>> Stephen: HEY, EVERYBODY, WELCOME TO A LIVE "LATE SHOW"

FOLLOWING THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL DEBATE.

LET'S SAY HELLO TO JON BATISTE.

HELLO, JON.

>> Jon: YES!

SHOE FLY DON'T BOTHER ME.

( LAUGHTER ) >> Stephen: I WAS WONDERING--

I KNEW YOU'D HAVE SOMETHING.

I KNEW SOMETHING.

>> Jon: MY GOODNESS.

WAY BACK IN NEW ORLEANS WHEN I WAS A KID, IT WAS A NURSERY

RHYME, BUT WITH THE NEW ORLEANS MARDI GRAS INDIAN BEAT

♪ SHOE FLY DON'T BOTHER ME ♪ SHOE FLY DON'T BOTHER ME ♪

>> Stephen: WE SANG THAT WHEN I WAS A KID.

OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE "HAIL TO THE CHIEF "FOR PRESIDENTS.

THERE'S A LOT OF PRESIDENTIAL-SOUNDING MUSIC.

IS THERE ANY VICE PRESIDENTIAL-SOUNDING MUSIC?

>> Y YOU KNOW, I'M WORKING ON THAT.

IN FACT, I HAVE A NICE LITTLE PIECE I'M CRAFTING.

I WANT TO SHOW IT TO THE PEOPLE.

WHEN CAN WE DO THAT?

>> Stephen: I DON'T KNOW.

WE HAVE TO WORK IT OUT.

I HEARD IT AND I LOVE IT.

>> Jon: OOPTS KICKING, MAN.

>> Stephen: IT'S INTENSE.

FOR THOSE WHO HAVEN'T BEEN PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ONGOING

SAGA ON THE SHOW, IT'S A SONG FOR KAMALA HARRIS.

AND I LOOK FORWARD TO IT, MY FRIEND.

CAN YOU PLAY US OUT TO PETE BUTTIGEIG.

>> Jon: YES, MAYOR PETE IN THE HOUSE.

♪ ♪ ♪ >> Stephen: JON BATISTE,

EVERYBODY.

THANK YOU, JON.

♪ SHOE FLY DON'T BOTHER ME ♪ >> Stephen: LADIES AND

GENTLEMEN MY GUEST TONIGHT WAS A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE AND THE

FORMER MAYOR OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

PLEASE WELCOME PETE BUTTIGEIG.

MAYOR PETE, THANKS SO MUCH FOR BEING HERE.

>> THANKS FOR HAVING ME.

EXCITED TO BE WITH YOU.

>> Stephen: WERE YOU IN THE HALL TONIGHT?

>> I WAS, YEAH.

FAR ENOUGH AWAY I DIDN'T SEE THE FLY, BUT I WAS THERE TO SEE

EVERYTHING ELSE.

>> Stephen: YOU MISSED ONE OF THE MOST EXCITING MOMENTS OF THE

EVENING, ACTUALLY.

IT WAS REMARKABLE HOW LONG THE FLY-- THAT'S A FLY I'M SURE

COULD HAVE GOTTEN OUT OF A SPIDER WEB FASTER.

I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH HAIR SPRAY PENCE HAS IN THERE, BUT HE

REALLY LOOKED LIKE HE WAS GLUED TO THE SPOT.

>> I GUESS HE JUST GOT STUCK.

>> Stephen: WHAT WAS IT-- WHAT WAS IT LIKE IN THE ROOM?

WHAT WAS THE VIBE?

DID YOU HAVE TO WEAR A HAZMAT SUIT?

DID YOU FEEL NERVOUS AT ALL?

>> WE WERE MASKED UP.

THEY WERE VERY RIGOROUS AND SERIOUS ABOUT THE SOCIAL

DISTANCING.

I HAVE LOST COUNT OF THE NUMBER OF TIMES I'VE BEEN TESTED SINCE

WE STARTED THIS TRIP.

I FELT SAFE AND THOUGHT THE HOST DID A GOOD JOB.

IT WAS REALLY INTENSE IN THERE BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE KNOW HOW

MUCH IS AT STAKE.

AND, YOU KNOW, AFTER WHAT HAPPENED LAST WEEK, I THINK A

LOT OF US WERE LOOKING FOR A DEBATE WHERE WE COULD ACTUALLY,

YOU KNOW, HEAR WHAT PEOPLE HAD TO SAY AND THERE WAS A GREAT

CHANCE FOR SENATOR HARRIS TO DIRECTLY MAKE THE CASE ABOUT NOT

JUST THE FAILURES OF THIS ADMINISTRATION, BUT WHAT WE

COULD HAVE IF WE HAD A BETTER ADMINISTRATION.

