The rest of the country may have moved on to the Supreme Court fight at hand, but on Wednesday night, Samantha Bee still had something to say about the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg.
“This week, we, like everyone, are mourning the loss of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg,” she began. “Ginsburg fought tirelessly for women’s equality and civil rights throughout her career, including more than 27 years on the Supreme Court. On behalf of the entire staff of Full Frontal, I’d like to say fuuuuuuuuuck.”
Bee aimed to honor Ginsburg as more than “just a meme your Aunt Bev cross-stitched on a pillow,” but as a “formidable champion in creating a better America.” Which makes the Republican effort to undo her legacy all the more maddening.
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“Ginsburg’s passing has left many of us feeling devastated,” she said, “not only because of the loss of this incredible woman as a brilliant leader, fighter and icon, but because of the threat it poses to American democracy itself. Senate Majority Leader and pig in shit Mitch McConnell is ready to confirm a new hyper-conservative justice.”
As President Trump himself pointed out this week, the Supreme Court could play a decisive role in the outcome of the 2020 election. “And the person who Trump picks could be the one to swing it in his favor,” Bee added.
“Trump’s shortlist includes conservative women like Judge Barbara Lagoa, who just two weeks ago helped block hundreds of thousands of former incarcerated people from voting in Florida,” she said. “And Judge Amy Coney Barrett, whose middle name is a hotdog. That’s the nicest thing we can say about a judge who has repeatedly ruled against abortion rights, and if appointed, would likely get rid of the Affordable Care Act.”
While it may be “easy to feel hopeless” given the circumstances, Bee urged viewers to take a page from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and keep fighting.
“Whatever you’ve been doing for self-care since 2016, that ends today,” Bee said. “No more rage-baking or pilates-kickboxing or stress chopping down trees in your woods. Self-care is over. Now is the time to show you care about everyone. Volunteer to help register voters, support Democrats in down-ballot races, talk directly to undecided voters and ensure people can safely cast their votes, whatever that looks like during a pandemic.”
“We cannot let a single vote fall through the cracks,” she concluded. “Even in her final days, Ruth Bader Ginsburg was still fighting. She did her job. Now it’s time for us to do ours.”
For more, listen to Samantha Bee on The Last Laugh podcast.
