Regarding that General In the Colbert segment...

[Syrinx]

I don't know, was it Peter Pace? One of the big time active-duty Generals. He was smiling, like he approved of Colbert's shredding of Bush. Anyone else notice that, or am I just thinking wishfully? That General, whoever it was, really looked like he approved of what was going on to me.

[PDittie]

1. Yes, Pace is

Commandant of the Marine Corps and current chairman of the Joint Chiefs. And one of the few people in the audience I saw who was grinning.

[Syrinx]

2. I thought that was who it was

I suspect he will be RTSMTWMF soon.

(Retiring to spend more time with my family.)

EDIT: I meant to say thanks!

[leveymg]

3. Yes. That was Pete Pace. There was a shot of him smiling during one of

the early, silly lines that didn't have much political content. We didn't see his reaction to Colbert's whopper about officers sitting in bunkers sending troops to die hundreds of miles away.

There was a deadly silence from the audience during that one.

I wouldn't read too much into that. I would read what he's been saying as Bush and Rummy have misrepresented facts about Iran's alleged role in Iraq. See, http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/25/152337/038 ; http://www.dailykos.com/story/2006/3/17/172417/205

[w8liftinglady]

4. I noticed that too-nothing fake about it.

[neoblues]

5. Smiling Carefully... though.

It seemed to me he was looking around and gauging other's responses to moderate his own; I suspect he was laughing out loud, inside. Can't afford to be caught laughing at the boss--not this boss; he can't take a joke (and that's ironic because he is one).

[Syrinx]

6. "looking around"

Yep, I caught that too.

[mucifer]

7. I thought it was a nervous smile.

The way some people laugh when they are very angry or upset.

[KharmaTrain]

8. I Think It Was Bud Weiser That Was Smilin'

There was Fat Tony sucking on a Corona...and surely the wine was flowing at all those tables long before the cameras came on...and I wouldn't be surprised if some of our vaunted "journalists" had an extra pop sitting nearby...especially when Colbert gave them some Truthiness.

Pace is Rummy's sock puppet. Never once do you see Rummy's lips move when Pace talks. Recently one of my friends who served in Iraq said how many inside the military have such little respect for the higher ups now. He said he admired Powell and Shinseki...people he felt earned their stripes and would maintain that careful balance between political and military. He says with Pace and his predecessor (name escapes me...thank goodness), they're nothing but Rummy toadies who are more worried about pissing the boss off and how long it is until they can cash out than for the overall welfare of the military...especially the "grunts".