>> Stephen: IT WAS-- IT WAS, ACTUALLY, GOOD TO HEAR IDEAS.

IT WAS REFRESHING IN ITS-- IN ITS ORDINARINESS.

HOWEVER IMPORTANT THE CONVERSATION, IT WAS A

CONVERSATION.

IT WASN'T SOME SORT OF STRANGE DONNYBROOK.

IT WAS REPORTED THAT YOU PLAYED PENCE FOR SENATOR HARRIS' PREP.

IS THIS-- IS THIS TRUE, MR. MAYOR?

>> YOU KNOW, YES, YEAH, IT IS.

YOU KNOW, GETTING INTO THE MIND OF MIKE PENCE WAS NOT SOMETHING

I WOULD HAVE GUESSED WOULD HAVE BEEN PART OF MY CONTRIBUTION TO

THE CAMPAIGN WHEN I SAID I WOULD DO ANYTHING I COULD TO HELP JOE

BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS GET ELECTED.

OB, SPENT A LOT OF TIME DEALING WITH HIM, KNOW HIM WELL, AND

GLAD I WAS ABLE TO HELP IN THAT WAY.

>> Stephen: WELL, BECAUSE YOU WERE MAYOR OF SOUTH BEND WHEN HE

WAS GOVERNOR.

>> RIGHT.

>> Stephen: WHEN YOU ACTUALLY OT INTO HIS MIND, AFTER IT WAS

OVER, AFTER AN HOUR OF DEBATE PREP RPS WAS IT HARD TO GET OUT

OF CHARACTER?

>> YEAH, IN FACT, IT'S BEEN HAPPENING TO ME QUITE A BIT.

SOMETIMES I'LL BE DOING A REGULAR NEWS HIT AFTER A DAY OF

PREP AND I GET INTO THAT "I TRULY DO BELIEVE THAT THE

BROAD-SHOULDERED LEADERSHIP OF THIS PRESIDENT"...

>> Stephen: DON'T STOP.

I'M SURE "S.N.L." IS,LYING FOR SOMEBODY.

>> I'LL GIVE THEM A CALL.

>> Stephen: WHO PLAYED THE FLY IN THE MOCK DEBATES?

>> YOU KNOW, I HAVE TO SAY THE FLY WAS ONLY THING THAT WE--

THAT WE DIDN'T THINK ABOUT OR CONTEMPLATE.

THAT AND JUST HOW OFTEN PENCE WOULD INTERRUPT THE MODERATOR.

THAT WAS THE OTHER THING THAT TOOK ME BY SURPRISE.

JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING ELSE, ONE THING ABOUT HIM, HE'S PRETTY

PREDICTABLE.

YOU COULD TELL THAT JUST ALTERNATE REALITY FORCE FIELD

THAT HE'S BUILT UP AROUND HIMSELF, AND WE JUST WANTED TO

MAKE SURE THAT SHE WAS PREPARED FOR ALL OF THE ATTACKS, AS WELL

AS ALL OF THE WEIRD VERSIONS OF REALITY HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO

TELL ABOUT THIS PRESIDENT.

>> Stephen: WHAT'S HE LIKE WHEN THE CAMERAS ARE OFF?

LIKE, WHEN YOU WOULD HAVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH HIM OR DEAL WITH

HIM AS AT MAYOR, WHAT WAS HE LIKE JUST ONE-ON-ONE?

>> YOU KNOW, I MEAN, NOT THAT DIFFERENT.

YOU KNOW, POLITE, AND SPEAKS SLOWLY AND CALMLY, AND GENTLY.

BUT AS WE'VE SEEN IN KNOW-- AS WE SAW IN THE 2016 C DEBATE, TOO

THE SCARY THING IS HE'S PRETTY COMFORTABLE TELLING A LIE AND IN

A CALM, REASSURING VOICE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU THINK WHAT HE WAS

SAYING WAS GOD'S HONEST TRUTH.

>> Stephen: AGAIN, THAT IS SPOOKY.

I'M FEELING IT.

I'M FEELING IT.

YOUR HAIR ACTUALLY GETS WHITER, AND YOU...

YOU -- >> LAST COUPLE OF WEEKS.

I WONDER IF IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE PREP.

