On Wednesday night, Jimmy Kimmel interviewed Donald Trump—and at least attempted to push the candidate on a handful of real issues. All in all, it was a solidly O.K. performance. But when Kimmel interviewed Bernie Sanders on Thursday night’s episode, there was no trace of the same skepticism. Which is disappointing: If Bernie Sanders is still a real candidate, why did Kimmel spend his entire segment lobbing softballs and setting Sanders up with talking points?
On Wednesday’s episode, Trump said that he‘d be interested in debating Sanders if the two were able to raise money for charity. On Thursday, Kimmel asked Sanders about the proposed matchup. “You made it possible for us to have a very interesting debate about two guys that look at the world very, very differently,” the Democrat replied. But Kimmel didn’t bother asking how Sanders believes he could win the debate—or what it might mean for the Democratic Party going forward if he fails to clinch the nomination. Instead, he asked Sanders about the debate he and Hillary Clinton were supposed to have in California. Sanders jumped at the chance to express his disappointment that it’s not happening.
Despite Clinton’s sizable lead in both delegates and the popular vote, Sanders has refused to drop out of the race for the Democratic nomination. Now that Trump has presumably clinched the Republican nomination, arguments about Sanders’s continued candidacy will intensify. One would think Kimmel might have at least asked him about this. Instead, the host just rolled a clip of Clinton saying that she will be the Democratic nominee, then asked Sanders to comment.
“Does that make you mad, seeing that?” Kimmel said. Sanders responded exactly how you’d think: “Just a tinch arrogant there, I think!”
The closest Kimmel got to addressing Sanders’s position in the race came when he asked a question posed by Trump: will Sanders run as an independent if he doesn’t get the nomination? Sanders dodged by saying that he intends to win the nomination and crush Trump.
What else did the two talk about? Sanders’s wedding anniversary, his friendship with John McCain, and his position on transgender bathroom laws.
Kimmel isn’t alone in his gentle treatment of Sanders. Jimmy Fallon’s approach on The Tonight Show last December was similarly fluffy: he let Sanders talk about beating both Trump and Clinton without asking him about how likely a victory actually was, or what Sanders would do if he lost. They also played the Whisper Challenge, which Fallon often plays with celebrity guests. On Late Show this February, even Stephen Colbert set Sanders up with talking points, with questions like “Why do you think the younglings like you?”—although he did also ask Sanders about some of his seemingly untenable goals. Too bad Kimmel didn’t follow his lead.
