Steven Colbert for President

[roguefrog]

http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hFzxF7XLwi7Il2DVEE6la0NVo--gD8SAOEEG1

[RobF]

Saw this on the Daily Show / Colbert Report last night. I actually hope he goes through with it - if nothing else it will be great to see him making the other candidates squirm.

[Unicorn McGriddle]

Yeah, yeah, the humor, but that aside, being able to make fun of Bush doesn't qualify you to be the president.

[WarrenM]

I fail to see how Colbert would do a worse job than Bush. Please, explain.

[Gordon Cameron]

I fail to see how Colbert would do a worse job than Bush. Please, explain.

The same might be said of me, and I need the money a lot more than Colbert does.

So... me for President! Oh wait, I can't run yet because I'm not 35. Dammit.

[Unicorn McGriddle]

I fail to see how Colbert would do a worse job than Bush. Please, explain.

To me, the bar is higher -- or should be -- than "better than Bush."

[WarrenM]

To me, the bar is higher -- or should be -- than "better than Bush."
Great, but you don't decide who gets to do the job all by your lonesome. So, seeing as we live in a society where even the dumbest ass is allowed to vote, how is Colbert not qualified for the position given the historical occupancy of the oval office?

He certainly knows politics better than half the corpses running against him.

[Charles]

Yeah, yeah, the humor, but that aside, being able to make fun of Bush doesn't qualify you to be the president.

If Colbert managed to get elected, and managed to get in office, and managed to staff all his positions based on his comedic extremes, he'd still have a hard time turning the government in to a bigger joke than it already is.

[Aeon221]

I was planning on voting for Mickey Mouse again, but Colbert sounds more fun.

[dannimal]

As I was reading his "Hijacking" of O'Dowd's OpEd Times space, I was thinking that I wish he'd run, if only to see just how much of a joke we as a country think our election process is.

I mean, I think it'd end up more like Snakes on a Plane (everybody talks about how awesome it would be, but a minority of them follow through) than actually scoring serious votes.

If he did somehow manage to make a meaningful showing, maybe it'd send a message to the politicians how useless we think they are that we're willing to vote for an actor working a comedy show that's entirely satire.

In the end, the President isn't all that important. If he/she staffs the White House with skilled people, that's where it matters.

[polar boar]

Is this the part where everybody votes for the village idiot, thinking "What the hell, nobody else votes for him so he'll never win"?

[WarrenM]

Is this the part where everybody votes for the village idiot
No, that was 2004.

[Linoleum]

It would be amusing to see him in the primaries if for no other reason than to watch him beat both Kucinich and Paul.

[Unicorn McGriddle]

Great, but you don't decide who gets to do the job all by your lonesome. So, seeing as we live in a society where even the dumbest ass is allowed to vote, how is Colbert not qualified for the position given the historical occupancy of the oval office?

He certainly knows politics better than half the corpses running against him.

Colbert has a stage persona as a Bill O'Reilly-like figure. That's it. His satire is funny, but directionless. A vote for Colbert would not be a vote for O'Reilly OR for anti-O'Reilly, but for some third thing in between that has minimal public exposure.

Call me a square, but while I would like to see more opportunities for low-budget presidential campaigns and candidates that do not belong to the major parties, I don't think there should be actual "joke candidates." Anybody formally running for office should be prepared to assume that office in the event of victory, no matter how unlikely.

Edit: Linoleum: Well, he does have name recognition. And his own TV show.

[Quaro]

Hold on, he's actually running? Like, he'll make an effort to get included in the debates? I just assumed this was a running gag. Especially with the 'both parties' reference.

[Kunikos]

How do you know he wouldn't actually talk about issues between making fun of other candidates? Look, he can't be any worse than Arnold as Governor of California, and he may be quite a bit better. In any case, I don't think this is a serious bid and I think he's just doing it to possibly get an opportunity to throw pies in peoples faces if they let him into any debates.

Or like Quaro said.

[Andrew Mayer]

http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/movie/coverv/83/127183.jpg

[Unicorn McGriddle]

How do you know he wouldn't actually talk about issues between making fun of other candidates? Look, he can't be any worse than Arnold as Governor of California, and he may be quite a bit better.

