I believe that moment galvanized us on the left like no other. Finally, after all the lies, the torture, the Katrina-sized fuck-ups, someone finally had the balls to call Bush and his Beltway media enablers on their shit. To their faces. With humor.
It was a moment I will never forget. Mr. Beale and I just stared at the television and said “oh. my. God.” over and over again.
Bush closed the door and left the world behind. It took a comedian to bust it wide open again. I think this was the first time Beltway insiders and White House sycophants saw the depth of the anger we on the left had toward the President and the media that failed to do their jobs. They couldn’t hide from it and even though they later claimed Colbert’s act bombed, he started a movement which can’t be underestimated.
Things started to turn around after that. Democrats won the November mid-terms, and the left was able to push back in a way we’d been unable to do before. Thank you, Stephen Colbert.
April, 2006: President Bush sits in stunned silence as he’s roasted by Stephen Colbert:
