Stephen Colbert Spoke Truth To Power, Say Friends In Power With Their Own Definition Of ‘Truth’
Is truth unchanging law?
Democrats have uniformly defended Stephen Colbert after CBS cancelled The Late Show. They’ve praised him as more than just a talented comedian who spells his first name correctly but as someone who boldly speaks “truth to power.”
House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries posted on social media, “Thank you Stephen Colbert for your willingness to speak truth to power. Staying far from timid. And never bending the knee to a wannabe king.” Jeffries apparently found it easier to endorse Colbert than New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz used similar language when he shared a photo of himself and Colbert — a couple of average Joes having a cup of joe. He wrote, “Stephen Colbert is the best in the business. He always told truth to power and pulled no punches. We need more of that, not less.”
Right-wingers have mocked Democrats for their Colbert tributes and insist that Colbert only ever criticized Donald Trump and Republicans. They’ve derided him as a mere “DNC spokesperson,” although Colbert can actually communicate effectively.
Admittedly, “truth to power” is a tiresome expression, which explains why Hakeem Jeffries used it. Every morning, Jeffries probably consults his “Tiresome Expression of the Day” calendar. That mild dig will probably frustrate some loyal Democrats, who don’t appreciate it when their own leaders are mocked or criticized. As Tim Rice observed, “What is truth? Is mine the same as yours?” And who actually wields true “power” is apparently debatable. Jeffries aspires to become second in line to the president. Even now, as House Democratic leader, he is a powerful politician. Yet, he has shown nothing but scorn for those who would “speak their truth” — to use another tiresome expression — about how he does his job.
A few months ago, Jeffries told Stephen A. Smith, “The extreme left protest me more than they protest Donald Trump...I think because I've chosen not to bend the knee to either people on the far left and certainly not to Donald Trump and the far right.”
Equating “far-left” protesters with Trump and MAGA, which literally controls the entire federal government, is a strange choice. However, Jeffries notably doesn’t thank the “extreme left” for holding him accountable or pushing him to do better. He views them simply as an annoyance.
Jeffries’s ongoing reluctance to fully support New York’s Democratic mayoral nominee who won his own district also reflects his selective reading of how one speaks “truth to power.” He’s demanded that Mamdani reassure Jewish New Yorkers that he’ll keep them “safe” — an insulting request that smears Mamdani as an antisemitic threat because of his stance on the Israel-Gaza war.
Mainstream Democrats now gently suggest that maybe children in Gaza shouldn’t needlessly starve, but for more than a year, they have helped promote the right-wing narrative that any criticism of Israel’s government is inherently antisemitic. If a student protester dared speak this particular truth to power, they could end up deported and without any supportive messages from Democratic leadership.
And we shouldn’t forget that the DNC refused to let Georgia state Rep. Ruwa Roman, who’s Palestinian, speak at the 2024 convention. Her truth was considered a threat to Democratic power.
Colbert did speak truth to power
Democrats have come to praise Stephen Colbert now, but just a year ago, they wanted to bury him. Colbert had dared speak the unpleasant truth about the current president in power.
During his first monologue after Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance, Colbert said, “So, should he stay? Should he go? Who am I to recommend? I don’t know what’s going on in Joe Biden’s mind. Something I apparently have in common with Joe Biden.” (Watch below.)
“Going into [the first presidential debate], all Joe had to do was allay people’s fears that he was too old,” Colbert said, “but instead, Biden’s shakiness allowed Trump to get away with 90 minutes of lies, racism and weird golf brags, which is why a lot of people are saying this was the worst debate performance of all time. But I don’t think that’s fair. I think that Biden debated as well as Abraham Lincoln, if you dug him up right now.”
Colbert also touched the third rail of Democratic politics and suggested that maybe it was time for Biden to step aside, for the good of the nation and the party.
“Self-sacrifice takes a particular kind of courage, and that is a courage I believe Joe Biden is capable of,” Colbert said. “I believe he is good enough man, he is a good enough president, to put the needs of the country ahead of the needs of his ego. And however painful that might be, it is possible handing leadership to a younger generation is the right thing for the greater goodest. Or good as. Either one.”
Colbert had explicitly called Biden a “great president” and Trump a “monster” in his monologue. Yet, the liberal backlash online was still severe. Here’s one example from “Scary Larry” that was at least consistent with his social media handle: “Never thought I’d say this but Stephen Colbert can go fuck himself too. Does Putin have kompromat on all these rich so-called ‘Democrats’ demanding that Biden drop out of the race? Do they not understand that a second trump term will destroy our democracy?”
I have long denounced reflexive contrarianism or trendy political nihilism, which I don’t consider all that insightful. However, to his credit, Colbert has never resorted to either form of commentary. He’s pretty earnest, and it was clear he was genuinely concerned about Biden’s ability to beat Trump. Colbert deserved a benefit of the doubt that many hard core Democrats refused to give him. He suddenly became just another entitled wealthy white man, like George Clooney, who was somehow disrespecting Black women voters.
Later, when Biden did drop out, Colbert’s detractors were unforgiving.
“Biden Harris Birder” posted, “Still won't forget stupid fuckers like Stephen Colbert, Rob Reiner, Stephen King, etc, all trying to force Biden to drop out. And then Biden does a jiu-jitsu move on them all and Biden triumphs with his pick for Kamala even before they even have a clue!!”
“Pop Culture Political Junkie” wrote, “Stephen Colbert as a Paleoconservative Blue Dog Dixiecrat is responsible for the rise of Donald Trump by making Joe Biden to drop out of the 2024 U.S. Presidential Election instead of Donald Trump.”
Dictators and narcissists don’t like people making fun of them. It’s why Trump can’t take a joke. However, liberals should consider why they believe their own leaders are somehow exempt from comedy.
When comedian Blaire Erskine joked about the fundraising emails she’d received from Biden after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v Wade, she was accused of “voter suppression,” because apparently a comedian making jokes is tantamount to a poll tax.
Some Biden dead-enders online have taken a perverse pleasure in Colbert’s career setback. Here’s how “Biden/Harris Forever” responded to a post stating, “The Late Show cancellation ‘should scare you’”:
“It does but he (Stephen Colbert) could have prevented this by not wishing Biden to drop out. Many things could have prevented a dictatorship.”
I don’t personally think late night host skewering Biden caused him to drop out or in any way led to Trump’s victory. Colbert has an audience of 2.8 million viewers. More than 77 million people voted for Trump.
The ongoing problem is that some people don’t want “truth” so much as mindless cheerleading for the powerful leaders they support. I respect Colbert for being better than this.
Thank you for this, Stephen. You deserve to be much more widely read and appreciated.
“The extreme left protest me more than they protest Donald Trump"
There is no "extreme left," Jeffries. Why would you insult the only people in this country who want to go forward?
And Donald Trump may have called his MAGA death cult "stupid" countless times, but never "extreme."