Ah, once again the "not worse than really, really bad" thing. And some bonus Mystery Candidate hocus-pocus. He could cure AIDS!

In any case, I don't think this is a serious bid and I think he's just doing it to possibly get an opportunity to throw pies in peoples faces if they let him into any debates.

Yeah, maybe I should have approached it more from that perspective. It's been a while since I actually saw any of Colbert's stuff, so I'm not directly familiar with his campaign approach. But my initial response was colored by my previous surprise and annoyance at seeing people on the internet (although not, to my recollection, at Qt3) who genuinely think that Colbert is some kind of political savior who should get into for-real high-level politics.

[Kunikos]

UMG if you have such a big problem with the competency of the candidates who are currently in office, why don't you run? I bet you aren't a fucking Jefferson, either.

Colbert will fail miserably at becoming president because too many people hate him (on both sides of the aisle).

[bigdruid]

Colbert will fail miserably at becoming president because too many people hate him (on both sides of the aisle).
Yeah, that fucking Colbert. He's so much more effective at exposing the idiocy of the GOP that he makes the Democrats look like dumbasses for not doing a better job of it.

[Unicorn McGriddle]

UMG if you have such a big problem with the competency of the candidates who are currently in office, why don't you run? I bet you aren't a fucking Jefferson, either.

Yeah, and if I have such a big problem with birth defects, why don't I get pregnant and show everybody how it's done?

[StGabe]

who genuinely think that Colbert is some kind of political savior who should get into for-real high-level politics

The thing is, I know that Colbert is actually quite smart. That's really enough to get me interested.

And say what you will about the Govinator (Schwarzenager) but he's actually not that bad. I mean, I disagree with him on a lot of things, but at least he seems pretty competent, tries to work within the system to get things done, etc. With that in mind, I think we overvalue political experience.

I've given up on the democrats. All I really want now is competence, intelligence, and low levels of corruption. While it's obvious that this is a joke on Colbert's behalf, I still think he'd do just fine.

[Tyjenks]

Geez, I wish you TV nerds would keep this crap in the BcTm forum. P&R is for serious discussions.

I think he shoulda waited until 2012. He is weak on foreign policy at this stage of his political career due to lack of dealings with leaders of other nations.

[Miramon]

I'd vote for Colbert even though I stopped watching TV before his show came out, and thus I only know about him second-hand. All current contenders from all parties are so miserable in my opinion, that voting is choosing the lesser of many arch-evils. But from what I hear, he's too intelligent to run.

Edit: Oh, actual link. Maybe he's not that smart after all, and would therefore make a good president.

[Mordrak]

His satire is direction less? What? His humor (and that of the writers on his show) is some of the most consistently pointed humor on TV. He's a much better speaker than any of the candidates in or out of character, and if you've seen many of his interview segments has a wealth of knowledge and an uncanny ability to parse what people are saying very, very quickly.

That said, he'd never be president because the political machinery won't work with him (unlike Arnold). Also, Arnold initial got elected in very unusual circumstances, the California Recall.

It's extremely doubtful he'll take this very far before dropping out, since it's just a comedy bit.

[Aeon221]

Yeah, and if I have such a big problem with birth defects, why don't I get pregnant and show everybody how it's done?

IMPREGNATED!

[Bill]

I think he shoulda waited until 2012. He is weak on foreign policy at this stage of his political career due to lack of dealings with leaders of other nations.

Ironically, considering that he's met with a political leader from Hungary, he has more experience in that regard than Bush did.

[Calistas]

...and can probably point to Hungary on a map.... :)

[bago]

And even pronounce it without ordering a side salad.

[Kunikos]

I always get Jefferson and Jackson mixed up. Do I kill Indians or bang slaves?

Jefferson was the one who could speak six languages fluently.

[awdougherty]

I actually would love to see Colbert get into a few debates somehow. Our presidential elections process is so insultingly stupid that it's no wonder no one checks in until they get to the booth and then vote their religion or partly line. It's insanely embarrassing, and if Colbert can just generate enough interest in holding a mirror up to it all, maybe people out there will get some of the interest back.

