Stephen Colbert Visits Morning Joe: Gingrich Was Gentleman Enough To Ask Permission To Cheat

Alex AlvarezJan 20th, 2012, 9:44 am

Comedy Central host and presidential hopeful Stephen Colbert visited the Morning Joe crew in South Carolina Friday to discuss the GOP race, as well as his (and Herman Cain’s) efforts in the state.

He also had some kind words for rival candidate Newt Gingrich, who is currently having a less-than-enviable moment in the spotlight. After sharing that honesty is the best policy when letting one’s spouse know one would like to open their marriage, Colbert praised Gingrich’s highly underrated tactics:

Here’s the thing that I don’t think Newt Gingrich gets credit for. Ok, a lot of politicians screw around on their wives, but he was enough of a gentleman to ask permission first. Ok? That’s a Southern gentleman.That’s what Robert E. Lee would have done.

When asked whether he thinks Mitt Romney is “skilled” enough to beat Barack Obama, Colbert responded that he didn’t know, adding that a recent poll shows voters might prefer another candidate altogether:

I think Mitt Romney is probably a very good guy. But a recent poll put out by Marist and paid for by the Definitely Not Coordinating with Stephen Colbert Super PAC has found that 41 percent of South Carolinians are not satisfied with their choices. You know, don’t think that’s good news. I don’t think that’s good news for anybody but Herman Cain. […] I have the highest favorability rating of any of the Republican candidates, even though I’m not one. Nationally, not just out here. Nationally I have the highest favorability ratings, Joe.

While Joe Scarborough found that to be “absolutely disturbing,” he LOVED Colbert’s fun fact about Ron Paul: “Do you know,” Colbert asked, “that if you guess Ron Paul’s name correctly, he has to teach you to spin hay into gold?” Mika Brzezinski was less amused.

On a more serious note, Colbert noted that he really does admire Ron Paul, particularly for his “intellectual consistency.”

Watch, via MSNBC: