Stephen Colbert gushes during Obama interview: ‘I just want to take a moment to drink you in’

Stephen Colbert was so filled with joy to sit down with former President Barack Obama this week that he needed “a moment to drink you in.”

“The Late Show” host invited the 44th president into the CBS studio on Tuesday to talk about his latest memoir “A Promised Land,” along with the results of the 2020 presidential election. 

Mr. Colbert joked that he needed to gaze upon Mr. Obama as preparation for dealing with presumptive president-elect Joseph R. Biden.

“Can we just take a moment,” the host said. “I want to talk. I just want to take a moment to drink you in for just a moment because I’m having to get used to looking at a president again. You know, I’ve gotten out of — I’ve gotten out of the habit. I have to warm up for Joe Biden. I don’t want to pull anything when I see him take the oath of office.”

The men went on to discuss Mr. Obama’s road to the White House, former first lady Michelle Obama’s hesitancy to embrace a presidential campaign, President Trump’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic, and other issues.

“I think that I am typical of a lot of us who are lucky enough that our jobs haven’t been endangered, because I was already out of a job, as a consequence of COVID-[19],” Mr. Obama said of the pandemic. “I haven’t had anybody in our immediate family get sick. You know, we don’t have to worry about the bills. And, you know, so on the one hand, we’ve had our girls at home. That has been a complete joy for us. I don’t know about them. And then, you know, the — I think I’ve used this phrase before — the shambolic nature of the government response obviously has been frustrating.”

Mr. Colbert summed up his feelings at one point by slouching into his chair in a relaxed manner while expressing relief at his guest’s presence and the prospect of Mr. Biden occupying the White House.

“It’s been kind of crazy out here. We’re all a little tired. This is how I want to sit. This is my actual, this is America’s posture. We’re a little bit like a boned fish right now,” he said. “And it’s one of the reasons why it’s nice to see you.”