If not, I'll get some laughs out of it at least.

[Charles]

A satirical comedian should be involved in all political debates so that when a politician says something that's bald-faced stupid, they can poke holes in it and make them look stupid.

Force these motherfuckers to talk smart for a change.

[Kunikos]

Considering how many comedians come out of Canada, I'm surprised that something like this hasn't already happened up north.

[bago]

A counter-moderator would be rad.

[Mike O'Malley]

...and Colbert has already driven his first rival, Brownback, out of the race.

[Kunikos]

...and Colbert has already driven his first rival, Brownback, out of the race.

Do you have a link or something...? Google News failed to turn up anything.

Edit: Hours later, we have some articles on Google News (http://news.google.com/?ned=us&nsrc=ig&.cache=71987913&ncl=1122313578&hl=en), including the nicely titled (and entirely vapid) "The Colbert Effect?" (http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/10/18/couricandco/entry3382065.shtml) from CBS

[Graeme Dice]

Considering how many comedians come out of Canada, I'm surprised that something like this hasn't already happened up north.

Well, Leslie Nielsen's brother (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erik_Nielsen) was the deputy prime minister of Canada.

[Igor Muravyev]

Man of the Year.

[Shadarr]

Considering how many comedians come out of Canada, I'm surprised that something like this hasn't already happened up north.
We used to have the Rhinoceros party (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rhinoceros_Party_of_Canada), but the government in the 90's effectively did away with them by making it a requirement to run candidates in at least 50 ridings (with a $1000 per candidate fee) in order to be a registered party. But when they were around they were great.

[Soapyfrog]

And we do have several TV shows which poke fun at the government... in fact politicians frequently play along with these shows and the comedians, something that is only just starting to happen in the US now.

[RightWrong]

Now, come on. Let's not forget Nixon was on Laugh-in.....

[marxeil]

Man of the Year.
Yeah, its been done before. But it was spoiled by the whole 'election comuter bug' conspiracy.
BTW, that was the dumbest movie bug EVAR!

[wildpokerman]

To me, the bar is higher -- or should be -- than "better than Bush."


That may be true but you'll probably end up choosing between Hillary and Guilanni and the only thing either of them have going for themselves is better than Bush.

I'm suprised it's not an official campaign slogan for any candidate yet.

[Unicorn McGriddle]

If Guiliani adopts that slogan, he's going to have to add "maybe."

[Aeon221]

Yeah, its been done before. But it was spoiled by the whole 'election comuter bug' conspiracy.
BTW, that was the dumbest movie bug EVAR!

I loved how the company beats her up, injects her with drugs, and tries to hit her with a car. Those were the best moments in the entire film.

[CSL]

If Guiliani adopts that slogan, he's going to have to add "maybe."

Don't forget that he'll try and add 9/11 in there somwhere.

[marxeil]

I loved how the company beats her up, injects her with drugs, and tries to hit her with a car. Those were the best moments in the entire film.
Yeah, but that was the problem with the movie. The best parts were supposed to be the debate, the rallies. You know - the politics.

Also, the end was a big disappointment. Basically the said "well that was fun, but now lets get back to our games and let the big boys continue to handle things because only they can do it".

[Rogen]

That may be true but you'll probably end up choosing between Hillary and Guilanni and the only thing either of them have going for themselves is better than Bush.

I'm suprised it's not an official campaign slogan for any candidate yet.

Sadly, I don't think either of them are.

Is.

[Andrew Mayer]

Sadly, I don't think either of them are.


Well, you'll be glad to know that at least one of them is.

Hint: It's a she, and she has no crazy neocons advising her!

[Aeon221]

Yeah, but that was the problem with the movie. The best parts were supposed to be the debate, the rallies. You know - the politics.

Also, the end was a big disappointment. Basically the said "well that was fun, but now lets get back to our games and let the big boys continue to handle things because only they can do it".

I meant that her acting was so crappy I actively enjoyed seeing her in pain.

[Brian Rucker]

I saw Colbert on Meet the Press with Russert but I wasn't laughing very much. He seemed to be drifting in and out of character and not really engaging Russert with good material. I was kinda crushed. Here's a chance to pull a Jon Stewart on Crossfire but instead...I don't know what the hell I was was watching.

