political statements

Kerry Washington: “Voting for Trump Is Voting Against Ourselves”

You can’t spin a spin doctor. Photo: Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty Images

Scandal star and all-around badass Kerry Washington appeared on Real Time With Bill Maher last night to talk about all things Donald Trump. Washington, who is on the September cover of InStyle, spoke out strongly against the deeply troubling candidate, from his laughable maternity-leave policy to how the media is encouraging the American public to vote for “the loudest candidate.”

Washington also pointed out we shouldn’t be fooled by Trump’s use of Ivanka Trump and other female spokespeople to make himself look like a more female-friendly candidate. “I think it’s important that we not be distracted by these very smart, very articulate, beautiful women who work on the Trump campaign, who are a lot smarter than the candidate, I think. We need to be not swayed by them because they will not have their finger on the button — he will,” she said.

When Maher brought up the “enthusiasm gap” that Hillary Clinton’s campaign is battling, Washington responded, “I think there’s a bigger problem, which is that right now we are being led by the media — no offense — to vote for the loudest candidate, and the meanest, the bulliest candidate in the playground, and that we are voting based on a cult of personality or a cult of celebrity rather than voting in our best interest. I think if we really look at policy, voting for Trump is voting against our best interests as Americans, as workers, as people of color, as women … Not voting is voting against ourselves. So, voting for Trump is voting against ourselves. Not voting is against ourselves. And I think, in this election, voting for a third-party candidate is voting against ourselves.”

Scandal fans will have to wait until the midseason of 2017 for their favorite Gladiators to return to the small screen — as per Washington, she’s “knocked up again!” — but seeing Kerry Washington discuss politics is just as good, if not better, than watching Olivia Pope agonize over Fitz and Jake.

Kerry Washington Talks Trump With Bill Maher