’s willingness to thank the president, along with congressional leadership, “for responding to this act of terror in a way that gives us hope” is notable. Whether Colbert’s sentiment towards bipartisan cooperation will last, however, is yet to be determined.
Emily Jashinsky is a commentary writer for the Washington Examiner.
