A lot of TPM Readers are big fans of the Colbert Report. So many of you probably saw Sen. Kerry's (D-MA) appearance on the show on Monday. It so happens we got to do a walkaround with him before he went on the show. On his way over to the studio, I talked to the senator about Iraq and his new book, This Moment on Earth. And then we got to video some backstage footage of Kerry and Colbert cracking some jokes just before the show.

This is part one of our afternoon with Kerry and Colbert. We'll bring you part two tomorrow when I ask Sen. Kerry what the Democrats' end-game is in their stand-off with the president over the Iraq funding bill.