“Well, you have to know these things, when you’re in Congress” is a Monty Python and the Holy Grail reference. (Borrowed from King Arthur, even.)
…and, okay, this doesn’t really count as a reference because it’s impossible to tell, but. If this strip was in full color, I would’ve given Cohen’s tie the same palette as this one absurdly pretty Jon Stewart tie. (And then readers would go “wait, brown and cream, is this subtle foreshadowing that he’s thinking about Patrick?” and I’d be like “yeah, totally meant to do that, it wasn’t just a wardrobe choice I liked from the Daily Show.”)
Cohen: Please don’t be offended. If you want to know the truth, I’m impressed. It sounds like you’ve done some research on the topic you’re legislating after all.
Bennett: Well, you have to know these things, when you’re in Congress.
Cohen: Arthur — may I call you Arthur?
Bennett: . . . Must you?
Cohen: Bennett, then.
In your ideal world . . . if the decision on what to do with Beings like the Rabbit were completely in your hands . . . Based on your research, what would you do?
Bennett: Ideally? I . . .
I would sever her Contract. Detach her from whoever is ordering her. That way we could bring the law down on him without any repercussions to her at all.
