When President Donald Trump arrived at George H.W. Bush’s funeral, the reception he received from his predecessors was downright icy. But as Stephen Colbert demonstrated Wednesday night, the indignities did not stop there.
According to a Washington Post report, the Bush family contacted Trump ahead of the funeral to “assure him that the focus would be on Bush’s life rather than their disagreements,” as an administration source put it to the paper.
“They even assured him that the choir would drown out the sound of other ex-presidents rolling in their graves,” the Late Show host joked in his monologue.
Colbert called Wednesday’s ceremony a “touching tribute to a kind man who had dedicated his entire life to public service.” Those who eulogized the 41st president referred to him as a “gentleman” and a “genuine leader.” Historian Jon Meacham, who penned a recent biography of Bush, told mourners, “His life code, as he said, was, ‘Tell the truth. Don't blame people. Be strong. Do your best. Try hard. Forgive. Stay the course.’”
As CNN’s Gloria Borger said following the funeral, “It sounds anti-Trump, but not necessarily.”
“Nah, kinda is,” Colbert replied. “As soon as you start praising someone’s honesty, you’re automatically throwing shade at Donald Trump. I mean, Obama made Trump seem like a bad president just by sitting next to him.”