John Oliver Recaps Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton Scandals Ahead Of First Presidential Debate [VIDEO]
Voters have had to endure scandal after scandal in the long buildup to Monday night's highly anticipated presidential debate and John Oliver has the definitive recap.
The TV show host spent more than 20 minutes during Sunday's episode of HBO's "Last Week Tonight" breaking down the many scandals presidential nominees Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump have faced. However, Oliver did not conclude that both candidates are equally scandalous. While he noted that Clinton's email scandal and the questions surrounding the Clinton Foundation were concerning, the comedian said they were small potatoes compared to the wealth of Trump's controversies.
"This campaign has been dominated by scandals, but it is dangerous to think that there is an equal number on both sides," Oliver said. "You can be irritated by some of Hillary’s ― that is understandable ― but you should then be f------ outraged by Trump’s."
Oliver first examined Clinton's ethical question marks, arguing that to only focus on Trump's scandals would represent a failure to vet the woman who might be president. Oliver broke down the attacks against Clinton for her use of a private email server while serving as secretary of state, as well as the possible access Clinton Foundation donors had to the State Department during her tenure. But Oliver said there was nothing malicious or out of the ordinary for most politicians in Clinton's closet.
"Ethical failings in a politician are like raisins in a cookie," he explained. "They shouldn’t be there. They disgust people. But most politicians have at least a few raisins."
According to Oliver, Trump has a lot more raisins than Clinton. The comedian recapped how Trump reportedly used Trump Foundation charity funds to commission a painting of himself, buy a signed Tim Tebow helmet and make an illegal political donation. He also criticized Trump's refusal to release his tax returns, the potential conflict of interest in Trump leaving his business dealings to his children instead of a blind trust and the ongoing lawsuits against Trump University.
Oliver held up a raisin cookie to represent Clinton's scandals, but for Trump, raisins poured down from the studio ceiling all over Oliver's desk.
Clinton and Trump will get a chance Monday to address each other's scandals head-to-head for the first time. NBC News' Lester Holt will moderate the first presidential debate between the two candidates at Hofstra University in Hempstead, New York. The debate will be broadcast on all TV news networks and cable news channels starting at 9 p.m. EST.
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