>> Stephen: NOW, THERE ARE A LOT OF ANSWERS TONIGHT THAT WERE

SORT OF DISCONCERTING FROM VICE PRESIDENT PENCE, BUT AS

DISCONCERTING WERE SOME OF THE THINGS HE DIDN'T ANSWER, LIKE,

WHY THERE WAS SUCH A MASSIVE FAILURE OF HIS CORONAVIRUS TASK

FORCE, AND THE WHITE HOUSE IN GENERAL RESPONDING TO THIS

CRISIS.

WHETHER THERE WOULD BE A PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER,

SHOULD THEY LOSE?

WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN TO PREEXISTING CONDITION COVERAGE.

WHAT ANSWERS DO YOU THINK THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED AT THIS

POINT.

>> YEAH, I MEAN, PEACEFUL TRANSFER OF POWER, THAT'S ONE OF

THE ABSOLUTE BASICS.

AND HE SHOULD BE ABLE TO HAVE SOME ANSWER ON WHAT THEY WOULD

DO ON HEALTH CARE IF THEY SUCCESSFULLY STRIP AWAY

PREEXISTING CONDITION COVERAGE, ESPECIALLY SINCE THEY'VE BEEN

THERE FOR FOUR YEARS.

THAT'S WHY WHEN HE SAYS THERE'S SUDDENLY A PLAN IT'S HARD TO

BELIEVE HIM.

THE.

LINE IS THE PRESIDENT PUT HIM IN CHARGE OF LEADING THE

CORONAVIRUS TASK FORCE, AND BETWEEN THEM THEY'VE LED THE

WORST RESPONSE OF THIS PANDEMIC OF ANY COUNTRY IN THE DEVELOPED

WORLD.

I THINK THAT WAS THE REALITY BEHIND ALL OF THE ARGUMENTS THAT

WERE BEING EXCHANGED TONIGHT IS JUST THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT SHE

HAD TO SAY WAS MORE IN TUNE WHAT WE'RE ACTUALLY EXPERIENCING

AROUND US.

WHERE, YOU KNOW, NOT TO DOWNPLAY THE SWINE FLU, BUT, OBVIOUSLY,

THIS IS NOT THE SWINE FLU.

AND, OBVIOUSLY, THE ECONOMY IS NOT JUST FINE.

AND, OBVIOUSLY, THIS COUNTRY HASN'T DONE A GOOD JOB, THIS

ADMINISTRATION HASN'T DONE A GOOD JOB, FOR SURE, DEALING WITH

THE CORONAVIRUS.

AND WE DESERVE BETTER.

AND I THINK THAT'S THAT JUST BASIC REALITY WAS BEHIND

EVERYTHING AS WORTH THINKING ABOUT HOW TO TACK A DEVOID,

HURTING NATION AND GET IT INTO BETTER SHAPE.

I THINK IT'S ONE OF THE REASONS, AS SHE WAS ABLE TO POINT OUT,

NOT ONLY ARE DEMOCRATS UNITED, EVEN IN OUR FAMOUSLY BIG TENT,

BEHIND JOE BIDEN AND KAMALA HARRIS, BUT A LOT OF

INDEPENDENTS AND A REMARKABLE NUMBER OF REPUBLICANS.

BECAUSE THIS TRANSENDS IDEOLOGY, THAT WE'VE GOT TO HAVE DIFFERENT

AND BETTER LEADERSHIP.

>> Stephen: ONE OF THE REASONS WHY THE SWINE FLU COMPARISON

DOESN'T HOLD UP, AS SUSAN PAGE POINTED OUT AND AS DID SENATOR

HARRIS IS THAT ON JANUARY 28, THE ADMINISTRATION KNEW THAT IT

WAS DIFFERENT.

THEY KNEW THAT THIS EASILY COMMUNICABLE, AND ALSO COULD BE

COMMUNICTED BEFORE THERE WERE ANY SYMPTOMS, JUDGE THAT IT WAS

DEADLY, FAR MORE DEADLY THAN A NORMAL FLU, OR CERTAINLY THAN

THE SWINE FLU.

WHICH LEADS ME TO THE PRESIDENT'S DIAGNOSIS.

THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS WE STILL DON'T KNOW ABOUT THE

PRESIDENT'S DIAGNOSIS WHICH, AGAIN, THE VICE PRESIDENT WASN'T

WILLING TO BOTH COP TO OR EXPLAIN.

WHAT HAVE YOU MADE OF THE PRESIDENT'S BEHAVIOR EVER SINCE

HE WAS TAKEN TO WALTER REED?

>> IT'S REALLY DISTURBING.

I MEAN, FOR ONE THING, LET'S REMEMBER THAT TO THE BEST OF OUR

KNOWLEDGE, EVEN AS WE SPEAK, HE IS ON PSYCHOACTIVE STEROID

MEDICATION, AND HE'S MAKING POLICY DECISIONS.

