Colbert Challenges Trump to Pass ‘Common Sense Gun Control’ After Vegas Shooting
At the top of his program this evening, Late Show host Stephen Colbert took some time out from telling jokes to get serious about the worst mass shooting in modern American history.
Noting it was a comedy show, Colbert said that today the “national conversation is about the shooting in Las Vegas,” adding that “jokes aren’t appropriate to address the shock and grief and anger we feel.”
The comic went on to highlight President Donald Trump’s comments following the Vegas shooting in which the president called it an “act of pure evil.”
“So, what, then, are we willing to do to combat ‘pure evil?’ The answer can’t be nothing. It can’t,” Colbert exclaimed.
He then highlighted a number of legislative options that have been proposed to combat gun violence, such as universal background checks, semi-automatic weapons bans, and mental illness screenings. “Doing nothing is cowardice — doing something will take courage,” Colbert stated.
Colbert ended his address by pushing Trump to do what the last two presidents couldn’t:
“President Trump– you’ve said you want to be a transformative president who doesn’t care about the way things have always been done in Washington. This is your chance to prove it. I mean this sincerely — you don’t owe the Republicans anything. You know the Republicans tried to stop you from being president. Screw ’em. Want to make America great again? Do something the last two presidents haven’t been able to do. Pass any kind of common sense gun control legislation that the vast majority of Americans want. Because if we are facing pure evil, then by all means offer thoughts and prayers. But think about what you need to do and pray for the courage to do it.”
Watch the clip above, via CBS.
[image via screengrab]
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