For its last cold open of 2019 — and the first since Donald Trump’s impeachment — Saturday Night Live once again corralled its all-star cast of Democratic presidential nominees as well as Alec Baldwin’s President Trump, who invades the latest Democratic debate.
This week’s combatants included Elizabeth Warren (Kate McKinnon), Andrew Yang (Bowen Yang), Pete Buttigieg (Colin Jost), Amy Klobuchar (Rachel Dratch), Bernie Sanders (Larry David), Joe Biden (Jason Sudeikis, replacing Woody Harrelson and reprising his Obama-era SNL role) and, filling in for Tom Steyer, Fred Armisen’s Michael Bloomberg.
“It’s the classic billionaire switcheroo,” Bloomberg said. “For $30 million, PBS is now owned by viewers like me. Look, I even got a tote bag.”
The cold open debate tackled Buttigieg’s controversial “wine cave” fundraiser, Biden’s knack for rambling stories and Sanders’ obsession with climate change.
“Are you really surprised that my main concern is the temperature? At my house I have a Sharpie on the thermostat so I know if you move it,” David’s Sanders said. “And lemme tell you, no matter how hot the Earth gets, I will not wear shorts. I swim in corduroy.”
Maya Rudolph’s Kamala Harris, who dropped out of the presidential race since her last appearance, also stopped by, martini in hand, to admonish Democratic voters for not supporting her. “You could have had a bad bitch,” she quipped, quoting SNL musical guest Lizzo.
In a surprise twist, the Democratic debate turns into an episode of Maury after the moderator reveals Baldwin’s Trump has secretly been backstage the entire time, listening as the candidates talked trash about him.
“What are you gonna do, losers? Impeach me? Impeach me outside, impeach me outside,” Trump said as he strolled onstage. The president then practiced insults on each of the potential candidates before McKinnon’s Nancy Pelosi came onstage with two presents in hand.
“I brought you two gifts, Mr. President. It’s the articles of impeachment,” the Speaker of the House said.
