Bernie Sanders, one of a select group of political voices whose presence can't help but trigger visceral memories of pre-Trump euphoria, was back in Stephen Colbert's neighborhood Thursday night.
One topic that was broached, of course, was the recent death of former POTUS George H.W. Bush. Asked "how quickly" he would take H.W. back over the person currently squatting at the White House, Sanders noted their political differences but praised him as an "honest" man.
"First of all, let's not forget when we talk about H.W. Bush, he was a war hero, you know, he was in a plane that was shot down during World War II," Sanders told the Late Show crowd. 'Several of the people, as I recall, who were with him on that plane actually died. So this was a man who was prepared and almost gave his life for love of country. And he and Barbara Bush clearly loved this country. I had the opportunity, my wife Jane and I, when I was first elected to congress, They invited us to the White House. They were so very nice."
All told, Sanders—like so many of us—is holding out hope for an infusion of honesty in the next administration. "Yes, of course I disagreed with [George H.W. Bush]," Sanders said. "But he was an honest man, he was a decent man, he loved this country very much. And, you know, we wish that we could have a president who was honest back in the White House again."
Of course, Colbert also had to bring up Sanders' plans for 2020, which he confirmed haven’t been nailed down just yet. "When you run for president of the United States, especially in this ugly political world that we live in right now, it is a very difficult decision for one's family," he said, adding that he's currently trying to ascertain "beyond ego" who might have the best chance to win and whose ideas are most likely to make the government work for everyone.
