Colbert Mocks Bush 32% Approval Rating at Correspondents' Dinner
Robert Bernstein
Colbert tells Bush to disregard a 32 percent approval rating because polls merely reflect reality, which inherently favors liberals.
AI-assisted summary of Reality has a well-known liberal bias - Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents' Dinner — original source. Check the original for full context.
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Key ideas
- At the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Stephen Colbert directly addresses President George W. Bush regarding his low 32 percent approval rating. (0:00)
- Colbert delivers a biting satirical defense of the administration, claiming polls should be ignored because they reflect reality, and 'reality has a well-known liberal bias.' (0:00)
- Reframing the traditional optimism idiom, Colbert quips that a 32 percent rating means the glass is two-thirds empty and the remaining liquid is merely undrinkable 'backwash.' (0:00)
Detailed notes
## Background This clip was published on YouTube by Robert Bernstein on February 18, 2021. The video description highlights Stephen Colbert's appearance at the White House Correspondents' Dinner and features his famous line, 'Reality has a well-known liberal bias.'
## TL;DR Performing in character at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Stephen Colbert addresses President George W. Bush regarding his 32 percent approval rating. Feigning conservative solidarity, Colbert argues that polls should be ignored because they only measure reality, which he jokes has a well-known liberal bias. After briefly flubbing a metaphor and dryly breaking character to remark on setting up jokes properly, he restarts the bit to reframe the president's numbers: a 32 percent rating means the glass is two-thirds empty, with the remaining liquid being undrinkable backwash.
## Atmosphere & style The atmosphere is biting, audacious, and dripping with deadpan irony as Colbert delivers sharp satire directly to a sitting president under the guise of conservative allegiance. A momentary slip in his joke setup brings a flash of relaxed, self-aware showmanship before he snaps back into character. Watching the exchange feels tense yet hilariously subversive, characterized by razor-sharp timing and unapologetic political roasting.
## Bulletin - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) At the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Stephen Colbert directly addresses President George W. Bush regarding his low 32 percent approval rating. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Colbert delivers a biting satirical defense of the administration, claiming polls should be ignored because they reflect reality, and 'reality has a well-known liberal bias.' - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Reframing the traditional optimism idiom, Colbert quips that a 32 percent rating means the glass is two-thirds empty and the remaining liquid is merely undrinkable 'backwash.'
## Key takeaways - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Stephen Colbert appears in character at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, feigning staunch conservative loyalty to President George W. Bush. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Colbert opens with an absurd aside about his beliefs, comparing his faith in Bush to believing 'it’s not butter.' - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) The performance confronts the administration's declining popularity, specifically noting a 32 percent public approval rating. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Colbert uses mock bravado to assure the president that 'guys like us' do not pay attention to public opinion metrics. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Polls are satirized as mere collections of statistics that inconveniently capture what people think in reality. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Colbert delivers the iconic punchline that reality itself should be dismissed due to an alleged 'well-known liberal bias.' - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Colbert pivots to a metaphor about optimism and pessimism to further mock the administration's defensive stance. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Mid-delivery, Colbert flubs his joke setup regarding the glass being half full and stops to reset. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Colbert briefly breaks character to deadpan to the audience, noting that it is 'important to set up your jokes properly.' - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Restarting the joke, Colbert tells the president to ignore critics calling the glass half empty, noting 32 percent actually means it is two-thirds empty. - [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Colbert cautions against consuming whatever approval remains, warning that the final third of the glass is typically just 'backwash.'
## Detailed walkthrough ### [00:00](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo&t=0s) Reality's Liberal Bias and the Glass Two-Thirds Empty
Speaking in character at the White House Correspondents' Dinner, Stephen Colbert declares his unwavering faith in President George W. Bush, following an aside about believing “it’s not butter.” Colbert addresses the elephant in the room—the administration's flagging popularity—noting that recent public opinion polling shows the president sitting at a meager 32 percent approval rating. However, Colbert dismisses these figures with mock conservative bravado, telling the president that “guys like us” do not pay attention to such measurements. In a biting satirical critique of political denialism, Colbert explains why polls should be disregarded: “We know that polls are just a collection of statistics that reflect what people are thinking in reality, and reality has a well-known liberal bias.”
Colbert then attempts an analogy about optimism and pessimism, urging the president to ignore the critics. He momentarily flubs the premise by telling him to disregard people who say the glass is half full, quickly catching himself mid-sentence and breaking character slightly to deadpan to the audience, “Important to set up your jokes properly.” Re-establishing his rhythm, he restarts the joke, addressing the president directly: “Sir, pay no attention to the people who say the glass is half empty, because 32 percent means it's two-thirds empty.” Wrapping up the metaphor, Colbert notes that while there is technically still some liquid remaining in that glass, he would strongly advise against drinking it, cautioning, “The last third is usually backwash.”
- **Presidential approval rating cited:** 32 percent - **Satirical premise on data:** Polls simply capture reality, but reality itself is dismissed as having an inherent liberal bias - **Optimism metaphor:** A 32 percent rating reframes the classic “half empty” idiom into being two-thirds empty, leaving behind only undrinkable backwash
## Mentioned Stephen Colbert, George W. Bush, White House Correspondents' Dinner
## Video description "Reality has a well-known liberal bias"
Stephen Colbert at the White House Correspondents' Dinner
[Source](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UwLjK9LFpeo)