John Oliver can’t believe there are still voters willing to give US President Donald Trump the benefit of the doubt about his handling of the coronavirus pandemic despite the United States having the most cases and most deaths.
With less than 36 hours to go before the start of the election, the “Last Week Tonight” host delivered a 21-minute indictment of many of the ways the Trump administration has failed the nation throughout the crisis. He also highlighted one moment that revealed Trump’s “borderline sociopathic” inability to show any degree of empathy for victims and survivors.
As first responders gathered in the Oval Office, Ernest Grant ― president of the American Nurses Association ― told Trump about the post-traumatic stress those working on the frontlines of the pandemic were experiencing. Trump barely listened, then started passing out commemorative pens to everyone in the room.
“I know after four years it is hard for anything Trump does to shock you anymore but it is worth making sure that that still does,” Oliver said. “...He wasn’t even listening. He was just sitting there, waiting for his turn to speak so he could do his pen thing.”
Oliver added:
“Is there anything more grim than that? I mean I guess you could’ve not offered them pens. But would that have been worse? Better? It’s honestly difficult to say. It’s even more difficult to write a joke of.”
Then Oliver offered a message for those who think Trump’s been a boon for entertainers such as himself.
″‘Oh, Trump must be great for you comedians, right?’” he said. “Yeah, not really. This has been a fucking nightmare!”
See his full dissection below:
- Here’s the latest science on COVID antibodies.
- How does the coronavirus spread differently than the flu?
- What does the new CDC definition of a COVID-19 “close contact” mean for you?
- Is it safe to see grandparents for the holidays?
- Therapists predict how this year will shape our mental health.