Late Night Takes On Trump's Reaction To Charlottesville

Even Trump hair tousler Jimmy Fallon got serious:

The Apocalypse Nears: Normalizing Trump Continues

Brian Beutler has a good read on the media's still- not- too- late obligation to bear witness faithfully to the abnormality of neo- fascist demagogue Donald "Rump" Trump.  Here's a snippet:

Whether you have a short or long view, you’ve seen enough to say authoritatively that Trump is different from all major party nominees in living memory. It is not normal in modern times for a major party nominee to be an erratic, racist demagogue; and it is almost definitionally abnormal for a major party nominee to be described as such by leading members of his own party. [snip] 

For several weeks now—including since Labor Day, when most Americans truly began paying attention to the campaigns—these truths, which we all took for granted six months ago, have not been communicated to glancing news consumers. They’ve receded from most article leads, headlines, front pages, and A-block TV segments. 

That development is the product of many collective choices and thousands of individual ones. It is an institutional failure, and as such, a major and abrupt course correction seems highly unlikely. But that doesn’t absolve reporters, editors, producers or anyone else who is part of the system. There’s still time to alter our focus, however incrementally, so that it better captures what’s new and alarming, and all journalists have some degree of power to nudge it in that direction. The goal is not to swing an election, or call Trump mean names, or render partisan judgment about whether electing him would be a world-historical mistake. It’s simply so that after this is all over, however it shakes out, we can say we bore witness faithfully.  (our emphasis)

Time is short, and the impulse to normalize this "world historical mistake" either by commission or omission continues apace in political reporting, McNews stories, and in a boot- licking corner of the entertainment world (or perhaps we should say, "hair tousling corner").

It's worth repeating what Charles Pierce said a few days ago:

... For the balance of this election cycle, and largely due to the presence in it of this ridiculous man and his ridiculous campaign, the American people have proven themselves profoundly unworthy of being called citizens.

And that goes double for those who know better and yet stand by and say or do nothing.

BONUS:  Regarding that cringe- worthy effort by Jimmy Fallon (WTF is wrong with you?)  to normalize (humanize?) Rump linked to above, this is our favorite tweet so far on the episode:

Somewhere in Trump tower:
"Make the call." pic.twitter.com/RRNIIhCaas

— Bob Schooley (@Rschooley) September 16, 2016

Zinger Of The Week

"A 12-year-old boy is actually running one of Trump’s campaign offices in Colorado. When asked how an inexperienced child could be running things, the boy said, 'Look, he’s the nominee and we’re stuck with him.'”  -  Jimmy Fallon, referring to 12-year-old Weston Imer, who was running the Jefferson County (CO) office of neo- fascist toddler Donald "Rump" Trump with his mommy.

President Obama "Slow Jams The News"

Seven minutes of wonderful last night on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon (and we, too, wish he "could go for three like ... Steph Curry."):

Cruz Mocked For "Getting His Ronnie On;" Hillary Clinton Talks To "Donald Trump"

It's good to see Stephen Colbert hasn't lost his edge in political satire now that he's on corporate late night t.v.  Watch him dismantle the attempt by Sen. "Tailgunner Ted" Cruz to steal a page out of St. Ronnie of Hollywood's playbook:



It's good to have you back, Stephen!

Meanwhile, "Donald Trump" (Jimmy Fallon) puts a call into Hillary Clinton:

On The News Beat

It's safe to say, this is most quality work Brian Williams has ever done in the news business.  (Also, if Jimmy Fallon keeps this up on The Tonight Show, he'll be hard not to watch).

Mid-Week Born To Sit In Traffic Song

We were going to feature another song for the "Mid-Week" selection, but after seeing Jimmy Fallon and Bruce Springsteen do a parody last night of the Bridgegate scandal to the tune of Springsteen's "Born to Run," well, that did it.  An instant classic of political satire.

"Evolution of Mom Dancing:" Michelle Obama and Jimmy Fallon

Wonderful segment on "Late Night With Jimmy Fallon" last night, featuring Jimmy and Michelle Obama.  What a beautiful, poised First Lady we have (spoiler alert:  she's got the moves, too):

The Michelle Obama/ Jimmy Fallon Challenge