John Oliver roasts CNN anchor citing Civil War laws while discussing abortion rights with GOP strategist

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: John Oliver, the host of 'Last Week Tonight,' has once again taken aim at the absurdities of contemporary political discourse, this time targeting a CNN anchor's recent comments on Civil War-era laws regarding reproductive rights.

According to the Wrap, in a segment discussing Arizona lawmakers' push to reinforce an antiquated abortion ban, Oliver couldn't help but chuckle at the exchange between CNN host Jim Acosta and a Republican strategist.

Jim Acosta's clumsy comparison

Acosta, attempting to emphasize the backwardness of reverting to Civil War-era laws on reproductive freedom, pointed out to the strategist, who happened to be a Black man, that women didn't even have the right to vote at that time.

“Do you really want states going back to Civil War-era laws on reproductive freedom?” the anchor asked. “I mean, women didn’t even have the right to vote at that point.”

“I mean, Jim I don’t want states going back to pre-Civil War on any issue, for obvious reasons here, right?” the strategist, with a bemused laugh, swiftly retorted, highlighting the broader implications of such a regression, prompting Acosta to acknowledge his oversight with a sheepish "point taken."

Oliver's Wit: unveiling the irony in Acosta's commentary

Oliver seized upon the moment with characteristic wit, savoring the irony of Acosta's remark in the context of addressing a Black man about the Civil War era.

"I love the cluelessness of looking at a Black man and saying that the 1860s were bad because women didn’t have the right to vote," Oliver remarked, stifling laughter. "I mean it’s true, but also, maybe not the worst thing people didn’t have the right to do back then!"

Throughout the segment, Oliver skewered Republicans for their hypocritical stance on reproductive rights, particularly their celebration of overturning Roe v Wade, only to backtrack when faced with public backlash.

"Republicans own this. They got what they wanted — overturned Roe v Wade — and now, they have to deal with the consequences of that," Oliver emphasized, his tone dripping with irony, "which hopefully will be rightfully furious constituents turning them out of office," he quipped.