(edit: maybe that should be, "The Truth Laid Colbert.")

My, my, my.

If you read the Reuters report of this year's White House Correspondents Dinner...

Stephen Colbert, of Comedy Central's "The Colbert Report," wrapped up the evening delivering a routine as the bombastic pundit character of his satiric talk show.

No one was safe from his sarcastic barbs.

"Fox News gives you both sides of the story -- the president's side and the vice president's side," he said to muted laughs.

...then you really should find a re-broadcast and watch it, because the criticism was sardonic, withering, and relentless. Colbert stayed in character the whole time (that character being an ironic take on Bill O'Reilly), despite "muted" laughter. And, in all honesty, no one was safe. Colbert tackled the war on Iraq, the NSA spying scandal, the abysmal approval ratings held by this president, and on and on and on and on.

Bush looked positively, well, skewered. Forget the "self-parody." That was tame and predictable by comparison.

Some of the best lines:

* ...this para was 2 minutes into the schtick... Wow. Wow, what an honor. The White House correspondents' dinner. To actually sit here, at the same table with my hero, George W. Bush, to be this close to the man. I feel like I'm dreaming. Somebody pinch me. You know what? I'm a pretty sound sleeper -- that may not be enough. Somebody shoot me in the face.

* I believe in democracy. I believe democracy is our greatest export. At least until China figures out a way to stamp it out of plastic for three cents a unit.

* I believe the government that governs best is the government that governs least. And by these standards, we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq.

* And though I am a committed Christian, I believe that everyone has the right to their own religion, be you Hindu, Jewish or Muslim. I believe there are infinite paths to accepting Jesus Christ as your personal savior.

* Now, I know there are some polls out there saying this man has a 32% approval rating. But guys like us, we don't pay attention to the polls. We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in "reality." And reality has a well-known liberal bias.

* I mean, it's like the movie "Rocky." All right. The president in this case is Rocky Balboa and Apollo Creed is -- everything else in the world. It's the tenth round. He's bloodied. His corner man, Mick, who in this case I guess would be the vice president, he's yelling, "Cut me, Dick, cut me!," and every time he falls everyone says, "Stay down! Stay down!" Does he stay down? No. Like Rocky, he gets back up, and in the end he -- actually, he loses in the first movie. OK. Doesn't matter. The point is it is the heart-warming story of a man who was repeatedly punched in the face.

* Here's how it works: the president makes decisions. He's the decider. The press secretary announces those decisions, and you people of the press type those decisions down. Make, announce, type. Just put 'em through a spell check and go home. Get to know your family again. Make love to your wife. Write that novel you got kicking around in your head. You know, the one about the intrepid Washington reporter with the courage to stand up to the administration. You know - fiction!

* John McCain is here. John McCain, John McCain, what a maverick! Somebody find out what fork he used on his salad, because I guarantee you it wasn't a salad fork. This guy could have used a spoon! There's no predicting him. By the way, Senator McCain, it's so wonderful to see you coming back into the Republican fold. I have a summer house in South Carolina; look me up when you go to speak at Bob Jones University. So glad you've seen the light, sir.

It's actually pee-your-pants hilarious, and one of the best acts of guerilla theater since Ron Nessen went on SNL and had his boss, President Gerald Ford, shoved up his ass by Michael O'Donoghue, Al Franken, and Tom Davis.

Crooks and Liars has the vid of Colbert at the dinner. C'mon. You know you wanna see it. Oh, it's comedy fit for the Friar's Club.

I can understand why some in the DC media bubble would find this un-amusing. They've become so impotent that they've become incapable of seeing the truth dangled right in front of them. The collective reflex was just to ignore the whole sordid episode. It is a sad commentary, however, that the best (and most savage) criticism of this administration has to come from someone PLAYING a reporter. **

If the Reuters report is any indication, minimal coverage is forthcoming. Spread the word. And set your Tivos to catch the Colbert Report, if you don't already.

** (Apologies to Sid Blumenthal and Sy Hersh, natch. But even they have not had the opportunity to lampoon the president right to his face.)

Oh, God save history
God save your mad parade
Oh Lord God have mercy
All crimes are paid

When there's no future
How can there be sin
We're the flowers in the dustbin
We're the poison in your human machine
We're the future, your future...