"Mission Accomplished"


That's how James Wolcott describes Colbert's appearance:

A note about the Stephen Colbert monologue at the Correspondents' Dinner that Elisabeth Bumiller seems to have slept through face-down in her entree. No question the stint played better on TV than it did in the room with C-SPAN cutting to gowned lovelies in the audience with glaceed expressions and tuxedo'd men making with the nervous eyes, but to say he "bombed" or "stunk up the place" (Jonah Goldberg's usual elegance) is wishful thinking on behalf of the wishful thinkers on the right, who have nothing but wishful thinking to prop them up during the day...

Apart from flubbing the water-half-empty joke about Bush's poll ratings, he was in full command of his tone, comic inflection, and line of attack. The we-are-not-amused smile Laura Bush gave him when he left the podium was a priceless tribute to the displeasure he incurred. To me, Colbert looked very relaxed after the Bushes left the room and he greeted audience members, signed autographs. And why wouldn't he be? He achieved exactly what he wanted to achieve, delivered the message he intended to deliver. Mission accomplished.

And Attaturk found more evidence of a direct hit on rubber duck Battleship Bush:

Comedy Central star Stephen Colbert's biting routine at the White House Correspondents Association dinner won a rare silent protest from Bush aides and supporters Saturday when several independently left before he finished.

"Colbert crossed the line," said one top Bush aide, who rushed out of the hotel as soon as Colbert finished. Another said that the president was visibly angered by the sharp lines that kept coming.

"I've been there before, and I can see that he is [angry]," said a former top aide. "He's got that look that he's ready to blow."

Ready to blow, eh? Or is that "ready for blow?" Time to roll up a twenty and hand it to the great, white, beached-whale administration.

Kidding aside, though, it's telling that the "former top aide" can tell when the little wisps of steam are starting to emanate from The Decider's Dumbo ears. I'll bet Shrub thinks his little temper tantrums are a way of proving how "tough" he is. Virility as expressed by a three year old who doesn't want to eat his spinach.

What a creepy, miserable failure. I doubt he'd last more than ten seconds outside his bubble without pissing or shitting himself.