The Washington Times, of all papers, ran a fun story this week on lawmakers who appear on the Colbert Report's "Better Know a District." Apparently, members are consistently surprised at how much positive feedback they get from people in their district who watch the show.
As for the party's leaders, at least one side knows who Colbert is.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, who has been a guest on "The Daily Show," said the Colbert segment is "humorous," but wouldn't recommend members make an appearance.
"I would think it would be OK to go on if you were live to tape, but don't subject yourself to a comic's edit unless you want to be made a fool of," the California Democrat said. "I think: Why would anybody go on there? Not that I don't think they have all done very well." Mrs. Pelosi added that she watches the show "all the time."
House Majority Leader John A. Boehner of Ohio, by contrast, said he had never heard of the show. "I'm culturally illiterate," he told The Washington Times.
I think Pelosi is justified in wondering why anyone would subject themselves to the inevitable humiliation that comes with the territory -- I wonder that myself all the time -- but I hope she doesn't discourage Dems from appearing. After all, as Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D), from Oregon's "Fightin' Third," who appeared on the program several weeks ago, said, "We tend to take ourselves too seriously in this business."
No better way than to show humility than to let Colbert make you look ridiculous.
-- Guest Post by Steve Benen, The Carpetbagger Report
