While the rest of the country was discussing President Biden’s decision to end his re-election campaign on Sunday, HBO was airing a Saturday-recorded edition of Last Week Tonight where host John Oliver ranted at Republicans for being “dicks,” supposedly not toning down their RNC rhetoric, and for being “racist.”

Oliver began by describing the recently concluded RNC as “the worst thing to happen to Milwaukee since Jeffrey Dahmer.”

As for the convention itself, Oliver continued, “This week saw the usual pageant of prominent politicians onstage and abject weirdos in the audience, from attendees wearing bandages on their ears to match Trump's, to this guy crashing a reporter's shot in a ‘Where is the Epstein client list?’ T-shirt to this woman in a ‘Bride To Be’ sash, having the most cursed bachelorette party in existence. It feels like she told her bridesmaids she wanted to see a bunch of dicks on stage, and they tragically misunderstood the assignment.”

 

 

That woman was a member of the Texas delegation, but later on, Oliver turned to the idea that the RNC would tone down the rhetoric after the attempt on Donald Trump’s life, “Yeah, but that was never going to happen. Because you expect to see certain things at the RNC: elephant logos, cowboy hats, a massive spike in Grindr usage, but "a message of unity" is not something traditionally associated with that event or indeed, this man. And unsurprisingly, the RNC was in no way toned down.”

Oliver then played a trio of clips. One included Rep. Tom Emmer condemning Democrats’ economic record, “The Democrats' disastrous record on crime, trade, and regulation has ruined the lives of countless Minnesotans.” Another was of former Trump advisor Peter Navarro, “Democrats come for your kids. They’re indoctrinating them with poisonous attitudes of race and gender.”

Yes, it is still a Republican convention, but Republicans criticizing excessive executive branch regulations and gender ideology isn't exactly incendiary. The third clip was of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice, but Oliver used that more as an excuse to talk about Babydog.

Later still, Oliver was particularly displeased with Republicans focusing on crimes committed by illegal immigrants, “The thing is, if you want to prevent crime and death, that's a great idea, and there are absolutely ways to do that. But when you draw a circle around a few members of a particular group, especially one identifiable by race or nationality, then generalize about what this means about all of them, no matter what you say, you're not having a reasoned debate about crime or safety. You're being racist.”

He further lamented, “And the depressing thing is, all this fearmongering has been effective. Over 70 percent of Republicans now believe there is a high risk of people illegally coming to the U.S. and committing crimes. Something, which again is demonstrably and provably false. As we know, immigrants aren't causing more crime in this country.”

Except they shouldn’t be here in the first place, so arguing about the rate misses the entire point.

Here is a transcript for the July 21 show:

HBO Last Week Tonight with John Oliver

7/21/2024

11:23 PM ET

JOHN OLIVER: But we're going to jump right in to our main story tonight, which concerns the Republican National Convention, the worst thing to happen to Milwaukee since Jeffrey Dahmer. This week saw the usual pageant of prominent politicians onstage and abject weirdos in the audience, from attendees wearing bandages on their ears to match Trump's, to this guy crashing a reporter's shot in a "Where is the Epstein client list?" T-shirt to this woman in a "Bride To Be" sash, having the most cursed bachelorette party in existence. It feels like she told her bridesmaids she wanted to see a bunch of dicks on stage, and they tragically misunderstood the assignment

…

Yeah, but that was never going to happen. Because you expect to see certain things at the RNC: elephant logos, cowboy hats, a massive spike in Grindr usage, but "a message of unity" is not something traditionally associated with that event or indeed, this man. And unsurprisingly, the RNC was in no way toned down.

TOM EMMER: The Democrats' disastrous record on crime, trade, and regulation has ruined the lives of countless Minnesotans.

PETER NAVARRO: Democrats come for your kids. They’re indoctrinating them with poisonous attitudes of race and gender.

JIM JUSTICE: We become totally unhinged if Donald Trump is not elected in November. 

OLIVER: Okay. That was all awful, but that last camera cut is just spectacular. If you'd asked me, "What's next to this guy, just out of the frame?" And gave me a thousand guesses, there is no way I'm saying, "A lumpy bulldog lounging in an armchair like it's being interviewed at the 92nd Street Y. 

…

The thing is, if you want to prevent crime and death, that's a great idea, and there are absolutely ways to do that. But when you draw a circle around a few members of a particular group, especially one identifiable by race or nationality, then generalize about what this means about all of them, no matter what you say, you're not having a reasoned debate about crime or safety. You're being racist. And the depressing thing is, all this fearmongering has been effective. Over 70 percent of Republicans now believe there is a high risk of people illegally coming to the U.S. and committing crimes. Something, which again is demonstrably and provably false. As we know, immigrants aren't causing more crime in this country.