Comedy Central
Video: The Daily Show Takes on Military Sexual Assault
Oliver slams military leaders and praises Obama's response to the issue.
In May, the Pentagon released a study on the military’s long-standing problem of failing to prevent or properly handle sexual assault within its ranks. Defense has been under more scrutiny on this issue because of high-profile cases of assault and increased media interest, including the Academy Award-nominated documentary The Invisible War . Congress' increasing involvement has included hearings on a bill championed by Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, D-N.Y .
Thursday night, The Daily Show spent an entire segment on the issue leading into an interview with Gillibrand . Host John Oliver praised the military members and hoped for only “Magical, consensual sex with unicorns” for service members. Oliver then praised President Obama’s strong call for accountability in the area.
The host then took issue with military judges who have called Obama’s comments “unlawful command influence ," saying the president could not be more neutral on the issue. “How is the president unlawfully influencing a case by saying people guilty of sexual assault should be found guilty?” Oliver asked.