End of the Line for Colbert’s Campaign

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End of the Line for Colbert’s Campaign

danjohnston.org

No White House for you! After a key South Carolina Democratic organization refused to put Colbert on the ballot, and perhaps partly because of the ongoing WGA strike, the Comedy Central star has dropped his ‘08 presidential bid.

Those Stephen Colbert fans who had hoped that, for once, there would be a political figure on the national stage who would be refreshingly upfront about the parodic and performative nature of his role will be no doubt be disappointed that Colbert has ended his quest for the presidency—at least this time around.

ABC News:

Last week, the South Carolina Democratic Executive Council rejected Colbert’s application to be on the primary ballot in a 13-3 vote; Colbert did not apply to appear on the state GOP primary ballot—with its $35,000 filing fee.

In a statement today, Colbert said, “Although I lost by the slimmest margin in presidential election history—only 10 votes—I have chosen not to put the country through another agonizing Supreme Court battle. It is time for the nation to heal.”

Colbert, who was raised on James Island in Charleston, S.C., filed his application last week with the state Democrats and paid the $2,500 filing fee before the noon deadline. After 30 to 45 minutes of debate and discussion, the council decided to reject his application. His check will be refunded.

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By John Hanks, November 6, 2007 at 7:00 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

We just have to choose the lesser filth, like Hillary. But, we don’t have to be silent about the money system.

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By The Village Idiot, November 6, 2007 at 6:15 pm Link to this comment

Well the leadership of the Democratic party obviously sucks, and just blew their best chance for doing anything except sucking. This world might just be getting surreal enough for a comedian to win as a write-in, since more people are getting disgusted by our one-party system every day. Well, maybe next time.

It’s not a big deal really; after all, the job of the Prez is not to wield power, but to distract attention away from it! (I think Douglas Adams wrote that)

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By BadMan, November 6, 2007 at 5:12 pm Link to this comment

I think the filing fee issue is VERY telling. But on the Colbert subject. It is basically a clear case of Democrat candidates and their facilitators being afraid that Colbert could actually siphon off a good amount of votes. Has the ” Democratic ” party really sunk so low that they are afraid of a satyric comedian taking away legitimate votes ?? I guess this means they really fear an alternative, all the more reason for a three party system. Be it Populist, Socialist, REAL Democratic, Libertarian, REAL Republican etc. The US of A really needs an alternative and people are so starved for it and for honesty, many are actually considering voting for a host of a late night comedy show.

I wish you guys luck, but everything has got to start somewhere.

Regards

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By Louise, November 6, 2007 at 5:05 pm Link to this comment

#111919 by Stephen Smoliar on 11/06 at 7:37 am
(105 comments total)

“Louise (#111910) there has to be something Freudian in the way you spelled your last line:
—
By the way, its still legal to right in a candidate in the general election ... right?
—
I would say the hidden message here involves the righteousness of writing in your personal choice (particularly when you are really dissatisfied with all the other choices). Am I right?”

Wow! That is interesting huh?

I mean I never make mistakes [hee-hee]

Your probably right. I have this thing about the “right” right now. Fry’s the brain, numbs the senses, makes me type quick, get off and go kick the cat!

Kidding, I don’t have a cat.

I will visit your blog Peter (#111931) Thanks for the invite!

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By dave, November 6, 2007 at 1:05 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Now who am I going to vote for?
I had my ballot all ready to punch for Colbert.
Maybe I’ll jus write in Ross Poriot again.

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By Phillipe Farneti, November 6, 2007 at 9:28 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Good, this just proves that our legal system is fucked and very biased, it proves that people are always judged without taking time to actually know them. I will sum up a politician in a way everybody can understand.

Politician=Liar
President=Liar
Etc,
Etc,
Etc,

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By Peter, November 6, 2007 at 8:38 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Glad you liked it Louise… may I shamelessly plug my blog

http://www.mindgloaming.blogspot.com

I just started it, and I could really use some constructive criticism of my witticism. I promise its not all funny though.

Cheers,
Peter

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By Stephen Smoliar, November 6, 2007 at 7:37 am Link to this comment

Louise (#111910) there has to be something Freudian in the way you spelled your last line:
—
By the way, its still legal to right in a candidate in the general election ... right?
—
I would say the hidden message here involves the righteousness of writing in your personal choice (particularly when you are really dissatisfied with all the other choices). Am I right?

Report this

By Louise, November 6, 2007 at 6:55 am Link to this comment

#111861 by Peter Illetschko

“My top ten reasons for Colbert as President:

1.) He is funnier then W, and he does it on purposery.”

And so are you Peter, and so did you!

Maybe you should let Colbert know your available, Just in case that WGA strike is partially to blame for his quitting. ‘Cause whatever else Colbert is, he is not a quitter!

Thanks for the chuckle.
Always a good way to start the day!

By the way, it’s still legal to right in a candidate in the general election ... right?

Report this

By Peter Illetschko, November 5, 2007 at 8:41 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

My top ten reasons for Colbert as President:

10.) Really, do we need to have any reasons to vote for this guy?

9.) The next time a comedian goes on TV and gets the guys from Crossfire fired it could be the Prez himself.

8.) Nacho Cheese Doritos

7.) Second best interviewer after John Stewart. Maybe this way the leader of the free world can actually hold a conversation with the rest of the leaders of the free world. Instead of just trying to look like they are having a good time together.

6.) 1.200.000 Friends on Facebook

5.) “I, Stephen Colbert, do hereby pledge to practice absinth-tinence by remaining absinth-tinent from Absinthe . . . Since Absinthe incidents in many instances induce incipient synesthetic inspiration and sinister synthetic insistence on sin, I sincerely insist I will be absent from instances of Absinthe ingestion, this instant”.
If you can say this really fast, you can run this country better then most current runners-for-the-presidency.

4.) ~4200 new voter registrations since putting a link up on Facebook, thats 1 voter a minute. Maybe soon 53 percent in the great state of South Carolina go vote.

3.) The other guys didn’t think that he was who they thought he was. They let him off the hook!

2.) Vice President: John Stewart

1.) He is funnier then W, and he does it on purposery.

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By Stephen Smoliar, November 5, 2007 at 6:41 pm Link to this comment

Isn’t the real story here the order-of-magnitude difference in the filing fees and what it says about trying to be a Republican candidate?

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