“The Daily Show” warned Democrats on Thursday that they should not fall into the trap of believing that President Trump wants to end the government shutdown as much as they do.
Host Ronny Chieng noted how the Trump White House announced on Wednesday it would be withholding $18 billion in funding for New York transportation, saying, “Wait a minute right there. You’re telling me every New Yorker is going to suffer because of your beef with Chuck Schumer and Hakeem Jeffries?”
“Hey, President Trump. Don’t forget, there are things in New York you care about too, alright?” the “Daily Show” host pleaded. “Like Wall Street, Fox News hosts, your current wife and the home she lives in by herself for some reason.” Moments later, Chieng rolled a clip of Trump saying that “a lot of good” can come from government shutdowns just like the one that is currently happening.
“That’s right. This guy is excited for the shutdown, and that’s the Democrats’ fatal mistake,” Chieng observed. “They assume that Donald Trump cares about the government he’s the president of. You think you’re playing a game of chicken, but he’s playing a game of let-me-crash-into-your-car.”
In the back half of Thursday’s “Daily Show” monologue, Chieng turned his attention to Russell Vought, the Director of the United States Office of Management and Budget, whom Republican Senator Mike Lee told Fox News viewers has been “dreaming about this moment, preparing for this moment since puberty.” In response, Chieng joked, “This is probably the only 13-year-old in history who hid a copy of the federal budget inside a Penthouse.”
The comedian then explained that the shutdown has been caused by Republicans’ apprehension over the possibility that Democrats’ health care funding propositions will benefit undocumented immigrants. Confused, Chieng asked “Daily Show” correspondent and fellow host Michael Kosta, “Isn’t that worth it if it helps give Americans health care?”
“Absolutely not, Ronny,” Kosta bluntly responded. “That is not the American way. Obviously, we’d all love medical treatments for our diseases. But is that worth risking an illegal immigrant getting free aspirin? No way, Jose.”
