But first, Colbert:

Now, make sure you watch Congressman Cicilline being quite serious about the issue in giving this address from the House floor yesterday:

Rhode Island’s own Senator Sheldon Whitehouse took on the most famous fake conservative in the country last night to hype his great new book: “On Virtues: Quotations and Insight to Live a Full, Honorable, and Truly American Life.”

For those Flash player-impaired readers, here’s the highlight:

Sheldon: “I think that Washington right now is a little short on some of the virtues and I’m not even the senior senator from Rhode Island but I want to do what I can to try to push a different debate into the discussion and look back and see what people have said and done at the most important times in history… ”

Colbert: “Do you think this is an important time in human history?”

Sheldon: “I do”

Colbert: “Then why is nothing happening then?” (applause/hoots/laughs)

Sheldon: “Because we are at a junction and the fight is where do we turn what direction to do we and pretty soon I think the paralysis in Washington is going to break. I think the grip of the tea party on the Republican Party is going to diminish. I think a more moderate Republican is going to be able to appear and then we will be able to work together and move forward … As Winston Churchill said, ‘to broad and sunlit uplands.'”

Colbert: “Really? That is nice. You’ve got these things in your pocket all the time.”