Stephen Colbert, host of Comedy Central's The Colbert Report, roasted President Bush and his administration before the 2700 attendees at the April 28th White House Correspondents Dinner. Adopting the guise of his popular faux talk show host character (who superficially is an avid Bush supporter), Colbert peppered a shower of cheeky salvos at the President, whose withering looks bespoke his utter lack of appreciation for the comedian's humor. Colbert quipped on the subject of the President's unwavering principles, "When the president decides something on Monday, he still believes it on Wednesday -- no matter what happened Tuesday."

The press corps and its conspicuously servile relationship to the White House couldn't escape his whiplash wit, as he groused that he was "surrounded by the liberal media who are destroying this country, except for Fox News. Fox believes in presenting both sides of the story -- the president's side and the vice president's side."

Addressing the media constituents, Colbert continued, "Let's review the rules. 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. Put them 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."

His dressing-down included further jibes about the press swallowing whole the administration's stories about WMDs, enjoying "photo ops" during hurricane disasters and on aircraft carriers, Vice President Cheney shooting people in the face, and infringement on civilian privacy ("... if anybody needs anything at their tables, speak slowly and clearly into your table numbers and somebody from the N.S.A. will be right over with a cocktail.").

Colbert concluded his speech with a piece de resistance video segment depicting a mock press conference in which he is White House Press Secretary -- the video concludes with a chase scene featuring long-time correspondent Helen Thomas who is beleaguering him with questions about why the United States really invaded Iraq.

Earlier in the evening, President Bush addressed the gathering with a Bush impersonator at his side, drawing laughs from the crowd. Bush said that his doppelganger was "a fine talent. In fact, he did all my debates with Senator Kerry."

The Right lost no time trying to defuse Colbert's blistering lampoon (perhaps more accurate to say harpoon) by calling his speech unfunny. The truth, as they say, hurts.

• Read the full transcript

• Read more about the event on Truthout.org

• Voice your thanks to Mr. Colbert at http://thankyoustephencolbert.org/

• Read Joan Walsh's excellent deconstruction of the Right's response

• Watch the video on Google Video | Buy the video (only $24.95 -- a bargain at twice the price!) from C-SPAN

• Comedy Central: The Colbert Report

Finally, what do you think? What was your favorite jab? Tell us!