New York Democratic Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, who last year made headlines for dropping the f-bomb in a speech, said Tuesday on CBS’ “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” that she gave up “swearing” for lent.
Asked how it was going, she said “not well” and that her cursing flares up “daily,” including after seeing tweets from President Donald Trump.
“It comes out all the time,” she said.
Many Catholics and some other Christian denominations traditionally observe the season of Lent, the period of time between Ash Wednesday and Holy Thursday before Easter. Part of the tradition includes giving up a vice or bad habit for that time period.
The New York senator cursed a handful of times during a speech last June at the Personal Democracy Forum at New York University.
Speaking at the time about Trump’s accomplishments in the White House, Gillibrand said, “Has he kept his promises? No. F— no.”
On Tuesday, Gillibrand also blasted the National Rifle Association for its “chokehold on Congress.”
“They have so much power that nothing was done after aurora,” she said. “Nothing was done after Sandy Hook. Nothing was done after Charleston. Nothing was done after Las Vegas. And nothing is done now. That is the power. It’s the power of money. It’s the power of communications. It’s the fear they instill in members. It’s wrong. It’s morally wrong.”
Colbert pointed out that she used to have an A rating with the NRA and now she has and F, which got applause from the audience.
Gillibrand, who’s considered a potential 2020 presidential candidate, also noted her recent decision to no longer accept corporate PAC money.
Colbert also asked her about the pushback she got from progressives for being the first one to call for Minnesota Democratic Sen. Al Franken’s resignation, following allegations that he touched women inappropriately.
“It’s painful, especially when they’re your friend. But you can’t say something like ‘it’s OK as long as you’re my friend,'” she said. “I had to be heard.”
