The Republicans had Clint Eastwood, the Democrats have…Stephen Colbert?
The Comedy Central host made a surprise appearance at the House Democratic Caucus retreat in Leesburg, Va. this morning, where he was “interviewed” by his ‘frenememy’ Nancy Pelosi. The interview will be featured in an upcoming episode of his show The Colbert Report, where he portrays a conservative commentator modeled after Fox News’s Bill O’Reilly.
“We assume this is Stephen Colbert’s attempt at bipartisanship,” Pelosi’s communications director, Drew Hammill, told the Washington Post.
During the interview Pelosi attempted to convince Colbert to become a Democrat, arguing that: “Governor Nikki Haley rejected you; we will welcome you with open arms.” A South Carolina native, Colbert had publicly pleaded to be appointed to the U.S. Senate in December after former Sen. Jim DeMint resigned to serve as president of the Heritage Foundation. Gov. Haley instead chose Republican Congressman Tim Scott.
Just because he was speaking in front of 200 members of Congress didn’t mean that he would avoid making fun of them. “Not sure if American people care either way, Congress less popular than colonoscopies … but just edging out meth labs and gonorrhea. Ironically, the last things we make in the United States,” Colbert quipped.
Colbert also sang the “Star-Spangled Banner” with Rep. Joe Crowley, D-N.Y. during the retreat.
Colbert has extended his on-stage persona into the political world several times in the past. He attempted to run for president as a Republican in both 2008 and 2012, and in 2011 launched a SuperPAC, “Americans for a better tomorrow, tomorrow.”
His sister, Elizabeth Colbert-Busch, is currently running for Congress as a Democrat in the special election for South Carolina’s 1st district, which was previously held by Scott. Pelosi questioned the Comedy Central host about his sister’s Congressional bid, to which Colbert replied that he would feature his sister in a segment of “Better Know a District” once she won the seat.
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