Stephen Colbert: The cost of Trump’s pandemic mismanagement

Stephen Colbert blames President Donald Trump’s lack of leadership for the worsening pandemic

In a sign of just how dire things stand with the pandemic, the same headlines from the start of the COVID-19 outbreak are returning. Once again, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert cited President Donald Trump’s lack of leadership as the cause of worsening conditions in the U.S., just as the show did back in March.

Almost daily, the U.S. is setting records for the number of novel coronavirus cases and hospitalizations. Things are expected to get even worse heading into the holiday season especially if people fail to socially distance, wear masks, and avoid gatherings.

But if millions of Americans continue to follow the example set by President Trump and his White House, it’s unlikely that those safety measures will be followed. That was the warning behind Stephen Colbert’s monologue last night on The Late Show.

Just like he did at the onset of the pandemic, Colbert called out President Trump’s lack of moral leadership. Watch as the late night host condemns the “leadership vacuum” in America that is contributing to America’s poor performance in containing the pandemic.

There is more than enough blame to go around when it comes to how the country has responded to the COVID-19 pandemic. However, Colbert makes it clear that things start at the top with President Donald Trump.

Colbert cites a report indicating that President Trump has not attended a coronavirus task force meeting since June. The daily briefings that once formed the basis for late night monologues have discontinued save for announcements on vaccines.

Speaking of vaccines, Colbert’s monologue highlights how the latest developments may not be all good news for some Americans. He points to President Trump’s comments suggesting that the vaccine may be withheld from New York due to political reasons.

Stephen Colbert doesn’t want people to forget about the pandemic

Between the election results and President Trump’s legal battles, it has been easy to focus on those stories above all else. This was certainly true for The Late Show even if it refused to refer to the current president by name.

But with the White House’s lawsuits continuing to fail and President Trump slowly but surely starting to face reality, it is no longer the lead story for The Late Show. On Monday night, Stephen Colbert’s monologue was proof that the post-election mess should be secondary to pandemic updates.

The Late Show spent months combining its comedy with a public service announcement when it came to the pandemic. Colbert called on Americans to be their own president in the face of a leadership void. So now as we wait for one president to hand over power to the next, Colbert is making that call again.

President Trump’s antics can be a tempting distraction. Nobody knows this better than Colbert. Yet it seems clear that the comedian sees that with COVID-19 cases spiking ahead of flu season and the holidays, now is the time to ignore the noise and focus on keeping everyone as safe as possible.

What did you think of Stephen Colbert’s monologue? Share your thoughts in the comment section below.