Two Years Ago: When Stephen Colbert Mocked Bush -- To His Face

On Saturday night, George W. Bush enjoyed or endured his final White House Correspondents Association dinner. Craig Ferguson was this year's comic relief. At E&P yesterday we revealed that The New York Times was skipping the event, on principle, having belatedly come to the conclusion that this social mingling of reporters and the people they cover is a little unseemly.

This seems like an apt moment to recall Stephen Colbert's now-famous routine at this dinner two years ago. It was so critical, and effective, that the association reacted by trotting out Rich Little, who most people thought had passed away, for last year's dinner, which was a total flop.

What most forget is that Colbert pointed daggers at the press as well as the president -- and many in the media responded by panning his performance in the days that followed.

Colbert is one of the "heroes" (his favorite word) in my new book on Iraq and media. There I proudly reprint the article that proved so influential in spreading the (true) word about the routine. It went up on our Editor & Publisher site just minutes after Colbert concluded, based on my observations via TV and comments from our Joe Strupp, who was on the scene.

The article was picked up by many of the top political Web sites (including this one) and generated millions of page views for E&P and some of those sites. With that in place, it was harder for the MSM to really convince most people that Colbert was "not funny" and "a failure."

Here is my original article:
*
A blistering comedy "tribute" to President Bush by Comedy Central's faux talk-show host Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondent Dinner tonight left George and Laura Bush unsmiling at its close. Earlier, the president had delivered his talk to the 2,700 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 Bush to ignore his low approval ratings, saying they were based on reality, "and reality has a well-known liberal bias." 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. "If anything, 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, just three tables away from Karl Rove, and that he had brought Valerie Plame. Then, worried that he had named her, he corrected himself, as Bush aides might do, "Uh, I mean . . . he brought Joseph Wilson's wife."

Colbert also made biting cracks about missing WMDs, "photo ops" on aircraft carriers and at hurricane disasters, melting glaciers, and Vice President Cheney shooting people in the face. He advised the crowd, "if anybody needs anything at their tables, speak slowly and clearly into your table numbers and somebody from the N.S.A. will be right over with a cocktail."

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 of the story--the president's side and the vice president's side." In another slap at the news channel, he said: "I give people the truth, unfiltered by rational argument. I call it the No Fact Zone." Then he warned: "Fox News, I own the copyright on that term."

He also reflected on the alleged good old days for the president, when the media was still swallowing the WMD story. Addressing the reporters, he said, "Let's review the rules. Here's how it works. The president makes decisions, he's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Put them through a spell-check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife.

"Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know--fiction."

He claimed that the Secret Service name for Bush's new press secretary is "Snow Job."

Colbert 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 had to run from Helen Thomas and her questions about why the U.S. really invaded Iraq and killed all those people.

As Colbert walked from the podium, when it was over, the president and First Lady gave him quick nods, unsmiling. The president shook his hand and tapped his elbow, and left immediately. Those seated near Bush told E&P's Joe Strupp, who was elsewhere in the room, that Bush had quickly turned from an amused guest to an obviously offended target as Colbert's comments brought up his low approval ratings and problems in Iraq.

Several veterans of past dinners, who requested anonymity, said the presentation was more directed at attacking the president than in the past. One noted that Bush quickly turned unhappy: "You could see he stopped smiling about halfway through Colbert."

Strupp, in the crowd during the Colbert routine, had observed that quite a few sitting near him looked a little uncomfortable at times, perhaps feeling the material was a little too biting--or too much speaking "truthiness" (a word Colbert popularized) to power.

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

After the gathering, Snow, while nursing a Heineken outside the Chicago Tribune reception, declined to comment on Colbert. "I'm not doing entertainment reviews," he said. "I thought the president was great, though."

Earlier, the president had addressed the crowd with a Bush impersonator alongside, with the near-Bush speaking precisely and the real Bush deliberately mispronouncing words, such as the inevitable "nuclear." At the close, Bush called the imposter "a fine talent. In fact, he did all my debates with Senator Kerry." The low-brow routine went over well with the crowd.

