Both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert had a field day with “Fangate” Thursday night.
On Wednesday night, Florida Governor Rick Scott made national headlines by boycotting a debate for seven minutes because former governor and Democratic opponent Charlie Crist had brought a fan on stage with him, in violation of the debate rules.
Or, as Stewart put it: “Right off the bean, things got very Florida.”
Stewart reminded viewers that this is not the first fan controversy to hit Florida politics—in 2006 there was also a dispute over a fan, but that ended with the candidates sharing the fan.
“Sadly those days of bipartisan accommodation are long gone,” Stewart observed.
Although Scott eventually did come out and the two candidates had a lively debate about a variety of policies, Fangate dominated the news of the debate. “Who gives two f—s about the environment or education? Its Florida, everyone needs a fan,” Stewart agreed.
It later came out that the Scott campaign had signed a candidate letter of agreement saying that candidates could not bring electronic devices, including fans, on the stage. But Crist’s campaign signed it after them and added a handwritten note: “with understanding that the debate hosts will address any temperature issues with a fan if necessary.”
“All of which is just splitting hairs, which is also unfair to Rick Scott,” Colbert cracked, at the expense of balding Gov. Scott.
Scott has since attempted to do damage control, and gave this rambling response to why he had not come on stage: “I waited to see if he–’til–we figured out if he was going to show up. He said he wasn’t gonna come to the–he said he wasn’t gonna come to the debate. So why come out until he’s ready?”
“Right, he was just waiting in the wings for seven minutes to figure out whether the guy on stage was going to come to the debate,” Colbert said sarcastically.
Watch both clips below:
The Colbert Report
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The Daily Show
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