Paul Ryan Appears in Hilarious Late Night Segment Like the Non-Candidate He Is

It seems as if everybody, even lifelong conservative voters, are hoping for the “white horse” scenario in the 2016 cycle: a base Republican leader is going to emerge on his/her white horse in Cleveland this summer, snatching the party nomination from Trump’s tiny fingers in time to save the union and defend the Constitution. Speaker of the House and former I-will-not-be-Speaker-of-the-House game player Paul Ryan has been a popular choice for that scenario. He joined Stephen Colbert on The Late Show Tuesday, you know, because making humorous appearances on late night shows is not what Presidential contenders do at all.

“We want to have an ideas campaign, not a personality contest,” Ryan told Colbert via satellite Tuesday night.

“Would you accept the nomination?” Colbert pressed him endlessly.

The Speaker clarified (again), “No, Steven. I have said I do not want, nor would I accept, the Republican nomination.”

“Got it. So you’re considering the nomination…”

The Laurel & Hardy bit bounced back and forth like this for a while, crazy guy/straight guy, Stephen Colbert and the man who is now certainly looking to steal the nomination for himself this summer. After Trump’s defiant win in New York Tuesday night, the establishment’s counterattack to move forward will certainly make for an interesting next few months of political jockeying.

“The nomination should go to someone who actually campaigned for it. For me, that door is closed,” noted Ryan.

“Got it,” Colbert settled. “…but is that door locked?”

Watch the above video from CBS.