Among attendees at the black tie event: Morgan Fairchild, quarterback Ben Roethlisberger, Justice Antonin Scalia, George Clooney, and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter of the Doobie Brothers--in a kilt.
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Greg Mitchell's new book is So Wrong for So Long: How the Press, the Pundits -- and the President -- Failed on Iraq. It has been hailed by Bill Moyers, Glenn Greenwald, Arianna H, and others, and features a preface by Bruce Springsteen.

Comments

[HuffingPuffing]

Colbert's performance was one for the ages - one that should be watched over and over again, if only to remind ourselves what a disservice the journalists and MSM have performed as they have cozied up and rolled over to be tickled by this criminal administration. The joke was on them, and even then only half of them got it.
And the following year, actually learning something from their mistake for once, the WH invited toothless old Rich Little instead... you can watch his toe-curlingly bad schtick here... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRNtcUFrKQM

[LiberTLover]

The totally scary thing is that they let him perform in the first place because they apparently thought he was really on their side and that he means the things he says on his show! And these are the folks in charge of the country? They clearly don't do much research before they make decisions do they?

[lisakaz2]

Indeed, I never understood that AT ALL. Did they just hear third person that he's an O'Reilly knock off or something? The idiocy was epic and Colbert was authentic enough to himself and his real audience to make them all pay.

[JohnFObama]

I'm shocked Bush understood Colbert was against him and not for him.

[whatsthatsound]

It's all been downhill from there.

[cae]

That appearance by Stephen Colbert was and remains today one of the best things I've ever seen--brilliant! The writing, the delivery--everything. Thanks again, Stephen et al. Just tremendous.

[Arethirtypercentinsane]

Probably one of the funniest performances ever at the Correspondents dinner. Did the mainstream media report one iota on it? Of course not. It was sheer beauty! Dennis Miller could only wish he was this funny.

[Thorn]

You have got to be kidding. That received FAR more media attention than any WHCA Dinner speech since Imus (and Imus's was negative coverage). Besides which, you and I must have been at different dinners, because Colbert's thing didn't go over nearly as well as you say it did. I mean, I get it: You hate Bush so you think it was the best speech since FDR. But comedically, he died several times during that speech. Most who were there will tell you the same thing.

[Durango]

Yes, they will tell you how unfunny Colbert was because Colbert was MAKING FUN OF THEM.

And the media hacks have little sense of humor. At least when they are the butt of the joke.

Another reason to despise them.

[Jimbo23]

I still have the original live broadcast from MSNBC Tivoed and actually Colbert got laughs the whole time. I've seen other vid clips of this missing the laughs but I think the press fudged em because when they just thought it was going to be a safe little routine they did not screw with the audio. That did not happen until after the fact! Even Antonin Scalia was laughing. You can see it in the video. Don't know what you were watching. I laughed my ass off and tho I was not there I did see it live. If you're a Bushie I'm guessing your sense of humor is different from mine... Just a hunch.

[liberalnfree]

I remember Chris Matthews talking about how Colbert failed, analyzing it as usual with his inside the beltway panel of media hacks. They all agreed that Colbert wasn't funny-- because these people judge others by how cool they are in DC High. At the time, Bush was still the quarterback who gave these former nerds the thumbs up. They've moved on to another cool guy.

[aznurse]

Add being funny to the long list of things Dennis Miller wishes he was.

[Americanium]

Thats why I don't get it with this talk of liberal media bias. I cannot ever get it.

Majority of the media is so wimpish they make Obama look like Sgt. Fury.

[CallMeLiberal]

Thanks for reminding us how brilliant and bold Colbert was. It takes balls (as he would say) to speak truth to power.

The DC press corps is basically the Georgetown/Chevy Chase Social Club, or perhaps the Cathedral School PTA. It's hard to begrudge a parent who can foot the bill from wanting his kid in the finest schools, but the whole damn thing is so incestuous it's beyond repair. Look at Chris Matthews -- lusting for a Senate seat even as he fantasizes that he's a "journalist."

Fortunately there's E&P and McClatchy and now the web. Perhaps in a relatively short time we can once and for all put the terminally-ill press dog down, then revive it using the DNA of a bygone media that didn't yearn to be just like the people they cover.

