“They did it! Obamacare is finally, officially dead!” Stephen Colbert declared on Thursday night’s episode of the “Late Show.”
Then came the joke —
“… is something they can say once the bill goes to the Senate then gets out of committee, is debated on the floor where amendments can be added, then the Senate votes on their bill, which is sent to conference committee where the differences between the two bills are ironed out, then voted on in the House and Senate again, then sent to the White House for the President to sign.
“Which is why Republicans were chanting, ‘We’re number one-third of the way through a very complex process.’”
The comedian’s dry wisecrack came just hours after the House voted 217-213 to repeal and replace major parts of Obamacare. The bill, which could cause 24 million people to lose insurance coverage, must still be passed by the Senate, despite President Trump’s declaration of victory on Thursday following the vote.
“… it did not stop Republicans from throwing a massive beer bash,” noted Colbert. “They haven’t accomplished anything yet, but it wasn’t just beer. They also served unhatched chickens. There was so much food they had to bring it in a cart before the horse.”
Colbert then took aim at White House chief of staff Reince Priebus for making a football analogy that was originally reported as a flub.
He was initially quoted as saying, “The president stepped up and helped punt the ball into the end zone.” (The Hill reported later clarified that Priebus had said “punch,” not “punt.”)
“Accurate, because it gets you zero points and gives your opponent good field position,” Colbert said in response to what was initially reported.
“I think a more accurate football metaphor might have been, the GOP just kicked America in the balls.”
Watch his opening monologue above.