So to anyone who worried that Colbert would wither as a one-note parody, stunted by The Daily Show’s shadow, take heed: He now stands astride the political landscape, his mob of followers at the ready. Colbertisms ring throughout the land—and not just from the mouth of Colbert. The best testament to the triumph of the Colbertocracy is that you can now hear a Colbert line like “I believe the government that governs best is the government that governs least, and by these standards, we have set up a fabulous government in Iraq” and, devoid of context, you might genuinely wonder if it came from a parodist, a pundit, or from the president himself.

Answers: Coulter 1, 4, 6 Colbert 2, 3, 5, 7

Related:

• Archive: “Politics”
• Articles by Adam Sternbergh
• Table of Contents: Oct 16, 2006 issue of New York | Subscribe!