There is one week to go until the first of two big Democratic primary debates and Samantha Bee has a message for the 23 candidates currently in the race.
“With 20 candidates set to take the stage, you’d think that the Democratic party is just letting anyone in, but in reality, there are some candidates who didn't make the cutoff,” the Full Frontal host said, “such as Montana governor and man who will sell your house today, Steve Bullock.”
Noting that Bullock beat his Republican opponent in 2016 despite Donald Trump trouncing Hillary Clinton by 20 points in that state, Bee arrived at her “delicate request” for the candidate and others: “Run for Senate, goddamnit!”
ADVERTISEMENT
“Winning the presidency would be great, but real change is impossible unless the Senate changes hands too,” the host added.
“Bullock is just one of many Democrats wasting his time in a presidential race who could be way more useful running for something else,” Bee pleaded, adding, “You'd think people would be lining up to run for Senate.” But instead, the party’s best hopes apparently don’t want to be part of such a “toxic and polarized” institution, which Bee assumed was just a euphemism for, “Fuck, I don’t want to work with Mitch McConnell.”
“But that is exactly why we need good Democratic candidates for Senate,” Bee said. “The beauty of elections is if you run and win then you're the Mitch McConnell.”
For another example, she pointed to former Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper, who has said the Senate just doesn’t “attract” him. “It doesn't attract you?” Bee asked. “Well, 99.7 percent of Democratic presidential voters aren't attracted to you!”
“John Hickenlooper, run for Senate!” she exclaimed. “Colorado's Cory Gardner is one of the most vulnerable GOP senators this year. You have a good shot against him! And you literally have a .3-percent shot of being nominated for president.”
“Look, I totally get why you wouldn't want to be in the Senate. You have to do painful things like craft legislation that never goes anywhere and see Chuck Schumer in the gym,” Bee concluded. “But the Senate is really important. We need Democrats who understand voters in places like Colorado and Montana. Otherwise, the next Supreme Court justice will probably just be a Bible taped to a mop handle.”
For more, listen to Samantha Bee on The Last Laugh podcast below.
