Posted on 09/29/2015 4:46:38 AM PDT by Kaslin
Stephen Colbert spent nine years mocking conservatives on a comedy program premised on mocking conservatives. It was a good fit; Colbert's political views lean left, and even after leaving his right-wing loudmouth character behind, he's been happy to dive into the most contentious political issues of the day. (Just watch the video he made in June celebrating the Supreme Court gay marriage decision and deriding its dissenters.)
Recently the new play-it-straight Colbert had Republican presidential candidate Ted Cruz as a guest. Not long before, on his Sept. 8 premiere, Colbert had Jeb Bush. The appearances raised questions for Republicans considering future visits. Is Colbert really playing it straight? And is it worth appearing on his program?
Bush had a fairly easy time of it, and aides and candidate alike came away happy with the experience.
"The first Colbert show was a huge platform to reach a broad audience," Bush spokesman Tim Miller said. "Republicans in the past too often have avoided opportunities to do so. Jeb enjoyed it -- he thought the Colbert 'Jeb!' shtick was hilarious."
Yes, the "Jeb!" exchange was funny -- when Colbert asked Bush about the "!" in the logo and Bush explained that it "connotes excitement." The funny part, of course, was that it so obviously does not connote excitement in the current Bush campaign, so it's unclear if the exchange, taken as a whole, was good or bad for the candidate.
With Cruz, a good deal of the interview consisted of Colbert throwing out a tired set of Democratic talking points about Ronald Reagan and immigration. Colbert also seemed eager to pin Cruz down on gay marriage. When Cruz said, "What I'm fighting for are simple principles: live within our means, stop bankrupting our kids and grandkids, follow the Constitution," Colbert quickly added: "And no gay marriage. And no gay marriage."
When Cruz explained his belief that the Constitution leaves marriage to the states, the audience booed. Colbert shushed them. "Guys, however you feel, he's my guest, so please don't boo him," he said.
Later, Colbert almost begged Cruz to show that he's not a rigid, doctrinaire Republican.
"It's a matter of compromising," Colbert said to Cruz. "Will you be willing to compromise with the other side?"
Cruz handled it all pretty well, even winning some tepid applause at the end. His advisers thought the experience was positive; Cruz got to show a little humor, engage the issues in an informal context and appear before an audience that probably hadn't seen him before.
Maybe Cruz's team is right. Or maybe an interview crafted around an attempt to coax the Republican into explaining why he isn't one of those bad Republicans isn't entirely productive.
Of course, Democrats have appeared on Colbert, too. Bernie Sanders was on this week, before a very friendly audience that broke into chants of "Bernie! Bernie! Bernie!" And Colbert also challenged Sanders, but in a way that seemed to make fun of the challenge, as opposed to making fun of Sanders.
For example, bringing up the fact that Sanders is a socialist, Colbert proposed to "play capitalism's advocate" for a moment. The United States is rich because of its capitalist system, he said. "If we became a socialist nation, we would be just like some Scandinavian country. We'd be eating pickled herring and we would have a high suicide rate. Why do you want that for the United States?"
The questions had a decidedly different feel than those directed at Cruz. And Colbert did not ask Sanders, who is at least as far to the left as Cruz is to the right, whether he could compromise with the other side.
So what should Republicans do? On the one hand there is the argument that they should not be afraid to step into a forum in which they will be challenged and even ridiculed. And there are always those much sought-after voters who will see the candidate for the first time.
On the other hand, Colbert is a talented professional comedian with a political bent. If he wants to make a candidate's positions look vaguely ridiculous -- all while seeming entirely civil -- he can. Do Republicans need to show that they are good sports by going along? And do such appearances really change any minds, anyway?
Whatever the case, GOP candidates are ready to go along. "The governor has been on Stephen's show many times, and they have a great rapport," said Mike Huckabee spokeswoman Alice Stewart, who added that an appearance is under discussion. "We welcome the opportunity to appear on his show because it allows Gov. Huckabee to discuss the issues, show his personality, and connect with an audience we may not reach through traditional news outlets."
Back in 2006, The New York Times looked at places which had the most Google searches for the name of Colbert's old show, "The Colbert Report." The result "reads like a ranking of the most liberal places in the country," the paper reported -- Portland, Madison, San Francisco, and other deep blue locales.
Of course, Colbert is on a different network now, without the right-wing cartoon character. But he's still Colbert, and Republicans have questions to ask themselves before appearing on his program.
I agree with your entire post. The smart republicans should go on his show when invited. Cruz in particular is always prepared. Colbert doesn’t write his material, a team of liberal bedwetters do.
So the republicans should be fully prepared to answer those same tired democrat/Hollywood talking point questions. And Coal-bert doesn’t even know how to pronounce his own name!
There are liberals on TV who are at least entertaining.
He’s not one of them.
What sickens me most is Colbert makes a big show of being a “devout” Catholic. What a joke.
The ones who can do it well, absolutely should do it. SO MANY people live in an echo chamber. They only visit certain sites, defriend anyone who says something those sites disagree with (even defriend in real life not just online). They shut down discussions online and even in person if they find them “offensive” (meaning “not what I’m used to hearing”).
I’ve seen a number of my kids friends who are shocked when they see/hear a well-spoken conservative. Of course they “know” he/she is faking/lying but at least get a hint that things aren’t entirely as they’ve been told. It’s nothing like they’ve been hearing for the last decade. And Colbert is within their echo chamber so they may see it.
Not all can handle it though and many come of making themselves and republicans and conservatives look bad.
Trump got applause when he stated his illegals position.
Trump said, ‘even your audience!’
I’d rather watch him than Letterman. Letterman hated conservaives and went through the motions. Colbert does not exude that hatred.
He laid out several big traps for Trump. Trump who says he has a photographic memory missed every trap.
Not worth going on or watching that show.
The article doesn’t say anything about Trump being on his show. If you have a link to the Youtube video of Colbert interviewing Trump would you be so kind to post it? All I found was videos of Colbert making fun of Trump
Are you saying that Cardinal Dolan is pro abortion?
If you can’t handle Colbert Putin will bend you over.
Should women hire a convicted rapist as a massage therapist?
Should parents hire registered sex offenders as babysitters?
These are just two questions that come to mind when I read “Should Republicans Appear on Colbert”?
Oh, here’s one more:
Should Republicans WATCH Colbert”?
David Paterson is/was pro-abortion. Cardinal Dolan said in an interview that Paterson “is a good Catholic who takes his Christian faith seriously.”
If Dolan can say that, in what meaningful—MEANINGFUL—sense is Dolan “pro-life”?
Sure is. That’s why I eat Cashews. LOL
“Conservative politicians should never talk to these hostile press outlets like Colbert.”
When on earth in my long lifetime did comedians become “press outlets”?
Yeah he was, and he’s LOST without his schtick.
He makes Fallon look like Johnny friggin Carson.
Sad to say, millenials look up to him and Jon Stewart as if they were Huntley and Brinkley.
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