Where, Oh Where, Is Stephen Colbert?

The fact that Stephen Colbert addressed the White House Correspondents Dinner over the weekend and yet seems to be lacking any kind of coverage from the very people he entertained is a perplexing notion. More mention has been made of the "Bush stunt double" routine; an obviously calculated move designed to deflect attention from Colbert's razor-sharp material and the underground stir that it's creating.
The Washington Post was unabashedly star struck; Patricia Clarkson, Joe Pantoliano and George Clooney each received their fair share of ink. Colbert could have easily been just a third string warm-up act. I beg to differ. Here's some scorching evidence from the transcript:

"I stand by this man. I stand by this man because he stands for things. Not only for things, he stands on things. Things like aircraft carriers and rubble and recently flooded city squares. And that sends a strong message, that no matter what happens to America, she will always rebound -- with the most powerfully staged photo ops in the world."

"……Because really, what incentive do these people have to answer your questions, after all? I mean, nothing satisfies you. Everybody asks for personnel changes. So the White House has personnel changes. Then you write, "Oh, they're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic." First of all, that is a terrible metaphor. This administration is not sinking. This administration is soaring. If anything, they are rearranging the deck chairs on the Hindenburg!"

Throughout his monologue, Colbert dutifully remained in character. As Jesse Kornbluth notes:

"Colbert, God love him, goes much further (than Jon Stewart on The Daily Show - FP). His is a high-wire act that could go down in flames at any moment. For he doesn't satirize our idiot government and gutless media, he becomes the biggest idiot of all. He's the true believer, the guy totally on message, the loyalist who would give his all for the Commander-in-Chief. No wonder Bush left in a snit. He got shown up for what he is --- by someone who pretends to love him."

As someone on the Huff Post said, oh yeah the President got "served" by Colbert. Big time.