Plenty of Washingtonians have done either Comedy Central’s popular “The Daily Show” or “The Colbert Report,” but very few have done both.
Add Americans for Tax Reform’s Grover Norquist to that elite category. The “titan in Washington” (to quote Stephen Colbert’s introduction of Norquist) appeared on “The Colbert Report” Wednesday night and spoke with us afterward.
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“It was one of the most challenging interviews I’ve ever done because it’s so unpredictable and he’s so bright,” said Norquist. Still, he thinks he held his own. “I think Colbert was off his game, perhaps because I appeared on the same day that the Bush administration listed polar bears as an endangered species.” (Colbert famously jokes on his show about his fear of bears.)
Norquist explained why “The Colbert Report” is a more challenging interview than “The Daily Show.”
“Stewart will challenge you from a moderately liberal position, but I face that everyday talking to the New York Times,” said Norquist. “When Colbert asks me an oddball question, he starts by saying ‘You and I agree on something,’ than he says something odd. … He’s amazingly quick and you have to be prepared for the unexpected.”
Norquist said he wasn’t nervous and called Colbert “a delightful guy.” He also conceded to preparing for both appearances by watching some clips of the shows on YouTube. “If any conservatives want to go on, I’d love to brief them,” said Norquist. “It’s less scary and more fun than you think it’s going to be.”
