Pelosi Urges Colbert to Become a Dem: "We Will Welcome You With Open Arms"

House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi once deemed "The Colbert Report" too much of a risk for members to appear.

On Friday, host Stephen Colbert not only was the guest at the House Democratic retreat, Pelosi tried to lure him to become a Democrat, even if it was in humor.

"Governor Nikki Haley rejected you; we will welcome you with open arms," she told him, per Politico, referring to the South Carolina governor's rejection of Colbert's suggesting that he be appointed to fill a Senate seat from his native state.

His invite marked an embrace of the comic, who caused a stir when he emceed the White House Correspondents Assn. dinner in 2006 and later caused Pelosi concern that members who appeared on his show would be made to look like fools.

But his humor typically comes at the expense of conservatives. He's testified before a House committee on migrant workers rights. And Pelosi appeared on his show last year. At the retreated, they sat down for an interview, with Pelosi asking the questions.

Colbert's appearance was not open to the press, but details leaked out as House members tweeted some of the Comedy Central star comments and as some aides leaked details to reporters.

Rep. Steve Cohen (D-Tenn.) tweeted some of Colbert's comments: "Republicans must embrace Hispanics unless science finds way for Hispanic women to give birth to old white men!" "I am for women I spent 9 months in one."

Colbert's sister is running in a special election to fill a House seat, and he reportedly predicted that she would win, even though she is a Democrat running in a Republican-leaning district.

He also sang the Star Spangled Banner with Rep. Joe Crowley (D-N.Y.) and, per Tribune's Mike Memoli, gave the gathering just the kind of humor they wanted to hear. "Republicans' loss in November has them soul searching...whether or not they have souls."

Twitter photo via Rep. Steve Horsford (D-Nev.).