John Oliver on Trump’s Election Win: No Grandpa Is Too Racist To Be President
Late-night TV has officially had its final — and most damning — say where the 2016 Presidential Election (and Donald Trump's unlikely victory) are concerned. And HBO's John Oliver has not minced his words.
On last night's (November 13) Last Week Tonight episode, Oliver attempted — in an act of total futility — to make sense of last Tuesday's (November 8) election result, in which the American electorate rewarded a man who has flagrantly mocked Americans with disabilities, vowed to deport millions and proposed policy that threatens women, minority groups and the LGBTQ community. All the while, he pointed out, voters slighted the preparedness and humanitarian convictions of Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton.
"It turns out, instead of showing our daughters that they could someday be president, America proved that no grandpa is too racist to become leader of the free world," Oliver said.
The host added that the country's white voters — largely responsible for Trump's win — may have been attempting to dismantle what they see as Washington business as usual. Ultimately, though, the choice has left the majority of Americans with a political hangover.
"Many people are happy to see him in office — some are voters who think he’ll bring jobs back and shake up Washington,” Oliver said. “But for the rest of us, we are faced with the same questions as a guy who woke up the day after a Vegas bachelor party, deep in the desert, naked, tied to a cactus and a dead clown. Namely, how the f--- did we get here, and what the f--- do we do now?"
And while Oliver said it's important to try to understand the votes, he said he wouldn't concede on the idea that Trump deserves the benefit of the doubt. Further, he implored those who were devastated with the election's results to continue fighting.
"For the last eight years, we’ve had a president we could assume would generally stand up for the rights of all Americans. But that is going to change now. So we’re going to have to actively stand up for one another," he said. "Keep reminding yourself: This is not normal. Write it on a Post-It note, and stick it on your refrigerator. Hire a skywriter once a month. Tattoo it on your ass. Because a Klan-backed, misogynist internet troll is going to be delivering the next State of the Union address. And that is not normal, it is f----- up."
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