The inauguration was a dilemma for late-night shows, which had to joke about an event Americans tended to consider moving and joyous. Surprisingly, the Bush-bashing Daily Show had the most biting commentary.

All the late-night hosts went after the easy target of Dick Cheney, looking especially evil in his new wheelchair. All, that is, except David Letterman, whose Late Show was a re-run, possibly because of his tricky East Coast taping schedule.

The Daily Show, also based in New York, managed to throw together a thoroughly fresh and lengthy collection of inaugural material. The best bit, at the end of the late-night highlights reel above, highlighted the similarities between President Obama's speech and many of ex-president George W. Bush's rhetorical themes. (The show, in fairness, highlighted the inaugural address' slaps at the preceding administration earlier in the show.)