Anthony Scaramucci, a man whose contributions to American society include conjuring up perhaps the most unpleasant image of Trump adviser Steve Bannon ever imagined, visited The Late Show with Stephen Colbert on Monday night to seemingly promote the administration that fired him after just 10 days.
“You guys have been super rough on me, super rough on him, but he is a compassionate person,” Scaramucci said, trying to explain to Colbert why it took President Donald Trump until Monday to condemn racism at the white supremacist Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville that took place over the weekend, while still not blaming white supremacy directly. Like the start of Scaramucci’s interview, that sentiment was met with jeers from Colbert’s studio audience.
“Don’t boo him for being a messenger,” Colbert instructed, but added this counterpoint: “Really, we’re supposed to feel bad for a guy because he gave up his billionaire lifestyle to become the most powerful man in the world? I don’t understand.”
It’s unclear what Scaramucci was trying to accomplish with this appearance.
Perhaps it was intended to be a form of damage control after being fired so quickly? Or maybe it was an attempt at friendly, candid image rehabilitation after flying off the handle in an interview with a much-publicized interview with the New Yorker? An audition for a political pundit job at a cable network?
Regardless — and despite the fact that Scaramucci’s late-night appearance was scheduled last week, before the events in Charlottesville took place — his defense of Trump’s response to the violence in Charlottesville only made him look worse.
