Stephen Colbert takes down WSJ piece on Biden's age
By Matt Moore
Stephen Colbert's monologue turned its attention to the Wall Street Journal on Wednesday night, blasting the outlet for its Joe Biden article. As the Late Show host explained, it's not exactly breaking news that the president is an elderly man.
President Biden's age remains a frequent talking point during the 2024 election cycle. Late-night TV has also joined in the discussion with a range of takes. Bill Maher has at times called Biden's age an advantage but also called for him to drop out. Saturday Night Live made Biden's age the defining hook of Mikey Day's iteration. And Jon Stewart's first monologue back at The Daily Show was all about the two elderly candidates running for president.
But for Stephen Colbert, the Wall Street Journal took things a little too far. The newspaper published "Behind Closed Doors, Biden Shows Signs of Slipping" with anecdotes about President Joe Biden relying on notes during meetings, speaking softly, and taking extended pauses while talking.
Colbert jokingly stated that being old was a felony and Biden's age could disqualify him from the White House. But he quickly corrected himself, reminding the audience that Donald Trump was found guilty of 34 felonies (and is roughly the same age as Biden).
The comedian continued, pointing out that the same "signs of slipping" cited by the WSJ also happen "in front of closed doors." No one should be surprised to hear that Joe Biden speaks softly or references notes during a speech or meeting. And let's not forget the GOP candidate's history with teleprompters.
Colbert's monologue segment ended with a bang when he called out a particular phrase in the Wall Street Journal article. "The blockbuster, lid-blower-offer also included this little nugget explaining that Biden is 'someone who has both good moments and bad ones,'" Colbert said in the setup.
"In a clear contrast with his opponent who only has bad ones," the comedian deadpanned to a loud ovation.
This won't be the we hear about Joe Biden's age, whether its another article or a cable news segment. But Stephen Colbert is primed and ready to point out any hypocrisy he sees, especially when comparing Biden's record to that of his 2024 opponent.