Sanders Talked Trump On 'The Tonight Show'

On Tuesday night, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon hosted Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders. The two discussed the 2016 election (somewhat predictably), as well as Sanders' latest climate change plan. Sanders' appearance stands as an important one for the Vermont Senator, especially considering the latest controversy that has cropped up on the Republican side regarding He Must Not Be Named. (Just kidding, it's Trump, although J. K. Rowling noted Tuesday that even Voldemort wasn't as bad.) What Bernie Sanders had to say about Donald Trump stands as perhaps the best takedown of the GOP frontrunner yet. Sanders exposed Trump's apparent scare tactics, plainly explaining that there's simply no room for such hatred and discrimination in a presidential race.

Trump had proposed banning all Muslims from entering the country on Monday, issuing a press release that called for what appears to be a temporary ban "until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on." The announcement has been met with widespread condemnation from both parties. Hillary Clinton penned a scathing letter in response, condemning both Trump's comments and the GOP's past offenses. Speaker of the House Paul Ryan issued a similar statement and said the Republican candidate's rhetoric directly goes against his own party. Not a single prominent politician has come to Trump's defense. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest even suggested that the Donald's proposed ban disqualifies him from the presidency.

Sanders dismissed Trump's proposal while also pushing for better pay in one fell swoop. To the Democratic candidate, the proposed ban is just another scapegoat tactic, playing on Trump's us versus them mentality that may only further alienate the American public. Sanders said:

What somebody like Trump is trying to do is to divide us up. A few months ago we were supposed to hate Mexicans, and he thinks they are all criminals and rapists. And now we are supposed to hate Muslims, and that kind of crap is not going to work in the United States of America. I think what the American people understand given the problems that we face, we’ve got to stand together, come together and create decent money for all of our people and stop this scapegoating of one group or another.

Though most of the late-night talk shows are set to go on a winter holiday break within a week or two, Sanders' appearance certainly doesn't mark the last of a presidential candidate. Later this week, Hillary Clinton will be stopping by Late Night With Seth Meyers. Sanders sets a high bar for Clinton to follow, garnering wild applause for his points against Trump.