Colbert mocks McCain speech with new 'green screen challenge'

Technologically unsavvy Republican presidential candidate John McCain may be regretting his choice of a green background in a nationally televised speech earlier this month.

Playing off an earlier challenge to his viewers, Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert called for submissions to his "green screen challenge" to make McCain's much-panned speech seem more interesting. On Thursday night's show, Colbert aired the first set of submissions. Dozens more have been posted to YouTube.

Among the more popular entries online are videos that feature pictures of McCain with President Bush or recall his supporters "beat the bitch" reference to Hillary Clinton.

One video places McCain into historical footage such as Queen Elizabeth's first televised address and Martin Luther King's "I have a dream speech," saying he was there during those events.

"John McCain, he's that old," the video concludes.

On Thursday night's show, Colbert described McCain's rhetorical style as "tired mayonnaise."

The remixes were necessary to spice things up the host said, and clearly that was McCain's intention.

"He clearly asked for our help by giving a speech in front of a green screen," Colbert said. "I don't want to bog you down with technical jargon, but basically Jesus made green a magical color. Anything you film in front of it can become something else."