That's the message from the mainstream media, members of which have been hitting back at, um, us. Dan Froomkin cites Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts' response:

"The reviews from the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner are in, and the consensus is that President Bush and Bush impersonator Steve Bridges stole Saturday's show -- and Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert's cutting satire fell flat because he ignored the cardinal rule of Washington humor: Make fun of yourself, not the other guy."

Froomkin says that captures the sentiment of the Washington Post newsroom. Surprise! But for all the opinionating that has come from the blogosphere, it's the Washington reporters -- the butts of the jokes -- who wind up looking like asses.

Milbank: "I don't think he really crossed the line. I just think he wasn't terribly funny. And he had the misfortune of following Bush, who actually did put on one of the better performances of his presidency."

...which is an observation that reveals so much about how the DC press corps just love to chum it up with their Beltway colleagues. See, silly me for seeing the humor in Colbert's biting satire and not seeing humor in a negligent, incompetent and prevaricating president's clowning around for the press.

Frank James is quoted:

"But I also had the sense that Colbert's toughness on Bush made people squirm because it raised that age-old question that goes back to the republic's start. How do you criticize the president without disrespecting the presidency?"

Easy: You make fun of the president, not the office of the president. (I even thought that up myself. Obviously I went to college. Me so proud!)

Noam Schreiber lays it on thick -- really thick:

"My sense is that the blogosphere response is more evidence of a new Stalinist aesthetic on the left -- until recently more common on the right -- wherein the political content of a performance or work of art is actually more important than its entertainment value."

My my my! So I'm a Stalinist because I laughed at the satirical skewering of the most incompetent president since Hoover -- or perhaps of all time? Big Brother Loves You, Noam.

What's truly amusing is how the paid pundits --er, I mean journalists -- joyously pile on with their arms-crossed criticism, because:

1. The cheers on the Daily Show when Jon Stewart mentioned Colbert was more than just the Pavlovian response to the applause sign on the sound stage; and
2. What Colbert did with 20 minutes of satire provided more context than the self-described "experts" on Washington D.C. politics (and etiquette).

Froomkin manages to get around to citing passages from the web. This one cuts to the heart of it:

Playwright Chris Durang writes for Huffingtonpost.com: "The media's ignoring Colbert's effect at the White House Correspondents Dinner is a very clear example of what others have called the media's penchant for buying into the conservative/rightwing 'narrative.'

"In this instance, the 'narrative' is that President Bush, for all his missteps, has a darling sense of humor and is a real regular guy, able to poke delightful fun at himself and his penchant for mis-using and mispronouncing words.

"Who cares if he lied to start a war? (Or chose to ignore all contrary opinion, which as far as war-starting goes, is pretty crummy.) Who cares if he declares he's above the law, and according to the Boston Globe yesterday there are something like 750 laws he's decided don't apply to him as 'Commander-in-Chief'? . . .

"Colbert's was a brave and shocking performance. And for the media to pretend it isn't newsworthy is a total bafflement. And a symbol of how shoddy and suspect the media is."

In a word: Word.

Froomkin himself questions the existence of the entire event:

Once upon a time, I imagine, there was great value in throwing a party where journalists and politicians could mingle and shmooze and celebrate the things they have in common....

...So the last thing in the world we need is a big party where the only appropriate mode of communication is sucking up.

The man who comes out with the most poise in the aftermath? Why none other than Stephen Colbert:

When Colbert made his regular appearance on Stewart's show to promote his own, Stewart congratulated him on an "amazing weekend."

Colbert: "Thank you, Jon, I'm sure are you talking about all the weight I lost."

Stewart: "Is that because you had to run from Washington?"

Colbert: "It's like an ultramarathon, about 250 miles. In wing tips."

While Washington grumbles for having their collective lack of imperial tailoring pointed out to them, I just keep laughing. They had it coming. And then some.

Thank you, Stephen.

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