Clooney to Colbert Asking How He Is with Trump as Pres.: ‘What Do You Want Me to Do? Storm the Capitol?’

CLOONEY: “No, you know, we planned on doing it about two years ago. I think we were looking forward to it because, look, these are subjects that Grant and I, my partner Grant and I wrote this 20 years ago because I was being called a traitor to the country for being against the war in Iraq and they put me on a deck of cards and called me a traitor and stuff like that. So it’s always interesting to talk about — “
COLBERT: “You were on that?”
CLOONEY: “Yeah, a deck of traitors. I am very proud of that.
(Laughter)
I actually am kind of proud of it. But it was — forever, we have had this issue where power hates the fourth estate. They hate journalism. My father is an anchorman and a newsman and we always believed in the idea of when the other three estates, the judiciary Branch and executive Branch, you know, when they all fail you, you really need that fourth estate. It has to be the people who can hold people to account. And this is a moment of us at our best, and I always like to show and I like the idea of seeing ourselves at our best. I think that is always an exciting thing to do.”
COLBERT: “Well, sometimes you are at your best when it is a very dark time, because that is when you have to be your best. This was in the height of McCarthyism.”
CLOONEY: “Yeah, I mean, you are never at your best when it’s easy.”
COLBERT: “That’s why it’s called courage.”
CLOONEY: “Yeah, but it’s really true. Those whole ideas of being on the right side of history is not fun at the moment when you do it. It’s nice later when you’re like, ‘Wow, I was really...’ And you can do that later.”
COLBERT: “And everybody thinks they know how they would behave during a rise in fascism. Everybody thinks they know how they would behave, and so the pressure is on them. Everybody is just human, you know?”
CLOONEY: “Yeah. Although you pointed out some really interesting prosecutors who came up very strong in the last week.”
COLBERT: “Hagan Scotten.”
CLOONEY: “Yeah, what a good name.”
COLBERT: “Beautiful.”
CLOONEY: “I read the op ed that he wrote and it was really good. Listen, we’re — it is a funny thing, we’re talking about it because we’re talking around what’s sort of the giant elephant always in the room. I was raised a Democrat in Kentucky, so I’ve had a lot of fun in my life, you can imagine. It has been nothing but fun. And, you know, I have lost a lot of elections. The first time I voted, it was 1980. I was a Carter guy and Reagan won. I lost to some Bushes and I won with some Clintons and Obamas, and I lost — you know, this is democracy and this is how it works.”
COLBERT: “How did it go this time for you? I forgot who you were supporting.”
CLOONEY: “Well, what am I supposed to do, storm the [bleep] Capitol? You know, it didn’t work out. That is what happens.”
(Cheering and Applause)
COLBERT: “Next time.”
CLOONEY: “It is part of democracy. You know, there are people who agree and disagree. Most of us still like each other and we’ll get through it, get through and then — I have a son who plays in chess tournaments, loves chess. He is seven years old, playing a lot of older kids. He is not winning all the time, as you can imagine, and he gets upset. I said, ‘Listen, you shake the guy’s hand and say, ‘Good game, I will get you next time.’’ And that is kind of how — you have to live by those rules, which is, all right, okay, good for you, go. I hope you do well because our country needs it. And then we will meet you in 3.5 years and see where we go next. That’s part of the thing.”
(Applause)
COLBERT: “Well, if there will be another. Let’s not get out over our skis, George. You know, you play by the rules, but both sides have to believe that there should be rules. That’s what I would say.”
CLOONEY: “Yeah, there’s some truth in that.”
COLBERT: “You know, they’re saying, if you are saving your country, you can commit no crime.”
CLOONEY: “I heard that. Isn’t that cool?”