Stephen Colbert calls Sarah Palin a 'f---ing retard': 'It's satire,' he claims

"We should all come to her defense and say that Sarah Palin is a f---ing retard," Colbert said.

"It's satire."

The comic jab came after Palin, who lobbed criticism at White House chief of staff Rahm Emanuel for calling liberal activists "f---ing retarded," later forgave Rush Limbaugh for doing the same thing, calling his use of the term "satire."

"Our politically correct society is acting like some giant insult's taken place by calling a bunch of people who are retards, retards," the conservative talk show host said on his radio show.

"He was satirical in that," Palin said on Fox News Sunday.

Her defense of Limbaugh seemed to contradict her spokesperson, who said last week, "Governor Palin believes crude and demeaning name calling at the expense of others is disrespectful."