WESTERN PA. Altmire to appear on show

The interview was taped last month with the rep from the 'Fighting Fourth.'
By DAVID SKOLNICK
VINDICATOR POLITICS WRITER
U.S. Rep. Jason Altmire will be the guest on today'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 Lawrence and a portion of Mercer counties, airs on today's show, which begins at 11:30 p.m.
The interview with Altmire, 38, of McCandless, Pa., was done Dec. 15, 2006, and lasted about one hour and 40 minutes, according to Christina Stacey, the congressman's communications director. The on-air segment is typically five to 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?"
Football subjects
"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Colbert also spent time on Iraq, but because it was taped last month, the information is now out-of-date, according to Stacey.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.
Altmire was sworn in Jan. 2 as a member of Congress; Altmire was a representative-elect when the Colbert segment was taped.
skolnick@vindy.com