Colbert’s next role: political football

Comedian Stephen Colbert’s testimony on Capitol Hill Friday became a
political football for party leaders on the talk shows Sunday.

House Minority Leader John Boehner (R-Ohio) and Chief Deputy Whip Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) were on “Fox News Sunday” to talk about their party’s “Pledge to America” and the extension of the Bush-era tax cuts, but neither could resist taking a dig at the Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration, Citizenship, Refugees, Border Security and International Law hearing show.

Colbert’s testimony, made in his onscreen persona, drew criticism. Even House Judiciary Committee Chairman John Conyers Jr. (D-Mich.) asked Colbert to submit his testimony and excuse himself from the hearing.

“Washington is spending more time with comedians” than debating the economic future, McCarthy said Sunday while talking about reining in deficit spending.

Boehner worked in Colbert while ripping at Democrats for punting the extension of Bush-era tax cuts to the lame-duck session.

“They’ve got time to bring a comedian to Washington, D.C., but they don’t have time to extend all of the current tax rates,” he said.

When asked by host Chris Wallace about Colbert’s testimony, House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) called it “inappropriate” but didn’t say he should have never been called to testify.

“I think his testimony was not appropriate,” Hoyer said. “I think it was more an embarrassment for Mr. Colbert than for the House.

“What he had to say was not the way that it should have been said,” Hoyer added.

After Hoyer said Democrats would not likely get to the tax cuts before breaking for the campaign recess, Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.) brought up Colbert yet not by name.

“How is it that the Democrats have the time to vote on post offices and to listen to testimony from a comedian, but can’t seem to have a straight up-or-down vote on a tax cut that will benefit all Americans?” Issa said.

This story was updated at 1:15 p.m.