Lawmakers join stars to send off Colbert

Stephen Colbert said good-bye to his irreverent, mock-conservative TV character after a nine-year run on Thursday night, joined in studio by a number of Washington figures he’s interviewed in often cringe-worthy fashion. 

In addition to stars like James Franco and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, there were the likes of Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and U.N. Ambassador Samantha Power, all joining together to sing the old song “We’ll Meet Again.”

{mosads}Colbert, who is leaving to take over for David Letterman on CBS’s “The Late Show,” regularly had political guests on, and even testified before Congress on migrant farm workers in 2010.

Among the former guests returning to join the singing were New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio and Army Chief of Staff Gen. Ray Odierno, who smiled at each other as they sang together. 

One-time presidential candidate and former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) stood in between Frodo from “The Lord of the Rings” (played by actor Elijah Wood) and Sesame Street’s Cookie Monster.

Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger was next to sportscaster Bob Costas. 

Alan Alda, who played a fictional senator and presidential candidate on “The West Wing” was also on hand. 

So was Eliot Spitzer, the former New York governor who resigned after a prostitution scandal.

Trevor Potter, the former Federal Election Commission chairman who helped Colbert set up a super-PAC in a commentary on campaign finance law, also sang along. 

A group of U.S. troops in Afghanistan joined via video. 

Colbert convinced former President Bill Clinton to join Twitter during a previous interview between the two. Clinton tweeted his good-bye from afar. 

#Farewell @StephenAtHome…But I know we’ll meet again some sunny day. Your friend, PrezBillyJeff

— Bill Clinton (@billclinton) December 19, 2014

D.C. Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D) and Sen. Claire McCaskill (D) were on hand as well. McCaskill tweeted afterwards: 

So much fun to be part of amazing group asked by @StephenAtHome to sing him off his last show.Gonna miss that jerk. pic.twitter.com/f5HlbyPJrP

— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) December 19, 2014