Westmoreland: Of course I know more than three Commandments

We know that Congressman Lynn Westmoreland, R-Dimbulb, is a freshman in Washington, D.C. However, it appears that he thinks he was enrolling in Clown College, not the U.S. Congress. Westmoreland appeared June 14 on Comedy Central’s “The Colbert Report,” where Steve Colbert does an excellent job of parodying Fox News. During the interview (www.chortler.com/24299colbet.shtml), Westmoreland, who has championed putting the Ten Commandments in government buildings, could name only three of the Mosaic laws. That sparked a tsunami of online derision of the congressman.

On July 12, a constituent, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Richard Williams, wrote Westmoreland, chiding: “[Y]ou look good on the outside but are empty on the inside. Please do not run again for Congress in this district, and go back to building houses again, no doubt using illegal aliens as some of your workers.”

Westmoreland, in an e-mail response, claimed he was a victim of bad editing by Colbert in order to ratchet up the comedy. “I understand that the show is comedic in nature and often pokes fun of elected officials from both political parties,” Westmoreland wrote. “The question and answer regarding the Ten Commandments was not portrayed entirely accurately, and I can assure you that I responded with much more than only 3 commandments.”

The congressman also said folks in Washington need to remember their sense of humor. “Even though we have a serious and important job to do in Congress, oftentimes too many of the people here in Washington D.C. take themselves way too seriously,” Westmoreland wrote. “In fact, it would likely be beneficial if some of my colleagues were able to occasionally not take themselves so seriously.”

A spokesman for Colbert says the broadcast was an “accurate portrayal” of the interview. Colbert continued his crusade on Georgia politicians July 24 with an on-air skewering of failed candidate for lieutenant governor Ralph Reed.