Stephen Colbert, Trevor Noah get serious about unity following Virginia shooting

After Wednesday’s early morning shooting that wounded multiple people, including House Majority Whip Steve Scalise (R-La.), and left the shooter dead, late-night hosts Stephen Colbert and Trevor Noah attempted to put the day’s news into perspective.

Colbert began "The Late Show" by condemning the attack. “Violence of any kind is never justified and is the last refuge of the incompetent,” he said.

Colbert then praised and played the statements made by House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Ca.), who said that “we will use this occasion as one that brings us together and not separates us further,” and House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.), who expressed that “an attack on one of us is an attack on all of us."

Taking his own advice, Colbert even put aside his usual ribbing to give a hat tip to President Trump.

“Thank you to to the congressional leadership and to the president for responding to this act of terror in a way that gives us hope that no matter our differences, we will always be the United States of America," he said.

Later in the show, “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah, who was a guest, was asked by Colbert about the events of the morning. Noah too praised how politicians came together in response to the attack. (Starting about two minutes into the clip below.)



“It was great to see people from both sides seeing this and uniting under the banner of 'human' and 'American' before anything else,” Noah said. “That’s one of the things we’re seeing less and less of today, it feels like.”

Noah referenced how Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) had a genial relationship with Atty. Gen. Jeff Sessions when the latter served in the Senate as an example of politicians being able to put aside their partisan views.

“I think that’s something that is lacking in American politics,” Noah said. “It’s almost become like wrestling where the fans don’t realize that those people get along.”

The comic also gave kudos to Ryan and Pelosi for their message of harmony but said more could be done to urge peace.

“I feel like they could do a better job of saying that to Americans,” Noah said. “Saying that, 'Hey, we fight, you can fight. But don’t forget, at your core, you are Americans. Don’t ever forget that.’” Via Source: latimes