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Stephen Colbert looks at the media maelstrom surrounding Barack Obama's trip to the Middle East and how there is one particular media outlet who doesn't seem to be involved. Hmmm....which one could it be?

COLBERT: You see, in recent months, McCain boxed Obama into a corner by saying it was important that Obama visit Iraq. Checkmate. No way out of that one. But now Obama is cheating, by visiting Iraq. The good news is there's so much media attention, there's always a possibility of a huge gaffe doing irreparable damage to his campaign. [..]

Now I was not invited on this trip. But, that's fine. But I am not the only one who was snubbed. [video of FOX & Friends]

DOOCY: Why are you not on Barack Obama's airplane heading to the Middle East right now?

WALLACE: Well, I called the Obama campaign several weeks ago and said that I'd like to go and my invitation has apparently been lost in the mail.

[end video] COLBERT: Well, maybe that's what this is. Here you go. [holds up envelope] Oh my God, it's Chris Wallace's invitation to the Obama trip! They sent it to me by accident. This could be my ticket to cover Barack Obama's historic trip! All I have to do is...oh...and then people might think I was Chris Wallace. [shudders] Just not worth the risk.

Kind of makes the whole narrative that Obama is playing to FOX News Channel viewership in the general election a lie, doesn't it? I think that anytime we see Democrats treating FNC rightfully as the propaganda arm of the GOP--as Netroots Nation did last week--they deserve a little pat on their back.

Please send Obama a note of congratulations for his FOX snub here. That's not weak on defense, Colbert, that's a strong offense and one all Democrats should be emulating.

transcripts below the fold

COLBERT: Welcome to the Report, good to have you with us. Well, nation, you’ve all heard the news: Jesus has returned to Earth on a spaceship, cured cancer and won the British Open. Did no one hear about that? Oh maybe because Barack Obama decided to go backpacking overseas with a couple of his friends.

You probably know his friends by their professional name, the entire media. Yes, they’ve all taken the next ten days to “find themselves” on Barack Obama’s Elitist Summer Abroad.

You see, in recent months, McCain boxed Obama into a corner by saying it was important that Obama visit Iraq. Checkmate. No way out of that one. But now Obama is cheating, by visiting Iraq.

The good news is there’s so much media attention, there’s always a possibility of a huge gaffe doing irreparable damage to his campaign. And boy, did Obama deliver. Look what happened yesterday, right in front of our troops. [video of Obama making 3 point basketball shot]

Oh. Huh. A three pointer. No man to man coverage? No boxing out? No pushing your man out of the low post? All this proves is that Obama’s weak on defense.

Now I was not invited on this trip. But, that’s fine. But I am not the only one who was snubbed.

[video of FOX & Friends] DOOCY: Why are you not on Barack Obama’s airplane heading to the Middle East right now? WALLACE: Well, I called the Obama campaign several weeks ago and said that I’d like to go and my invitation has apparently been lost in the mail. [end video]

COLBERT: Well, maybe that’s what this is. Here you go. [holds up envelope] Oh my God, it’s Chris Wallace’s invitation to the Obama trip! They sent it to me by accident. This could be my ticket to cover Barack Obama’s historic trip! All I have to do is…oh…and then people might think I was Chris Wallace. [shudders] Just not worth the risk.

Anyway, it’s clear what this snub is really about.

[video of FOX & Friends] DOOCY: The big three: Brian Williams, Katie Couric and Charles Gibson, will all be in attendance. Talk about media bias. [end video]

COLBERT: And the Doucheman knows about media bias. He keeps it fair and balanced.

[video clips of Steve Doocy saying “Barack Hussein Obama”]

COLBERT: So let the mainstream media fawn all over Obama. Big deal. Maybe some of us have better things to do. More exciting candidates to cover. McCain, McCain does have a fantastic story. All McCain needs is a little attention from his supporters in the media. Really dyed in the wool conservatives like me and former Bush speechwriter David Frum.

[video] FRUM: Here you have one of the oldest…the oldest man ever to run for President. [..] When you look at the polls, you can see there’s much less enthusiasm for his candidacy. That’s a pretty exciting story. [end video]

COLBERT: Exactly. And it is time the media started trumpeting McCain’s exciting story: He is old and no one likes him. Exciting.