Stephen Colbert: 'America is Exceptional Because of our Greatness'

			Just in time for the presidential election and the holiday season, Stephen Colbert released his second book, America Again: Re-becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t. Stated was at the Barnes & Noble in New York’s Union Square earlier this month to hear Colbert read from his book on a stage filled with his co-authors. Colbert joined a packed house—many of whom waited three hours for a seat near the front—about an hour late after coming across town in the rain post-Colbert Report taping. He signed his new book and answered questions from the crowd, who had come hoping to catch him both in and out of character. In one exchange, an audience member asked, “Are there any politicians that you deliberately avoid?” Colbert responded, “No, no, no. I would have any of them into my parlor, said the spider to the fly.” It’s fun to compare the delicious, patronizing, and jingoistic word salad of his new book with what our real-world political leaders are feeding to both their base and the undecideds: Although funny, it’s difficult to parody the already absurd world of political stump speeches. In fact, Mitt Romney may have a legal case against Colbert for plagiarizing his Primary victory speech in New Hampshire, April 24, 2012…
			“But the real question is, ‘Are America’s best days ahead of us?’ Of course they are, and always have been. We have the greatest history in the history of history. But never forget that our best days are ahead of us and always will be. Because America also has the greatest history in the history of the future. It’s our present that’s the problem, and always is be.” - Stephen Colbert			I think the true discovery of America is before us. I think the true fulfillment of our spirit, of our people, of our mighty and immortal land, is yet to come. I think the true discovery of our own democracy is still before us. And I think that all these things are certain as the morning, as inevitable as noon. I think I speak for most men living when I say that our America is Here, is Now, and beckons on before us, and that this glorious assurance is not only our living hope, but our dream to be accomplished. - Mitt Romney
			(Photos: Thomas V. Hartmann)