Anti-Israel agitators interrupted late night host Stephen Colbert's interview with former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi on Tuesday as she was discussing President Biden, Vice President Harris and the Democratic National Convention (DNC).
As Pelosi was answering a question about her involvement in Biden dropping out of the race, shouting could be heard coming from the audience. Colbert immediately addressed the demonstrators and said, "For the people who can’t tell, there’s a protest going on in the audience."
"We're actually at a commercial break, and the – the subject is on Israel and Palestine and if you have a seat, we have to go to the commercial break," Colbert said. "When we come back, I’ll ask the next question I had on that subject, if you'll listen."
Anti-Israel protesters have been demonstrating outside the DNC all week, as Chicago prepared with heavy police presence and with a fence around the event center.
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"Let’s talk about another aspect of power: The U.S. using its power overseas," Colbert asked Pelosi after the commercial break. He continued, "As I said earlier, there is a political protester here. There is a political convention in town, you are a politician and protests are natural. People are protesting, even within the Democratic Party, there is dissension over what is the proper use of American power, especially our protected power overseas, both firm and soft power. If the goal is the peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians, what role does the United States play?"
Pelosi focused her response on Biden and his foreign policy experience before adding, "we have had a commitment to Israel. It’s been in our security interest to do so. Israel was attacked by a terrorist organization. We want the hostages freed. But we don’t want children killed in Gaza. And so we have to come up with a solution."
The former House Speaker said that Israel had agreed to a ceasefire and hoped Hamas would as well and said, "it takes me to the point of saying to you, war has no role in a civilized society."
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The demonstrators interrupted again and shouted Pelosi's words back at her. Colbert addressed the protesters and asked Pelosi, "As you can see from the continuing protest out here, that answer is unsatisfying to some people. Would you like to respond to what they’re saying?"
Pelosi argued that there needed to be a two-state solution to the Israel-Palestinian conflict and the protesters got louder.
"Please don’t interrupt my guest," Colbert said. "Madame Speaker, we’re a live show, and we have to go at this point. Please come again and we can continue the conversation."
Colbert, who hosted a fundraiser for Biden when he was the nominee and is a rabid supporter of Democrats, is hosting his show from Chicago for the DNC rather than New York this week.
