Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi faced interruptions from pro-Palestinian protesters during a live broadcast of the "Late Show" with Stephen Colbert in Chicago.
Speaker Emerita Pelosi is among the deep roster of Democratic political leaders who have made their way to Chicago for the Democratic National Convention this week. She sat down with Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, ahead of her Wednesday night speech to the DNC.
Typically shot in New York City, the "Late Show" relocated to Chicago to cover the DNC this week. While DNC organizers and Chicago police were prepared for protesters throughout the week, the demonstrators surprised some by shaking things up during the Tuesday night taping.
Pelosi and Colbert were discussing President Joe Biden and her hopes to see Vice President Kamala Harris elected as the next President of the United States.
First reported by Deadline, the conversation started with a discussion on President Biden's decision to step down. As Pelosi tried to answer, she was repeatedly interrupted by demonstrators.
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Colbert deftly handled the situation by addressing the protesters directly. He let the at-home viewing audience know that a protest was taking place in the studio, but the cameras stayed on him. He assured the demonstrators that he would help them get answers from Pelosi.
"If you'll have a seat, we have to go to the commercial break. When we come back, I will ask the next question I had on that subject, if you will listen, ok?" Colbert said. The audience responded with applause and cheers. When the show returned from break, Colbert ensured that he kept his word.
"If the goal is the peaceful and prosperous future for both Israelis and Palestinians, what role does the United States play?" Colbert asked. Pelosi first responded by touting the success of President Biden in this conflict, but she also laid out what she is looking to see in the future.
"We've had a commitment to Israel. It's been in our security interests to do so. Israel was attacked by a terrorist organization. We want the hostages free, but we don't want children killed in Gaza, and so we have to come up with a solution. And right now we've just got word that Israel had agreed to the ceasefire agreement, we're hoping Hamas will too," Pelosi said. "War has no role in civilized society. We have to learn more about trust and peace and learning about each other rather than to have conflict resolved by war."
Demonstrators in the audience continued to make their voices heard. Colbert pushed Pelosi further.
"That answer is unsatisfying to some people because they believe that the United States…they've said that the United States should not have any role in supplying Israel arms to kill the people of Gaza," Colbert said.
"Israel has a right to defend itself, and the hostages should be returned. But the other part of it, that has been so major for all of us for many years, is that there must be a two-state solution. You cannot have peace unless you have a two-state… Israel, a secure, Jewish, democratic state in the region, and the Palestinians having their own secure country there as well," Pelosi answered.
The protesters continued to disrupt the interview. Colbert asked them to stop as the live segment ended.
The future of the Israel-Hamas War is unclear. Though many Americans are rallying for an end to the violence, ceasefire talks have fallen apart several times.
Israel’s demand for lasting control over two strategic corridors in Gaza, which Hamas has long rejected, threatens to unravel cease-fire talks aimed at ending the 10-month-old war, freeing scores of hostages and preventing an even wider conflict.
Officials close to the negotiations have said Israel wants to maintain a military presence in a narrow buffer zone along the Gaza-Egypt border it calls the Philadelphi corridor and in an area it carved out that cuts off northern Gaza from the south, known as the Netzarim corridor.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.