Stephen Colbert has Broiled Bush for Dinner.

Stephen Colbert, who has arguably the best political show on television, ripped Bush a new one at the White House Correspondent Dinner Saturday night.

President George Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, who arguably have no sense of humor, were not amused.

Colbert, who has a legendary fear of bears, showed no fear Saturday night as he was brazen enough to tell the truth to the President's face.

This ought to, at least, be worth another Peabody Award.

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.”

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 hurricane 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."

Transcript