On Tuesday night, apparently referencing Will Smith’s slap of Chris Rock at the Oscars Sunday night, late night host Stephen Colbert, in his usual snide fashion, mocked Fox News reporter Peter Doocy and suggested he be slapped for simply asking President Biden what he meant when he said that the U.S. would respond “in kind” to any use of chemical weapons by Russia in Ukraine.
Colbert started by mocking Doocy as resembling a high school kid “who wears a suit to gym class,” as he sniped, “Yesterday, President Biden held a press conference. And he was asked a ridiculous question by a ridiculous man, Fox News reporter and that one kid in high school who wears a suit to gym class, Peter Doocy.”
He instructed that the video be played in what he believed was a suave manner: “Jimmy, drop the deuce. “
The video ahowed Doocy asking, “You said that chemical weapon use by Russia would trigger a response in kind.”
Biden answered, “It will trigger a significant response.”
“What does that mean?” Doocy pressed.
Biden, petulantly, “I’m not gonna tell you. Why would I tell you? You gotta be silly.”
Colbert, amid audience laughter, “Remember how on last night’s show I said that slapping is never, ever the answer? I’d like to file a one-time exemption on behalf of the President of the United States.” Following laughter and applause, he continued, “Doocy did not stop there.”
He played another clip showing Doocy pointing out that the “the world wants to know” what Biden meant, followed by Biden huffing, “The world wants to know a lot of things; I’m not telling them what the response would be, then Russia knows the response.”
Colbert, smugly, “Peter Doocy, Fox News, I’ve got two more questions: First, what are the exact locations of all of America’s troops and can you give me the nuclear launch codes? Just tell me, is one of them a four? Can I buy a vowel, Mr. President? I’d like to solve the puzzle. Another feather in your map?”
Last Night in Comedy:@StephenAtHome: FNC’s Peter Doocy should be “slapped” for asking Biden to clarify his Russia comments pic.twitter.com/8ATENEWUuV
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) March 30, 2022
Last Thursday, asked if the U.S. would answer with chemical weapons if Russia used them in Ukraine, Biden said such an act by Russia would “trigger a response in kind.” National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan clarified that by “in kind” Biden meant “we’ll respond accordingly” and that Russia would pay a “severe price,” Fox News noted.
Sullivan added, “We will collect the form and nature of our response based on the nature of the action Russia takes. And we’ll do so in coordination with our allies. … And I won’t go beyond that other than to say the United States has no intention of using chemical weapons, period, under any circumstances. … I will just say, with respect to any use of weapons of mass destruction — nuclear, chemical, biological — Russia would pay a severe price.”