# The President of the United States vs. Steve Colbert? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [May 1, 2006, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915 "2006-05-01T04:11:41Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kolak_of_twilo/32/73_2.png) [@Kolak\_of\_Twilo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kolak_of_Twilo)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 9:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/101 "2006-05-04T09:21:06Z")
And what **Ogre** said above. Doubled. ---
**Author:** ![Digital\_Stimulus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/aeb1de/32.png) [@Digital\_Stimulus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digital_Stimulus)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/102 "2006-05-04T11:48:44Z")
[QUOTE=Kolak of Twilo] I have spent a good part of the last few hours trying to find it online and it seems to be vanishing from most websites that are putting it up within a few hours. Funny, that. [/QUOTE] Really? [Here’s a link](http://www.mininova.org/tor/296239) to a [bittorrent](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bittorrent) of the entire affair. Once it’s on the net, it’s doubtful that it can be entirely removed. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 1:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/103 "2006-05-04T13:20:14Z")
[QUOTE=Ogre] One more post. He stood there and forced the President to watch a film which literally said, “No matter what you do, we will dog your steps forever until you answer the hard questions.” That’s almost frighteningly ballsy. [/QUOTE] Also, he forced the Washington press to listen to a speech that more or less said, “No matter what you do, somebody will dog your steps forever until you **ask** the hard questions.” No wonder so many of them are trying to spin this issue as Colbert’s “rudeness” rather than the substance of his barbs. ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/104 "2006-05-04T13:49:57Z")
[here is a link](http://www.crooksandliars.com/2006/04/29.html) where you can download the video in Quicktime format… just in case it gets harder to find or you want to use segments for presentations or something like that… ---
**Author:** ![phungi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/phungi/32/395_2.png) [@phungi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/phungi)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 1:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/105 "2006-05-04T13:57:45Z")
sorry… my previous link does not show the entire movie… the Salon version is complete and allows you to download the QT file (if you have the correct version of QT) ---
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/106 "2006-05-04T18:24:58Z")
[QUOTE=Frostillicus] This one line best captured the disaster that is George W. Bush. "The greatest thing about this man is he’s steady. You know where he stands. He believes the same thing Wednesday that he believed on Monday, no matter what happened Tuesday " Brilliant! [/QUOTE] Sorry to spoil your fun, but this line could work equally well on the “disaster” that is \ Just read it with numerical dates, along with days of the week: “he believes the same thing on Wednesday (sept 12), that he believed on Monday (sept 10), no matter what happened on Sept 11” ( and, yes, I apologize for pushing a Cafe thread into GD territory) ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/107 "2006-05-04T18:35:38Z")
[QUOTE=chappachula] Sorry to spoil your fun, but this line could work equally well on the “disaster” that is \ [/QUOTE] No, it really wouldn’t. I think almost everyone can agree that stubbornness/steadfastness is one of Bush’s most notable characteristics - maybe his defining characteristic. I’ll skip the examples, but like him or hate him, he is not known for changing his opinions. Maybe there are some liberals you could say that about, but none are springing to mind. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/108 "2006-05-04T18:38:15Z")
[QUOTE=chappachula] ( and, yes, I apologize for pushing a Cafe thread into GD territory) [/QUOTE] You didn’t. Not even a little bit. -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Knorf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/58956e/32.png) [@Knorf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knorf)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/109 "2006-05-04T20:46:46Z")
Having watched a couple of times with friends, I found it even funnier than the first time. Those of you who felt sympathy for the apparent discomfort of the audience should watch it again–I’d say the discomfort of the audience of part of the genius of Colbert’s presentation. Stephen Colbert is one of my new heroes. The more I see the footage of his address, the more brilliant I find his delivery, and the more I appreciate his courage and humor. This is what Democracy is about, folks! “The price of freedom, etc. etc.” ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 9:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/110 "2006-05-04T21:24:33Z")
[QUOTE=Digital Stimulus] Once it’s on the net, it’s doubtful that it can be entirely removed. [/QUOTE] Boy, aint that the truth. I’d give anything if I could go back to my college days and just turn down that $250. ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/111 "2006-05-04T21:39:39Z")
[“You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you no sense of decency?”](http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/welch-mccarthy.html) ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 9:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/112 "2006-05-04T21:58:26Z")
[QUOTE=pravnik] Boy, aint that the truth. I’d give anything if I could go back to my college days and just turn down that $250. [/QUOTE] Cite? 🆒 -Joe ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 4, 2006, 10:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/113 "2006-05-04T22:19:14Z")
[QUOTE=vibrotronica] [“You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you no sense of decency?”](http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/welch-mccarthy.html) [/QUOTE] Minor url thing: that should be [“You have done enough. Have you no sense of decency, sir? At long last, have you no sense of decency?”](http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/welch-mccarthy.html) ---
**Author:** ![vibrotronica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/a9a28c/32.png) [@vibrotronica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vibrotronica)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/114 "2006-05-05T00:20:17Z")
Thanks for the cleanup **Marley23**. ---
**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/115 "2006-05-05T01:02:18Z")
I thought it was brilliant satire, ballsy and very funny. I thought the bit about the last third being backwash was inspired. I guess you wouldn’t find it funny if you were one of those swimming in the 32% “backwash.” ---
**Author:** ![elelle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/f0a364/32.png) [@elelle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elelle)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/116 "2006-05-05T03:13:06Z")
I’m a bit behind on the general uptake, not having dish or cable, but after seeing, and reading Colbert’s performance–Go Ahead On, Man!..absolutely brilliant. Not so far mentioned in this thread, but I was amazed by the sheer deftness of it: > [@](#): > > Jesse Jackson is here, the Reverend. Haven’t heard from the Reverend in a little while. I had him on the show. Very interesting and challenging interview. You can ask him anything, but he’s going to say what he wants, at the pace that he wants. It’s like boxing a glacier. Enjoy that metaphor, by the way, because your grandchildren will have no idea what a glacier is I can hear the Whoosh a mile wide. So amazing, that writing. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/117 "2006-05-05T03:41:27Z")
[QUOTE=Marley23] No, it really wouldn’t. I think almost everyone can agree that stubbornness/steadfastness is one of Bush’s most notable characteristics - maybe his defining characteristic. I’ll skip the examples, but like him or hate him, he is not known for changing his opinions. Maybe there are some liberals you could say that about, but none are springing to mind. [/QUOTE] Exactly-wasn’t that one of the reasons Kerry was slammed-for, actually changing his mind in the face of new evidence? Apparently, refusing to ignore reality makes you a “flip-flopper.” :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![New\_Iskander](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/db5fbb/32.png) [@New\_Iskander](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/New_Iskander)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 4:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/118 "2006-05-05T04:33:00Z")
The time has come to state the obvious, and I feel enormously privileged to be in the position to do so. Yes, Steve Colbert is the Desiderius Erasmus of our time! Only more so! What that Rotterdam pancy knew about danger? The closest he came was being friends with Sir Thomas More. Now, our own Stevie spoke truth to Bush! Thank you, thank you, thank … ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 4:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/119 "2006-05-05T04:37:03Z")
I hope the next poster states the obvious more clearly. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@Diogenes\_the\_Cynic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diogenes_the_Cynic)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2006, 4:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915/120 "2006-05-05T04:47:42Z")
Erasmus was a 16th Century Catholic theologian and scholar (arguably most notable for his compilation of the _Textus Receptus_) who sharply criticized the Church and was cozy with Martin Luther. I think that **NI** is attempting to deride any characterizations of Colbert’s performace as having any courage because he was not physically risking his life. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-president-of-the-united-states-vs-steve-colbert/354915.md?page=7)