Late-Night Hosts Think Trump Blew It with Retweet Response to Bombs Targeting Democrats, CNN

While President Trump did eventually give a full address regarding the multiple bombs sent to CNN and political targets on Wednesday, including two former presidents, late-night television wasn't all that impressed with his initial retweet response.

After reports started coming in that bombs had been delivered to the Clinton and Obama houses, as well as several other prominent political figures and the offices of CNN, Vice President Mike Pence put out a strong statement on Twitter condemning the terrorist attacks and promising swift action.

President Trump, who seems to have a Twitter response to everything that ever happens in the world, did not express his thoughts in his own words. Instead, he simply retweeted Pence's comments with a slight addendum.

Suffice to say, this "half-hearted" response did not sit well with Stephen Colbert, Jimmy Fallon, Seth Meyers or James Corden. The couldn't help but wonder how the president, who seems unable to stop saying and tweeting every thought that comes into his head, couldn't find any words of his own at a time when the country needed to hear from its leadership.

Seth Meyers was, however, totally impressed with CNN's coverage of the bombs. Especially because they barely broke away when they had to be evacuated from their own building, picking up their broadcast from the street outside.

"Damn, now that is dedication. They were anchoring live TV, evacuated the building and then kept anchoring," he marveled. "That's almost as impressive as that time Anderson Cooper got swept away by a hurricane so he could report on it from inside."

But while CNN continued doing their jobs, using plenty of words in their ongoing coverage of a scary situation as it affected them directly, Trump added three words to someone else's sentiment and Meyers was not at all impressed with that.

"Hey man, you're the president. You're supposed to say something to calm people down," he said. "You can't just add your name to somebody else's statement like you're signing a 'Get well soon' card for a coworker."

He then came up with an analogy so ridiculous that he couldn't stop from laughing himself as he presented it" "Trump's like a kid who tries to cheat off a classmate except instead of actually copying he just writes, 'See Mike's test for answer.'"

Stephen Colbert had a thought about who might be behind the attacks, even as law enforcement and government officials are still investigating. "Based on the intended targets, they have released this sketch," he said showing the classic police sketch of the Unabomber wearing a MAGA hat. It is notable that all of the targets were either Democrats or left-leaning.

He then gave props to Vice President Mike Pence for his thoughtful tweet in response to the thwarted attacks, saying that this was the kind of statement America looks for in its leadership after moments like this. But he had no kind words for Trump's statement, which read in its entirety, "I agree wholeheartedly."

"First of all, we fact-checked and it doesn't work out. You have no whole heart," Colbert joked. "And second, you're the president. There has been an attempted attack on two previous presidents today. This is the one time you can't think of your own tweet?

He then did note the president's actual address on the matter where he did condemn the attacks and called for bipartisan action and support. "Both sides come together with respect, be they Republicans or crooked, lying, Soros-bought Dems working for the enemy of the people, CNN: The Caravan News Network," Colbert said.

"It's in moments like this that we turn to Washington for the stability and leadership that we all need," Corden said of the harrowing news reports that came out on Wednesday morning. Luckily, President Trump was there with his "dignified and eloquent statement. He wrote, 'I agree wholeheartedly,'" Corden said. "He just retweeted Mike Pence!"

He went on to add that, "Trump says he agrees wholeheartedly but everyone knows that retweets, by definition, are half-hearted at best."

To put it into context, Corden offered up a comparison that might help people understand why the president should have perhaps had a more thoughtful response. "'I agree wholeheartedly' isn't what you tweet when there's been an attempted attack on former presidents," he said. "It's what you tweet when your friend says the McRib should be available all year."

But for real, though, why isn't it?

As usual, Jimmy Fallon moved pretty quickly through the more topical and serious news stories, but he couldn't resist taking a few jabs at the president. If nothing else, it always gives him an opportunity to trot out the best Trump impression in late night.

First, he brought his audience up to speed about the packages found addressed to the Clintons, Obamas and CNN, among others. "When he heard that, the president was like, 'Oh my god, is Fox News okay? Is everyone okay at Fox?'" Fallon joked.

"Out of precaution, President Trump evacuated himself to a golf course, just to be safe," he said, adding in his Trump voice, "I gotta be safe."

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