Fantasy Colbert League: November 1-November 4

Wow. Wow. Wow. Although I was not at the Rally, I watched it and it was awesome. I can just imagine the energy down in D.C. on Saturday, and probably still permeating the area. It will be exciting to see how the Rally is addressed in the shows this week, and here is who we will be seeing…

Jonathan Alter previously appeared on the show in 2006, in 2008, and earlier this year. He is the author of the book, The Promise: President Obama, Year One, which details Obama’s first year in office from Alter’s perspective of having special access to the White House. Previously, Alter also wrote the book, The Defining Moment: FDR’s Hundred Days and the Triumph of Hope. Jonathan serves as the senior editor for Newsweek magazine, and frequently appears on the mainstream news channels. Graduating from Harvard, Alter has also received an Honorary Doctorate from Western Connecticut State University after delivering the 2009 Commencement address. Jonathan’s work for Newsweek can be read here.

Fract: Family ties: Alter’s wife is Emily Lazar, a producer of the show.

Tuesday, November 2: Chrystia Freeland

Chrystia Freeland is the Global Editor-at-Large of Reuters news. Previously she was the United States Managing Editor of the Financial Times, a British international newspaper, where she was based in New York. Freeland wrote the 2000 book, Sale of the Century: Russia’s Wild Ride from Communism to Capitalism, which outlines the 1998 Russian stock market crash through first-person accounts. The writer received her undergraduate degree from Harvard University, and also attended the United World College of the Adriatic in Italy during the mid-1980′s. She has appeared on Real Time with Bill Maher and Charlie Rose , among other notable television programs. Freeland was born in Alberta, with her heritage being both Canadian and Ukranian. She has worked in Kiev, Moscow, London, Toronto, and the U.S.

Fract: Primed for success: Freeland received the pretigious Rhodes Scholarship, and therefore, also was educated at Oxford University.

David Frum

David Frum is a journalist who previously worked as a speechwriter for George W. Bush. He has written books including: How We Got Here: The 70′s: The Decade That Brought You Modern Life–For Better or Worse, The Right Man: The Surprise Presidency of George W.Bush, and Comeback: Conservatism That Can Win Again. Frum was born in Canada, but came to Yale University for his Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees, then going on to attend Harvard Law. He has worked for the Wall Street Journal and Forbes. David also maintains and edits the website, FrumForum.

Fract: David Frum is a distant cousin of Paul Krugman, the famous economist.

Wednesday, November 3: Doris Kearns Goodwin

Doris Kearns Goodwin has previously appeared on The Colbert Report in 2006 and in 2008. Goodwin is the author of numerous books about famous American leaders including the book upon which Obama based the creation of his Cabinet, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln and No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II, for which she won the Pulitzer Prize. Doris holds a Ph.D. from Harvard University in Government and was a White House Fellow during the Lyndon Johnson administration. She taught at Harvard for 10 years and is married to Richard Goodwin, who worked in the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.

Fract: Doris Kearns Goodwin was the first female journalist to enter the Boston Red Sox locker room.

Thursday, November 4: Elvis Costello

Elvis Costello very famously appeared in “A Colbert Christmas: The Greatest Gift of All, as himself, the guy who got swallowed by a bear and saved by Santa Claus. But, of course, Elvis Costello has a career than spans far greater than just our little show. Mr. Costello’s music career dates back to 1977 when he released his first album, My Aim is True. He has released many albums since then including: Get Happy!!, This Year’s Model, and recently, Secret, Profane, and Sugarcane. Elvis began his career in London pubs and eventually came to be known as a musician in the forefront of punk rock and the New Wave with a wide array of genres touched in his music. Costello plays a variety of instruments from the piano and the guitar, to the harmonica and the tambourine, and is married to Diana Krall, with whom he collaborates.

Fract: The critic Stephen Erlewine describes Costello as a “pop encyclopedia” because of his ability to recreate his image.

Enjoy this week’s shows!