YOU KNOW -- >> Stephen: AND HE DIDN'T

BRING ENOUGH FOR EVERYBODY!

>> I MEAN, WE DON'T KNOW WHEN HE GOT THIS.

WE DON'T KNOW WHEN HE LAST TESTED.

WE DON'T KNOW WHO HE MIGHT HAVE INFECTED.

WE DON'T EVEN KNOW HOW HE IS DOING.

THE THING ABOUT THE ISSUE OF TRUST, WHEN YOU SEE THE POSITION

THAT HIS DOCTORS ARE IN, THE DOCTOR WHO REPRESENTS THREE OF

WHAT OUGHT TO BE MOST TRUSTED INSTITUTIONS IN THE WORLD,

RIGHT-- THE WHITE HOUSE, THE U.S. MILITARY, AND DOCTORS IN

MEDICINE BECAUSE HE'S A MILITARY DOCTOR WORKING AT THE WHITE

HOUSE.

AND WE'RE NOT EVEN SURE WHETHER WE CAN BELIEVE SOME BASIC STUFF

COMING OUT OF THERE.

IT SHOWS YOU HOW THIS PRESIDENT HAS DIMINISHED THE ENTIRE OFFICE

AND OUR INSTITUTIONS, IN ADDITION TO KNARGS HIMSELF AND,

MOST IMPORTANTLY, HARMING THIS COUNTRY BY FAILING TO GET ON TOP

OF THIS.

>> Stephen: NOW, DURING THE DEBATE, THE PRESIDENT I BELIEVE

TWEETED OUT THAT ALL U.S. COMBAT TROOPS IN AFGHANISTAN WOULD BE

HOME BY CHRISTMAS.

AND I THINK I'VE GOT THAT-- CHECK ME ON THAT ONE.

I THINK THAT'S WHAT HE DID.

AS SOMEONE WHO SERVED IN THE MILITARY, WHAT DO YOU MAKE OF

THE VICE PRESIDENT CLAIMING THAT THE PRESIDENT DOES WHAT'S BEST

FOUR TROOPS AND HONORS THEIR SACRIFICE, GIVEN THE ACCUSATIONS

THAT HAVE BEEN MADE AGAINST THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

ABOUT HOW HE DOES NOT VALUE THAT SACRIFICE AND DOES NOT

UNDERSTAND DUTY TO COUNTRY?

>> YOU KNOW, YOU KNOW, FROM TIME TO TIME I GO TO SECTION 60 IN

ARLINGTON, BECAUSE THERE ARE PEOPLE I KNOW WHO DIDN'T MAKE

IT.

AND THEY'RE THERE.

AND IT'S SOMEWHERE ON THAT HALLOWED GROUND THAT HE MADE

THESE COMMENTS THAT HE DOESN'T GET IT, WHAT WAS IN IT FOR THEM?

AND IT-- YOU KNOW, WHEN YOU SIGN A-- POLITICS ASIDE-- YOU HAVE TO

BELIEVE THAT YOUR COMMANDER IN CHIEF AND YOUR CHAIN OF COMMAND

WANT WHAT'S BEST FOR YOU.

BUT HE REALLY DOESN'T CARE.

AND IT'S EASY TO BELIEVE THAT HE DOESN'T CARE, BECAUSE WE'VE SEEN

IT, NOT ONLY IN THESE RECENT REPORTS BUT AT EVERY TURN.OF

I MEAN, GOING BACK ALL THE WAY TO WHEN HE DECIDED AS A WEALTHY,

PRIVILEGED, CONNECTED KID, THAT HE'D LET SOME SUCKER GO IN HIS

PLACE, AS HE SAW IT, TO VIETNAM, TAKE A DISABILITY.

SO THERE'S NOTHING NEW ABOUT THIS.

BUT EVEN SO, THERE'S SOMETHING SHOCKING TO HEAR THE WAY HE

OPENLY TALKED ABOUT OUR TROOPS.

I HOPE TO GOD THAT IT'S TRUE THAT WE'LL HAVE A PEACEFUL, SAFE

RESOLUTION, GET OUR TROOPS HOME BY THE END OF THE YEAR.

BUT THIS PRESIDENT'S TRACK RECORD WITH KEEPING PERHAPSES TO

DO CERTAIN THING BY CERTAIN DATES IS NOT THE BEST.

SO I GUESS WE'LL HAVE TO SEE WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENS.

>> Stephen: I JOIN YOU IN THAT.