Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner--President Does Not S

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Comedian Colbert Nails Georgie Jr

 

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Colbert Lampoons Bush at White House Correspondents Dinner--

President Does Not Seem Amused

 

By E & P Staff

 

Published: April 29, 2006 11:40 PM ET

 

WASHINGTON A blistering comedy " tribute " to President Bush by Comedy

Central's faux talk show host Stephen Colbert at the White House

Correspondent Dinner Saturday night left George and Laura Bush

unsmiling at its close.

 

Earlier, the president had delivered his talk to the 2700 attendees,

including many celebrities and top officials, with the help of a Bush

impersonator.

 

Colbert, who spoke in the guise of his talk show character, who

ostensibly supports the president strongly, urged the Bush to ignore

his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, " and

reality has a well-known liberal bias. "

 

Noting those low ratings, Colbert advised, " The glass isn't half

empty - it's 68% empty. There's still some fluid in there, but I

wouldn't drink it. "

 

He attacked those in the press who claim that the shake-up at the

White House was merely re-arranging the deck chairs on the

Titanic. " This administration is soaring, not sinking, " he

said. " They are re-arranging the deck chairs--on the Hindenburg. "

 

Colbert told Bush he could end the problem of protests by retired

generals by refusing to let them retire. He compared Bush to Rocky

Balboa in the " Rocky " movies, always getting punched in the face— " and

Apollo Creed is everything else in the world. "

 

Turning to the war, he declared, " I believe that the government that

governs best is a government that governs least, and by these

standards we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq. "

 

He noted former Ambassador Joseph Wilson in the crowd, as well as "

Valerie Plame. " Then, pretending to be worried that he had named her,

he corrected himself, as Bush aides might do, " Uh, I mean... Joseph

Wilson's wife. " He asserted that it might be okay, as prosecutor

Patrick Fitzgerald was probably not there.

 

Colbert also made biting cracks about missing WMDs, " photo ops " on

aircraft carriers and at hurriance disasters, and Vice President

Cheney shooting people in the face.

Observing that Bush sticks to his principles, he said, " When the

president decides something on Monday, he still believes it on

Wednesday - no matter what happened Tuesday. "

 

Also lampooning the press, Colbert complained that he was " surrounded

by the liberal media who are destroying this country, except for Fox

News. Fox believes in presenting both sides—the president's side and

the vice president's side. " He also reflected on the good old days,

when the media was still swallowing the WMD story.

 

Addressing the reporters, he said, " You should spend more time with

your families, write that novel you've always wanted to write. You

know, the one about the fearless reporter who stands up to the

administration. You know-- fiction. "

 

He closed his routine with a video fantasy where he gets to be White

House Press Secretary, complete with a special " Gannon " button on his

podium. By the end, he runs fleeing from Helen Thomas and her

questions about why the U.S. really invaded Iraq and killed all those

people.

 

As he walked from the podium, the president and First Lady gave

Colbert quick nods, unsmiling, and left immediately. E & P's Joe

Strupp, in the crowd, observed that quite a few sitting hear him felt

the material was, perhaps, uncomfortably biting.

 

Asked by E & P after it was over if he thought he'd been too harsh,

Colbert said, " Not at all. " Was he trying to make a point politically

or just get laughs? " Just for laughs, " he said. He said he did not

pull any material for being too strong, just for time reasons.

 

Helen Thomas told Strupp her segment with Colbert was " just for fun. "

 

The president had talked to the crowd with a Bush impersonator

alongside, with the faux-Bush speaking precisely and the real Bush

deliberately mispronouncing words. At the close, Bush called the

imposter " a fine talent. In fact, he did all my debates with Senator

Kerry. "

 

Among attendees at the black tie event: Morgan Fairchild, quarterback

Ben Roethlisberger, Justice Antonin Scalia, and Jeff " Skunk " Baxter

of the Doobie Brothers--in a kilt.