[JimReed]

I guess you had to not be there. The lack of laughs in the room was the best part. An opportunity like that is rare, and even more rare is finding someone with courage to take advantage of it.

[Thorn]

A couple thousand people attend the WHCA dinner. It takes no courage at all to laugh or not laugh at anything. I was there, and (much as I enjoy Colbert), I promise you that the lack of laughs resulted from the fact that he fluffed a third of his punchlines, and another third of them weren't witty.

[Durango]

You admit to being part of the problem, not part of the solution?

You think it wasn't funny because we are LAUGHING AT YOU!

[JimReed]

I was not there, but saw the replay here on huffingtonpost. It was just as recorded in this Mitchell blog, he nailed every joke, it was wonderful, and for him to continue in the face of the non-reaction of that crowd just made it so much better. He was speaking to us, not to the room. That might make it the best comedy sketch of all time.

[johnie2xs]

The deal was not whether or not there were any "clinkers" in Colberts routine, but rather that the room was filled with political "clinkers", and their MSM lackies.

[liberalnfree]

Who cares what the hacks of the Washington press corps thought? These are the same people who lied about Gore, saying he claimed to have invented the internet. These are the same people who legitimized the idea that people should vote for Bush because he was the one they would rather have a beer with. The man they mocked and despised because he was less cool won the Noble Prize. In the meantime the fratboy the media hacks loved has been a disaster for this country.

I have news for the media hacks: you are violating your professional responsibility by socializing with the people you cover.

[NoGenius]

face it: the "fake" news gave bush the opportunity to keep his job. we (not me, you maybe) just laughed and laughed and thanked god for such a wacky, funny, president to keep us amused. I rejected the "fake" news because i saw it as a way of desensitizing us to this idiot's crimes. in retrospect the republicans played the liberal media like a fiddle.

[mojopo]

I remember like it was yesterday. God, that was the best political routine in the history of ever. I caught it on YouTube after it happened, and nearly peed. I loved reading this reviewl, and how deflated Bush was! He's man enough to steal a presidency and start a war, but he can't take a joke...

[johnie2xs]

Greg;
I'm glad you brought this up. I am going to start off my radio show, tomorrow night with Colberts "roasting" of GWB. Bush should be treated like any other West Texas pig (albeit the fact the scumbsag was born in my home state of Connecticut). I just hope it's not too late for this country to rebound. However, with food riots, four aircraft carriers in striking distance of Iraq and Syria, mounting financial problems here, and globally I personally think we are pretty much f*cked. Now we get to turn on on another for snickers and toilet paper. You would think that people in this country woulod have learned from their mistakes. But NOooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!!! We have fully 50% of our fellow idiots who think that John McCain is a viable choice. I am truly of the mind that, at the age of 60, If some devious operative of this fascist government that we find ourselves under the power of, does me in, then so f*ckin' be it. I am truly tired of living with, and around, so many myopic selfish, self-absorbed and small minded nhuman life forms. {My sincerest apologies to other human lifeforms, elsewhere on the planet}. If it were to happen that John "McCant" were to be elected, I will seek asylum elsewhere on this Big Blue Marble.

[SamThornton]

Guess Craig Ferguson is an acquired taste. Tried to watch his show once and gave up. Got the impression his giggling studio audience had been hired for the occasion. Suggest the White House Correspondents Association hire a trained monkey for this annual circle jerk. Or maybe they have.

[Sneakerface]

Craig Ferguson is one of the lamest, least talented "comedians" I have ever seen or heard. Colbert, on the other hand, is an American hero, at least in the realm of political comedy.

[Desiderata]

The last frive minutes of Furguson's speech had real elements of Colbert. He went after the press for letting Bush get away with his crimes. He belittled the press for not doing their jobs of talking truth to power.

Watch it when it reruns on C-Span, or when C-Span puts the video on it's website. Ferguson's best was saved for last and a quick getaway.

[Marlyn]

George Clooney?

[Marlyn]

"The low-brow routine went over well with the crowd."

Now THAT is funny.