Bush gets the Colbert treatment
“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,” - Stephen Colbert at the White House correspondents Dinner
It was quite subversive. Bush probably expected Colbert to act like a court jester with some mildly offensive jokes and perhaps even some flattery. They definitely got more than they bargained for in inviting Colbert.
Even more important than mocking Bush was his mocking of the relationship between the press and the Whitehouse. Bush couldn’t have gotten away with the sort things he has done in the last few years without such a toothless and complicit press core. Americans should thank Colbert for doing them a public service in highlighting that.
Update: The reaction from the right-wing press and blogosphere is quite interesting. They are either trying to claim his performance ‘bombed’or else are just trying to ignore the incident and hope the fallout will go away soon.