Stephen Colbert Gets Cozy With Democrats

Unlike Jon Stewart, Colbert is increasingly willing to act like a partisan Democrat.

Updated: February 11, 2013 | 1:16 p.m.
February 11, 2013 | 6:00 a.m.

Stephen Colbert is no stranger to inserting himself (or his character?) into political situations. (Chet Susslin) ()

There's Stephen Colbert, and then there's Stephen Colbert.

There's Colbert the comedian who mocks President Obama over his skeet-shooting photo, saying that if he really loved guns he would wave them around a petting zoo; the Colbertwho recently referred to the president's gun-control measures as a "gun grab-o-rama" and whose character poses as a conservative but with a knowing wink at the audience. Excuse me. "Nation."

Then there's the Colbert who has been getting closer recently to Democrats. Friday, he was the Democrats' "surprise" guest at a House retreat in Leesburg, Va., where he sang the national anthem with Rep. Joe Crowley, posed for pictures with members, and chatted with Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi. They're "best frenemies," he said, according to reports.

So what's going on?

Well, spoiler alert. For one, Colbert is a Democrat, he told The Washington Post in 2005.

His family is also involved in politics. His sister, Elizabeth Colbert Busch, is running for Congress in South Carolina as a Democrat for the seat vacated after Tim Scott was appointed to the Senate earlier this year. Colbert gave her the typical Colbert treatment: Hey, GOP, need some advice on beating my sister? Here ya go.

But he also tweeted out her campaign Twitter handle and campaign website to his 4.5 million followers, which could boost her campaign coffers.

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