During Monday’s episode of CBS’s The Late Show, Stephen Colbert seemed to inadvertently nod to former President Barack Obama’s famous 2008 campaign slogan, “Yes, We Can,” while attempting to satire President Donald Trump.
Colbert began by referencing the unrest caused by Trump’s immigration policies, noting, “After enduring months of intimidation by Trump’s immigration forces, over 200,000 individuals gathered in St. Paul, Minneapolis, to oppose the administration,” alluding to the recent “No Kings” protests against Trump that erupted in various cities over the weekend.
He went on to display a series of images from the protests, highlighting the creativity of the demonstrators. Among the visuals were protest signs and an array of inflatable costumes, including a particularly striking inflatable balloon of Trump depicted as defecating flames onto the U.S. Constitution.
“One day,” Colbert remarked, “their grandchildren will inquire how they stood against the rise of fascism in America.”
He humorously added, “And they’ll be able to say with pride, ‘Well, Tyler, your grandma and I joined forces with other patriots, tirelessly working to tackle democracy’s eternal question: Can we create an angry balloon that looks like it’s pooping fire?’”
Watch the segment below:
The late-night host then said, “Yes, you can,” eliciting a strong reaction of cheers and applause from his studio audience.
After that, in what appeared to be a brief moment of forgetting which president’s slogan was “Yes, we can,” Colbert added, “One reason so many people shout, ‘Yes, we can!’”
Colbert then led a “Yes, we can!” chant, which his audience members and band enthusiastically joined in on, shouting the slogan — made famous by Obama during his 2008 presidential campaign — over and over again.
After a light chuckle, the left-wing TV host signaled his audience to quiet down, before joking, “I think that’s what Obama meant, right?”
At that moment, Colbert pivoted back to his planned speech, stating, “One reason so many people showed up to No Kings this weekend is that we are still at war with Iran, I think.”
As – News reported, the final episode of The Late Show With Stephen Colbert will be May 21. This revelation came after CBS revealed in July of last year that Colbert’s show would not be renewed for another season, calling it a “financial decision.”
Alana Mastrangelo is a reporter for – News. You can follow her on Facebook and X at @ARmastrangelo, and on Instagram.
