Thank you, Stephen Colbert

Stephen Colbert was the entertainment at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner over the weekend, and he took the opportunity to speak truth to power in a most breathtaking way.
George W. Bush was sitting just a few feet away, and he heard some things that if he’s intelligent enough to understand them should give him pause. But they won’t of course – that dangerously shallow man seems incapable of recognizing the damage he’s done to the countrym the human race, and the planet.
Colbert also took aim at the lapdog press, many of whom must also have done some squirming. And rightly so.
There’s a web site called “Thank You, Stephen Colbert” where you’ll find links to video of the event, plus some news coverage (although most of the mainstream media reports didn’t even mention Colbert!), and a place to sign in and thank Colbert for that he did.
By all means, watch the presentation.
Update: “Colbert Rips the President a New One.” An excerpt:

As he walked from the podium the president and First Lady gave Colbert quick nods, unsmiling, and left. E&P’s Joe Strupp, in the crowd, observed that quite a few felt the material was, perhaps, uncomfortably biting.

Wasn’t it last year at the White House Correspondent’s dinner where the President did a HI-LARIOUS bit with some fake home movies showing him looking for those darned elusive WMD’s? And they weren’t there! It was a laff riot! I was laughing all the way to the 2300 odd military funerals!! Giggling as I donted money to help pay for over 10,000 wounded Americans!! Stop me before I piss myself with glee. But Colbert’s bit, that was OUT OF LINE, mister!!

[…]

The President was upset? Good. I hope the President was sleepless with rage. At least then he’d know how most of us have been spending every night for the last three years.

Update: Salon has an analysis that’s worth reading. An excerpt:

Then he turned to the president of the United States, who sat tight-lipped just a few feet away. “I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound — with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world.”

It was Colbert’s crowning moment. His imitation of the quintessential GOP talking head — Bill O’Reilly meets Scott McClellan — uncovered the inner workings of the ever-cheapening discourse that passes for political debate. He reversed and flattened the meaning of the words he spoke. It’s a tactic that the cultural critic Greil Marcus once called the “critical negation that would make it self-evident to everyone
that the world is not as it seems.” Colbert’s jokes attacked not just Bush’s policies, but the whole drama and language of American politics, the phony demonstration of strength, unity and vision….”

Media Matters has more.