It wasn't entertaining. And I love Colbert Report, I admired his performance at the Press Club in front of the President. But he really needs some better schtick if this is going to work for a while.

[Houngan]

I saw Colbert on Meet the Press with Russert but I wasn't laughing very much. He seemed to be drifting in and out of character and not really engaging Russert with good material. I was kinda crushed. Here's a chance to pull a Jon Stewart on Crossfire but instead...I don't know what the hell I was was watching.

It wasn't entertaining. And I love Colbert Report, I admired his performance at the Press Club in front of the President. But he really needs some better schtick if this is going to work for a while.

I agree with your assessment of the Meet The Press interview, and I think what he really needs is a studio audience/laugh track. Without the acknowledgement (Russert was playing it straight) that the things he says are insane, he just sounds . . . insane. Unfunny insane, the kind you don't want watching your kids.

h.

[David Hellman]

Urgh... yeah... Thing is, Colbert is at his best conducting interviews, where he can dominate and disorient his subject and revel in his self-aggrandizing role. In the position of answering questions, he's just your immature, compulsively silly college friend.

I don't even find most of his monologues funny. Its his winning, ultra-confident delivery that sometimes overcomes the so-so material.

Russert pitches underhand, as usual. He floats a lot "gotcha" and "didn't you once say..." questions, but really he's just playing along with his subject's agenda. This is what he always does. He generally annoys me because he's always trying to snag people on apparent contradictions, without getting deep or real about issues. It's easy for his subjects to keep up their fronts; they just stay on message until Russert moves on. It's all in the game.

[Mordrak]

Urgh... yeah... Thing is, Colbert is at his best conducting interviews, where he can dominate and disorient his subject. In the position of answering questions, he's just your immature college friend who could never answer a question straight.

What? I disagree. I've never seen him dodge a question out of character and many of his responses in character are obvious setups for his guests. Some of guests catch on to the setups, some of them don't.


Edit: I haven't seen the Meet the Press interview, so I'll look it up.

Edit: Russert wasn't a very good straight man because he wouldn't react. Russert had no position, so Colbert had nothing to riff off of. Colbert was in character for that entire interview though, at least in his responses. He did occasionally laugh, mostly in regard to what they dug up about him. Still, the interview fell pretty flat. : /


I don't even find most of his monologues funny... Except when his delivery is just winning enough.
Can you get SSD for being born without a funny bone?

[Brian Rucker]

I think he could do better but he needs to develop more of his candidate persona. He needs an agenda with planks and issues that he pushes come hell or high water rather than actually trying to ad lib responses to questions. He needs to try and dominate Russert - or whomever is ostensibly interviewing him - by doing homework on that person's foibles in advance and turning the tables.

The people he's satirizing don't walk onto these shows and actually engage in semi-thoughtful responses. They lumber onto the stage and push their agenda to the point of absurdity - in fact, many of them end up looking more ridiculous without effort in the process than Colbert did in his deliberate attempt to wittily interact with Russert.

[David Hellman]

What? I disagree. I've never seen him dodge a question out of character and many of his responses in character are obvious setups for his guests. Some of guests catch on to the setups, some of them don't.

I don't mean he's out of character, just that this Russert interview is not an arrangement where he can shine.

It's hard to deliver a laugh line every time you open your mouth. When it doesn't work, it just comes off as trying too hard. It reminds me of people I've known who just never stop cracking jokes, and it's a big eye roll.


Can you get SSD for being born without a funny bone?

I sincerely hope so.

He's good sometimes, but for me treads too often into wacky/random land.

[David Hellman]

I think he could do better but he needs to develop more of his candidate persona. He needs an agenda with planks and issues that he pushes come hell or high water rather than actually trying to ad lib responses to questions. He needs to try and dominate Russert - or whomever is ostensibly interviewing him - by doing homework on that person's foibles in advance and turning the tables.

The people he's satirizing don't walk onto these shows and actually engage in semi-thoughtful responses. They lumber onto the stage and push their agenda to the point of absurdity - in fact, many of them end up looking more ridiculous without effort in the process than Colbert did in his deliberate attempt to wittily interact with Russert.


