May 03, 2006

Mainstream Media Prove Stephen Colbert Right

So far, all indications are that the Mainstream Media has ignored reporting what Stephen Colbert had to say about Bush, Cheney and the Mainstream Media at the White House Press Association annual dinner. And probably for good reason. Besides skewering Bush himself, to his face, he looked at everyone of those journalists in the audience and told them what an awful job they were doing. He directly questioned their integrity as reporters and challenged their inadequate and inaccurate coverage of news events and administration blunders.

Columnist Dan Froomkin has written a piece entitled "The Colbert Blackout" in which he reports one White House aide's remarks this way:

"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.'


It is apparent that George and Laura, and many others Bush apologists, went away angry that night. Stephen Colbert probably ought to make sure his accountant is double-checking his tax returns for the last few years.

To be honest, I really did not laugh much at what Colbert said. So much of it was all too real and serious. And there was something about knowing that George Bush sat only a few feet from Colbert and was being spoken to his face, in a way that he so rarely experiences, that made the whole thing, at least for me, a catharsis.

Colbert spoke truth to Bush's fearmongering and failures, and he pointed to the emperor and revealed he had no clothes. It was a much longer version of the Harry Taylor story, another American, like Colbert, who spoke truth to Bush's face.

Even though the Mainstream Press will not cover what Colbert had to say, I believe reports will get out in other ways. How ironic is it that one of the few places we see this kind of language about what is happening to America is on shows like Colbert's and Jon Stewart's on the Comedy Channel? The only thing we need to determine is whether the joke will be on them, or on us.

Here's a link to Colbert's speech. If you missed it, it is worth every minute.

I have changed the link so it works now!!!!

7 comments:

Mark Prime (tpm/Confession Zero) said...

The joke seems to be leaning toward us at the moment. How sad for the US...How sad for the world.

Anonymous said...

Editor and Publisher has an article posted this morning on Colbert and the media at

http://www.editorandpublisher.com/eandp/news/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1002461891

I too watched in jaw-dropping amazement at Colbert's brilliant evisceration of the Preznit and his fawning Press lapdogs.

And days later, after observing the so-called liberal media avoid Colbert and any shred of self-scrutiny, I understood once again what it means when reporters and politicians collude. They cooperate to obscure, not display, the catastrophic policies of this worst-ever president (small "p" intended).

So it is with delight that I read the new E & P piece and signed on to the Thank Stephen Colbert website.

Colbert's courage was breathtaking. And wasn't it stunning to see Mr. and Mrs. Bush barely control their red-faced hissy fits? Possibly, just possibly, Corbert pierced the Bu$hco Bubble for just a moment before it closed over again.

Anonymous said...

I finally read the transcript today.

My first reaction was to wonder about the size of Mr. Colbert's testicles.

My second reaction is to wish I was that kind of patriot===to speak the truth even when it is quite uncomfortable.

Some days watching Stewart, Colbert and Maher is the only hope I have for the country.

Peace

Anonymous said...

Okay now I've watched the video which is even better.

Truth hurts huh? even when delivered in a humorous way.

Anonymous said...

I saw the Colbert/Helen Thomas video for the first time. Hilarious. I've read the transcripts about three times now. I enjoyed laughing heartily.

Bush is the most dangerous person on the face of the Earth but we've been taking him too seriously. He doesn't have credibility. He doesn't know how to run a government. Why are so many people still taking him seriously?

I saw Madeleine Allbright on the Charlie Rose show tonight and she was critical of Bush in a number of places but also far too diplomatic as though Bush actually pays attention to nuance or diplomacy or is serious when he talks about freedom and democracy (he cannot have Cheney and Rumsfeld working for him and have a chance in hell of being taken seriously on those issues).

We're five years into this buffoon's presidency. The only option at this point is to limit his power and there are a number of perfectly legal ways to do so without ever getting to impeachment.

By the way, has anyone noticed that Helen Thomas seemed to get it?

Unknown said...

I heard that C-Span pulled the Colbert segment off their air. Any truth to that?

Brian said...

Colbert indeed crossed the line. And it should've been done years ago. Bravo to him.