Bush Outshines Comedian at WH Correspondents' Dinner

Columnists Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts write in the Washington Post that the "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." The problem with Colbert, they say, was that he "ignored the cardinal rule of Washington humor: Make fun of yourself, not the other guy."

"You have to have a great deal of confidence to do self-deprecating humor, especially when you're being attacked day in and day out," said Landon Parvin, who helped Bush and Bridges write the jokes contrasting Bush's public voice with his supposed inner thoughts. Parvin, a former speechwriter for Ronald Reagan, is responsible for most of the president's intentional humor, as well as the famous parody song "Secondhand Clothes" for Nancy Reagan's 1982 Gridiron appearance, and Laura Bush's deadpan triumph at last year's correspondents' dinner.

It was the president's idea for the twin act. After seeing a tape of Bridges introducing mom Barbara Bush , he invited the Dallas-born comedian to the Oval Office three years ago. The president said, "I tell you: You see a videotape where someone looks like you, acts like you, talks like you -- that's weird," according to Bridges, and promised they'd work together in the future.