That's right, he was responding intsead of setting the agenda, which come to think of it did seem a little of out of character.

[Mordrak]

It's hard to deliver a laugh line every time you open your mouth. When it doesn't work, it just comes off as trying too hard. It reminds me of people I've known who just never stop cracking jokes, and it's a big eye roll.


Yeah, I can see that. Gary Shandling is one of the few commedians I've seen who could do that, often times without other people even getting he's cracking a joke. It's pretty great, but generally he's still working off something someone said.


He's good sometimes, but for me treads too often into wacky/random land.

I do agree there. Some of his humor on his show is just plain random, but I guess I'm easily amused then. Hehe.

[Rogen]

Well, you'll be glad to know that at least one of them is.

Hint: It's a she, and she has no crazy neocons advising her!

I'd rather have Zombie Mussolini as president than Hillary Clinton. If she's any better than Guiliani, then it ain't by much.

Luckily we have Ron Paul so nobody has to choose between the lesser of two evils.

[Rogen]

About the Colbert/Russert thing, I'm pretty sure that was the point. If it wasn't Stephen Colbert sitting in the chair, you wouldn't be able to tell the interview was any different from what they do with any of the other candidates. It draws the whole absurd process into sharp relief, which is what Colbert's candidacy is really all about. The Daily Show and the Colbert Report are as much (or more) about satirizing the media game with its demagogues and talking points as they are about making fun of politicians.

Also, Colbert has to play along and try to be somewhat legitimate at this point in hopes of eventually making it onto a debate floor. That's when the real payoff comes.

[Gordon Cameron]

I don't get the point of this Tim Russert interview. Isn't "Meet the Press" a serious show? Why would they have a fictional comic persona on? What's next, Tony Clifton being interviewed by George Stephanopoulos?

[Raife]

Also, Colbert has to play along and try to be somewhat legitimate at this point in hopes of eventually making it onto a debate floor. That's when the real payoff comes.

This needs to happen.

[Rollory]

A Japanese doctor says, “Medicine in my country is so advanced that we can take a kidney out of one man, put it in another, and have him out looking for work in six weeks.”

“That is nothing,” a German doctor says. “We can take a lung out of one person, put it in another, and have him out looking for work in four weeks.”

“In my country,” says the British doctor, “medicine is so advanced that we can take half a heart out of one person, put it in another, and have both of them out looking for work in two weeks.”

The American doctor, not to be outdone, interjected:
“You guys are way behind. We are about to take a woman with no brains, put her in the White House, and then half the country will be out looking for work.”

[bago]

If you want humor go to http://blogs4brownback.wordpress.com/.

They play it with such a straight face that they just trolled Olbermann.

[Brian Rucker]

About the Colbert/Russert thing, I'm pretty sure that was the point. If it wasn't Stephen Colbert sitting in the chair, you wouldn't be able to tell the interview was any different from what they do with any of the other candidates. It draws the whole absurd process into sharp relief, which is what Colbert's candidacy is really all about. The Daily Show and the Colbert Report are as much (or more) about satirizing the media game with its demagogues and talking points as they are about making fun of politicians.

Also, Colbert has to play along and try to be somewhat legitimate at this point in hopes of eventually making it onto a debate floor. That's when the real payoff comes.

No. He does that and he simply comes off as he did on Russert. Unfunny and disappointing. Colbert's at his best when he's poking a stick into someone's eye and making himself look ridiculous, as a proxy for rightwing mouthbreathers, at the same time.

The people that are going to back him have to be laughing all the way. Nobody serious is going to be tricked into voting for him because he "seems somewhat legitimate". He needs to be the Godzilla-sized parody of idiocy that he is on his show. When those stray handfuls of people who do take him at face value rally to his cause then they need to be seen as self-evidently as loony as they are by all the people who are in on the gag - which should be almost everyone with a pulse and a larger than Schiavo-sized lump of grey matter.

[Anti-Bunny]

The ghost of Abraham Lincoln recommended to Senator Hillary Clinton that the best thing she can do for her country would be to "go to a theater."

That joke killed at the '04 Southern Republican Leadership Conference.

