John Oliver Blasts Republicans and Fox News for Failing to Condemn Trump by Name

He also explained why Charlottesville isn’t likely to be a turning point for the White House.

John Oliver on Sunday took on Republicans and Fox News for failing to condemn President Donald Trump by name last week, after the president claimed there were some “very fine” people who participated in the white supremacist rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, where one woman was killed and many were injured.

“If you’re getting emotionally overwhelmed and feeling judged for defending Trump and his Nazi-sympathizing phase, stop fucking doing it,” Oliver said, after airing a Fox News clip of an anchor crying while defending Trump’s controversial remarks.

“It’s that simple. No one’s making you do it,” Oliver added.

According to Last Week Tonight, only 54 out of 292 Republican members of Congress denounced the president by name. Everyone else, including Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, issued blanket statements condemning hate groups, while attempting to dodge the responsibility of calling out Trump for fueling the country’s rise of white nationalism.

“The problem with not mentioning him is that it suggests that he is somehow not a key part of the problem here.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DX4Djw8D36M

 

THIS IS BIG

A generous board member just chipped in a $50,000 digital matching gift, and we need your help to make the most of it. Any donation you make online from now until September 30 will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

In an all-important election season, we’re reaching millions of Americans with fearless, kickass, truth-telling reporting.

With your support going twice as far, we can lead the way these next 60 days in showing the corporate media how to cover the unique danger that Trump represents and not make the same mistakes they did in 2016 and 2020.

Please help with a gift of any amount if you can right now. And know that it will be doubled—and that we’ll be so grateful.

payment methods

THIS IS BIG

A generous board member just chipped in a $50,000 digital matching gift, and we need your help to make the most of it. Any donation you make online from now until September 30 will be matched dollar-for-dollar.

In an all-important election season, we’re reaching millions of Americans with fearless, kickass, truth-telling reporting.

With your support going twice as far, we can lead the way these next 60 days in showing the corporate media how to cover the unique danger that Trump represents and not make the same mistakes they did in 2016 and 2020.

Please help with a gift of any amount if you can right now. And know that it will be doubled—and that we’ll be so grateful.

payment methods

We Recommend

Latest

Sign up for our free newsletter

Subscribe to the Mother Jones Daily to have our top stories delivered directly to your inbox.

Get our award-winning magazine

Save big on a full year of investigations, ideas, and insights.

Subscribe

Support our journalism

Help Mother Jones' reporters dig deep with a tax-deductible donation.

Donate