Stephen Colbert, on his late show, expressed his dismay at Donald Trump's attempt to undermine the democratic process by falsely claiming victory and alleging election fraud without evidence. Colbert criticized Republicans for not speaking out against Trump's actions and emphasized the importance of decency in the presidency. He also highlighted the efforts of election officials to continue their work despite the challenges posed by such claims. Colbert's tone was one of sadness and frustration, but he also conveyed a message of resilience and the need to protect democracy.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. Donald Trump walked into the White House briefing room and made claims about the election.
2. Trump claimed there were "illegal vote dumps" and "corrupt election officials."
3. Trump also mentioned "secret Democratic counting cabals."
4. The host, Stephen Colbert, was critical of Trump's claims.
5. Colbert stated that Trump had tried to "poison American democracy."
6. Trump's speech was made around 7 o'clock.
7. Colbert mentioned that Trump had lied for 15 minutes during his speech.
8. The host wore black to show his disapproval of Trump's actions.
9. Colbert mentioned that Trump's behavior was predictable.
10. Trump's claims were made after Joe Biden was close to getting 270 electoral votes.
11. Mitch McConnell declined to comment on Trump's claims.
12. Colbert criticized McConnell for his silence, stating that "who is silent gives consent."
13. The host mentioned that Americans will count who is willing to speak up against Trump's claims.
14. Colbert discussed the current state of the election, including the number of electoral votes Biden had.
15. Biden had 253 electoral votes at the time of the recording.
16. Arizona was a key state, with Biden leading in the polls.
17. Nevada was another state with a close margin between Biden and Trump.
18. Georgia was also a key state, with 16 electoral votes at stake.
19. Pennsylvania was a crucial state, with Biden rapidly closing the gap in the polls.
20. Trump claimed he had won Pennsylvania, despite not having enough votes.
21. Rudy Giuliani was part of Trump's legal team and made claims about election interference.
22. Eric Trump and Giuliani announced plans to file a lawsuit in Pennsylvania.
23. Paula White, Trump's spiritual advisor, led a prayer service in Orlando.
24. White claimed that angels were being dispatched to help Trump win the election.
25. Colbert criticized White's claims, stating that they sounded like "level two of Duolingo Holy Spirit edition."
26. The host mentioned that White's message could only be fully appreciated in song.
27. Colbert ended the monologue by introducing the next segment of the show.