[Unicorn McGriddle]

The American doctor, not to be outdone, interjected:
“You guys are way behind. We are about to take a woman with no brains, put her in the White House, and then half the country will be out looking for work.”

Message to South Africa: Hillary's got problems, but following up Bush with "no brains" is not one of them. The prospect of her presidency has us worried about potential negative consequences, but massive unemployment is not one of them.

Edit: Why the fuck not keep the format? "We can take a man with no brains, put him in the White House, and have half the country out looking for work." Or is the fact that the American is bragging about something that hasn't been accomplished yet and in fact has never been done before part of the joke, because the others are bragging about actual past work and he's overpromising about a pipe dream? What hidden depths of this joke are eluding me?

[Rogen]

No. He does that and he simply comes off as he did on Russert. Unfunny and disappointing. Colbert's at his best when he's poking a stick into someone's eye and making himself look ridiculous, as a proxy for rightwing mouthbreathers, at the same time.

The people that are going to back him have to be laughing all the way. Nobody serious is going to be tricked into voting for him because he "seems somewhat legitimate". He needs to be the Godzilla-sized parody of idiocy that he is on his show. When those stray handfuls of people who do take him at face value rally to his cause then they need to be seen as self-evidently as loony as they are by all the people who are in on the gag - which should be almost everyone with a pulse and a larger than Schiavo-sized lump of grey matter.

Well my friend, I think different. Just wait and see. If and when he finally does get his own podium, you'll understand what all the winking and nodding was about.

And in the meantime, go check out the 2006 whitehouse correspondents' dinner.

Really. Go check it out. It's on google video.

[Anders Hallin]

He's polling better than Gravel!
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/comedian_colbert_reaches_double_digits_as_third_pa rty_candidate

[Anaxagoras]

No. He does that and he simply comes off as he did on Russert. Unfunny and disappointing.
Unfunny? He was brilliant. He perfectly walked the line of both staying in character & speaking his actual mind.... often at the very same time.

Colbert's at his best when he's poking a stick into someone's eye and making himself look ridiculous, as a proxy for rightwing mouthbreathers, at the same time.
So he's best as a funny monkey? Jesus.

The people that are going to back him have to be laughing all the way. Nobody serious is going to be tricked into voting for him because he "seems somewhat legitimate". He needs to be the Godzilla-sized parody of idiocy that he is on his show. When those stray handfuls of people who do take him at face value rally to his cause then they need to be seen as self-evidently as loony as they are by all the people who are in on the gag - which should be almost everyone with a pulse and a larger than Schiavo-sized lump of grey matter. He has bigger fish to fry than the stray handfuls of people who take him at face value. He's not aiming for handfuls.... he's trying to point out how the majority of people are falling for the wrong people for the wrong reasons. The point is, political discourse in this country is so anemic, so dim-witted, that playing it 100% straight *should* be considered a farce.

His show is at its weakest when he acts the funny monkey that you advocate him becoming. The show gets quite a bit better when he accurately imitates the frothing right wing. But the performance on Meet the Press was one of the best performances I've seen him give. Russert seems to be genuinely offended that Colbert is mocking the process, and Colbert keeps right on mocking. Good on him.

Edit - removed some of my disgust at Brian Rucker, so that the fallacies of Rucker's viewpoint aren't obscured by the snark.

[marxeil]

According to this (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2007/11/06/obama-supporters-pressed-democratic-party-officials-to-keep-colbert-off-ballot/#more-2924) he dropped from the race after being denied entering the primanry balot.

[Brian Rucker]

And Colbert's lawyer in that effort is a Clinton supporter. Is this just reporters trying to add some excitment here or was there something shady afoot on both sides?

Personally, I love Colbert but I'd have kicked his ass off the ballot too. If he's going after all 50 States and, however unlikely, looks like he's making a serious run at it then fine. Deal with being the butt of all jokes for a year or so because fair's fair. But he's only running in one state? They're really not under any obligation to do anything for him and it's not clear having Colbert around would be a net plus for the Democrats.

Unless, of course, they're smart enough to realize his character's a perfect stand-in for Republican rivals and use that to good effect lampooning the right - just as Colbert does.

