Congressional comedian? You be the judge

U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire will be the guest on Wednesday’s episode of “The Colbert Report,” a political satire television program on Comedy Central.

Host Stephen Colbert, who plays a political commentator on the show, asks questions — many of them having nothing to do with politics — of members of the U.S. House on a segment known as “Better Know A District.”

The segment with Altmire, D-4th, who represents all of Pennsylvania's Lawrence and a portion of Mercer counties, airs on Wednesday’s show, which begins at 11:30 p.m.

The interview with Altmire, 38, of McCandless, Pa., was done Dec. 15 and lasted about an hour and 40 minutes, according to Christina Stacey, the congressman’s communications director. The on-air segment is typically five or six minutes long.

Colbert asked Altmire: “George W. Bush: great president or the greatest president?” according to Stacey. It is one of the most common questions asked by Colbert on the segment, along with “The Iraq War: great war or greatest war?”

“We don’t want to give too much away, but because Congressman Altmire was a wide receiver at Florida State University, Stephen Colbert focused a lot on football,” Stacey wrote in an e-mail.

Colbert also spent time on Iraq, but because it was taped last month, the information is now out-of-date, according to Stacey.

Colbert also asked about trade and had Altmire talk about the district.

While the member of Congress rarely comes across well in this pretaped segment, about 50 have appeared on the show, which first aired in October 2005.

“We viewed this interview as a good opportunity to highlight the [district] and some of its unique and historic aspects, such as the first Warner Theatre, in New Castle,” Stacey wrote in the e-mail.

During previous segments, Colbert discusses the district’s history and unusual trivia, and calls each district “fightin’,” so expect to hear the “Fightin’ Fourth” on Wednesday.

Altmire defeated Republican Melissa Hart of Bradford Woods, Pa., a three-term incumbent, last November.

He was sworn in Jan. 2 as a member of Congress; Altmire was a still a representative-elect when the Colbert segment was taped.