LOGO: Truthdig: Drilling Beneath the Headlines. A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman. Winner 2013 Webby Awards for Best Political Website
May 21, 2013

 Choose a size
Text Size

Trending:     chris hedges     economy     elizabeth warren     politics     robert scheer
Most Read

Rise Up or Die

Revenge of the Bear: Russia Strikes Back in Syria

Lock Up Washington

The Promise of a Courageous Al-Jazeera America May Be Fading

GOP Senator's Hypocrisy on Tornado Aid, Jon Stewart Hates Washington, and More

Most Comments
Most Emailed

Reports
 * NEW! * Lock Up Washington
 * NEW! * Too Soon to Tell: The Case for Hope, Continued
 * NEW! * Warming Climate Endangers U.K. Farming

Ear to the Ground

A/V Booth

Arts & Culture
Act of Congress
Daily Rituals
The Girls of Atomic City

Digs

Truthdig Bazaar more items

 
Ear to the Ground

Colbert Ahead of 3 Democrats in Presidential Poll

Email this item Email    Print this item Print    Share this item... Share

Posted on Oct 23, 2007
Stephen Colbert
indecision2008.com

Colbert in Chief?  It’s either incredibly welcome or tremendously alarming that Stephen Colbert is ahead of Kucinich, Richardson and Gravel in one presidential poll after his first few days out of the gate.

Stephen Colbert’s presidential campaign —a compellingly postmodern play on identity and politics (or something like that)—is apparently being taken seriously enough by the polling firm Public Opinion Strategies to merit Colbert’s inclusion in the lineup of candidates the firm is currently tracking.  Here’s how the TV comedian—who says he’s running as both a Democrat and a Republican—is doing in the race for White House glory.


The Fix:

In the Democratic primary, Colbert takes 2.3 percent of the vote—good for fifth place behind Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (40 percent), Sen. Barack Obama (19 percent), former Sen. John Edwards (12 percent) and Sen. Joe Biden (2.7 percent). Colbert finished ahead of Gov. Bill Richardson (2.1 percent), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (2.1 percent) and former Sen. Mike Gravel (less than 1 percent).

He was less lucky in the Republican field, where he took less than 1 percent of the vote behind even longshot candidates like Reps. Tom Tancredo and Ron Paul. Former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani led the Republican field with 29 percent, followed by former Gov. Mitt Romney at 12 percent, former Sen. Fred Thompson (11 percent) and Sen. John McCain (10 percent).

“It’s clear that Colbert’s truthiness image and ‘I am America’ message has serious resonance among Democrats,” said Neil Newhouse, a POS partner.

Read more

More Below the Ad

Advertisement


New and Improved Comments

If you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy.

By Ednarooni, June 10, 2008 at 2:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I think Colbert has a good sense of showing Americans where one entity is doing something saying “it’s good for you”, while it’s actually NOT good for you.. Americans seem to be in a trance, about certain issues or are just so “DRONED out” being “drained” working to pay taxes for these government entities, doing who knows what with our taxe dollars, right down to CITY organizations, that what’s happening around them, is actually going to hurt them one day.. We’ll wake up to a 3rd world country, if we aren’t there yet. I think the dems and the republs are more about which corporations is backing which party, it’s NOT about the people anymore, and Colbert knows that..

Report this

By gravel kucinich paul nader, November 12, 2007 at 2:14 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Gravel kucinich paul nader perot carter [conyers?] united for truth elicit fear smear blacklist.

Honesty compassion intelligence guts.

No more extortion blackmail bribery division.

Report this

By Right Fielder, October 24, 2007 at 6:21 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Bob:
I think anyone who keeps voting for the same gaggle of incompetent morons in both parties should have their voting rights revoked.

It’s like the insane person who keeps doing the same thing over and over expecting different results.  Both parties are so entrenched in their incompetence that they won’t extricate themselves unless they are forced to.  Until the Republicrats (or Demicans) are forced to change they’ll keep us on this catastrophic path.

Last time I checked you can’t spell competent with Democrat or Republican.  You come close if you take little bits of each of them, but you don’t spell competent.  They need outside help.

