Colbert says he loves Biden, waves at him to camera in fawning interview with Karine Jean-Pierre
Colbert said he and Biden are 'dear friends' and clarified his remarks have been jokes
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert spent his Thursday night interview with Karine Jean-Pierre fawning over the White House press secretary, at one point telling her that he loves President Biden before waving at the camera.
During the sit down, "The Late Show" host asked Jean-Pierre what she thinks when Biden is getting "dragged" by the press.
"Like when you see some idiot in late night making a joke about your boss—I’m asking for a friend," Colbert asked, as Jean-Pierre caught onto the comedian’s tongue in cheek line of questioning.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jean-Pierre said Biden and the White House understand a comedian’s job is to make the American public laugh, while their job is to "deliver" for the American people.
WHITE HOUSE SAYS BIDEN’S COUGHING FITS ARE ‘LINGERING EFFECTS’ OF COVID-19
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks to reporters during the daily news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on August 09, 2022 in Washington, DC. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
"No hard feelings, no hard feelings," Colbert said. The host, known for his adoration of prominent Democrats, once said "I miss you" to the camera after a clip played of former President Obama.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Absolutely not and the president gets that. The president absolutely gets that" Jean-Pierre replied.
"OK, good," Colbert added, before asking if the president is going to come on his CBS show.
"Is he going to come on? Is he going to come on?" Colbert kept repeating. "Is he going to come on? Because he’s been on Kimmel, and he’s been on Fallon, but he hasn’t been on my show."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Jean-Pierre and Colbert’s cozy banter continued, with her teasing him for "keeping track" of Biden’s interviews, and Colbert noting he and the president are "dear friends."
"Well he loves you," Jean-Pierre added.
"What? And I love him," Colbert responded.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}Stephen Colbert for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert appears at the 73RD EMMY AWARDS, broadcast Sunday, Sept. 19 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/5:00-8:00 PM, live PT) on the CBS Television Network and available to stream live and on demand on Paramount+. (Photo by Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images) (Cliff Lipson/CBS via Getty Images)
Jean-Pierre said she was confident Biden was watching their exchange from his television, which prompted Colbert to cheerfully wave at the camera.
Later in the segment, Colbert made an offhand joke about the president’s accomplishments, flattering Jean-Pierre when he asked if they were her doing. He also repeated White House spin that inflation was "easing."
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}"Since you started, Al-Zawahiri was killed, gas prices are below $4 a gallon, inflation has begun to ease, the burn pit legislation was passed, a massive climate bill is set to pass tomorrow—what is the key to making all that happen so fast? Are you the reason why this has happened? Or is it the fact that the president has been in isolation with COVID for a lot of that?" Colbert asked.
COLBERT GIGGLES JUBILANTLY OVER FBI MAR-A-LAGO RAID: ‘IT’S CHRISTMAS’
President Biden speaks in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, Wednesday, July 27, 2022. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
Jean-Pierre then tossed the compliment to her boss, touting his Inflation Reduction Act and claiming that Biden is set on lifting people "from the bottom" and committed to bolstering the economy.
{{#rendered}} {{/rendered}}The pair also discussed how the newest press secretary has gone about accomplishing their goal of repairing the relationship between the press office and the press, and what she does when the White House and some in the media do not agree on "what reality is."