Report this

By Conservative Yankee, October 24, 2007 at 8:20 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Bob says:

“People who actually vote for him, knowing its a prank..should have their voting rights revoked.”

That’s what the Republicans thought in Florida about people who voted Gore in 2000, and people who voted Kerry in Ohio in 2004. 

Both those elections were “pranks”

Report this

By Fredrico, October 24, 2007 at 8:12 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Wow! I think this shows how many people are not confident in their own candidates.  Its a sad time when we would rather vote for a comedian than some other idiot.  Isn’t it time we raise the bar on who we elect?  Isn’t it time we stop letting the media determine who we get to see, and how they are portrayed?  We are manipulated daily by organizations, that are all about power and money, to vote for “their” candidate.  When will we wake up and elect a common man/woman to the office?  Its time we stop idolizing people who can’t even manage their own lives properly.

Report this

By altara, October 24, 2007 at 7:25 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Since Colbert is concentrating on South Csrolina, he had better re-connect with his “black friend”.

Let’s also hope that he wages a strong campaign, like Pat Paulson’s

homer   http://www.altara.blogspot.com

Report this

By Andrew A., October 24, 2007 at 7:10 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Even though Colbert’s run is a stunt he would still be a good vote simply because he has no allegiance to those in power. Plus, he’s intelligent and has a sense of humor.

On a side note, Bob’s a turd sandwich. Telling people to move to another country because you disagree with their vote is pretty unhelpful. Especially considering that over half the country doesn’t even use their vote. So suck a chode and Bob a knob, biotch.

Report this

By DayOldDaddy, October 24, 2007 at 6:12 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Whether legal or not, Colbert’s entry into the process is a welcomed release of stagnant hot air to a bloated system that should have burst its own seams months ago.

We support him in his efforts and, beyond the obvious entertainment value, truly hope that his actions shake things up.

http://www.theweeklydonut.org/index.php/category/colbearica/

Report this

By AntiLiberal, October 24, 2007 at 5:40 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Good demonstration of dem’s stupidity. He won’t bring you a world-wide communism as you are all dreaming about, so what are you voting for in Colbert?

Report this

By waxman, October 24, 2007 at 4:09 am Link to this comment

THIS SHOWS THE DEMOCRATS JHAVE A SENSE OF HUMOR, NOT WAR MONGERS LIKE THE REPUKES…

Report this

By jkim112, October 23, 2007 at 8:33 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I think Colbert is trying to show us that anyone can run for president and not just the contenders in race right now. We can make a difference instead of sitting around and bashing the Bush administration as well as the incompetence of the democratic party.

Report this

By Stephen Smoliar, October 23, 2007 at 3:59 pm Link to this comment

“Postmodern” is definitely the right adjective!  As I have tried to explain on my own blog, postmodernism advocates RESISTANCE as opposed to the usual dialectical strategy of establishing truth by examining OPPOSITIONS.

http://therehearsalstudio.blogspot.com/2007/10/postmodern-politics.html

Resistance questions the very possibility of attaining truth, which is what you get when you dress up “truthiness” in more philosophical jargon.  Put a bit more simplistically, a vote for Colbert will be a vote of resistance against the whole contextual fabric from which our electoral process is woven.  Considering where that electoral process has bought us in both the Executive and Legislative branches of our government, such an act of resistance might not be such a bad idea.

Report this

By bob, October 23, 2007 at 1:42 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I have a good sense of humor..but I don’t think this is funny at all.  The country is at crossroads with incompetence, cronyism, imperialism, and terrorism. People who actually vote for him, knowing its a prank..should have their voting rights revoked.  Obviously, they’re not smart enough to help this country.. send them to North Korea for 4 years and see how much they value their vote.

Report this

By shemp333, October 23, 2007 at 1:20 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

That is way too funny.  I’d vote for him ahead of most, even if he is just a fake character. (Aren’t they all anyway….  At least he tells us he’s fake!) Absolutely fabulous and funny as hell!

Report this
Newsletter

sign up to get updates


 
 
 
 
Join the Liberal Blog Advertising Network
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

A Progressive Journal of News and Opinion. Editor, Robert Scheer. Publisher, Zuade Kaufman.
© 2013 Truthdig, LLC. All rights reserved.