[Aeon221]

Another Obama endorser who regularly appears at campaign events, state Rep. Bakari Sellers, also made phone calls to members of the party's executive council about Colbert, according to Sellers.

"I placed the calls as a concerned Democrat, realizing that we are a country in despair," Sellers told CNN. "It is not a time for games or to make a mockery of the process."

We are? Shit, I'd better stop watching tv and get back to crying.

[Anaxagoras]

Personally, I love Colbert but I'd have kicked his ass off the ballot too.
This is so thoroughly unsurprising. 'course, this is coming from the same man who thought Colbert's satire is best when he's shucking and jiving for the camera.


If he's going after all 50 States and, however unlikely, looks like he's making a serious run at it then fine. <snip> But he's only running in one state? They're really not under any obligation to do anything for him and it's not clear having Colbert around would be a net plus for the Democrats.
Obligation? Who said anything about an obligation? And how is it relevant that he's only running in one state?

I don't think your grasp of "satire" is as firm as you think it is.

[Brian Rucker]

So what do you think should have happened here? Let the funny man on the ballot because, shoot, he's a funny man and this is just a silly election anyhow?

[madkevin]

You yourself answered that question, Brian:

Unless, of course, they're smart enough to realize his character's a perfect stand-in for Republican rivals and use that to good effect lampooning the right - just as Colbert does.

Humour and satire can be a very effective political weapon. Besides, we're talking about one debate out of what would seem to be hundreds.

[Brian Rucker]

Yeah, but we're talking about serious campaigns. I don't think they'd want to take the chance this would somehow backfire. Colbert's pretty infamous for his interviews with House Representatives.

I can see why it might be smart to include him but I can't see why most people involved would want to throw the dice on that.

[Anaxagoras]

So what do you think should have happened here? Let the funny man on the ballot because, shoot, he's a funny man and this is just a silly election anyhow?

I considered making a joke out of this, but... well... the joke wasn't funny. So I guess I'll answer it straight.

We should have let the satirist on the ballot so that he could illustrate in a biting & non-academic way just how sick democracy is in this country. Colbert can do the funny monkey routine... but he has also clearly demonstrated that he loves this country & thinks it's capable of so much more. I'm fairly certain that he would have used his position on the ballot to expose some of the raw stupidities of the election process. Talking heads can recite many problems with American democracy, but until the voters see them in action, until they have someone point his finger in their face and say "This right here is the problem", the voters won't get it. Without a demonstration like Colbert, they're unlikely to really see what's going on.

The sickness needs to be properly diagnosed and demonstrated to the people. Without the demonstration, people will be content to believe it's all the fault of the lib'ruls or Bush. (depending on their political leanings) Without the demonstration, they will continue to accept the remedies offered by snakeoil salesmen like O'Reilly & Hannity. And given time, I'm sure snakeoil salesman will start to appear on the left... if they haven't already.

So... did the above explanation pierce your skull, or do you still think I'm just advocating that a funny man make fun of a silly election?

[Hawkeye Fierce]

I'm fairly certain that he would have used his position on the ballot to expose some of the raw stupidities of the election process.
Except in this case, the process actually worked--it prevented someone who wasn't actually serious about running for the Presidency from doing so. I don't see the problem.

[Brian Rucker]

Except in this case, the process actually worked--it prevented someone who wasn't actually serious about running for the Presidency from doing so. I don't see the problem.

Doh, my skull's been pierced by Hawkeye Fierce!

And it rhymes!

[Anaxagoras]

Except in this case, the process actually worked--it prevented someone who wasn't actually serious about running for the Presidency from doing so. I don't see the problem.

To say that the election process accomplished what it was designed to do isn't much of an endorsement... a lot of Colbert's satire is designed to highlight that the goals of the process themselves are misguided & inappropriate.

One other thing. Colbert himself, by running in just one state, already ensured that someone who wasn't serious about running for President didn't actually run. (You can't become President if you carry only one state.) The process merely ensured that a potential source of criticism was not incorporated into the election process.

That's what the problem is.

Edit- Replaced my initial snarky response with the one above. Hawkeye asked a valid question... there was no reason to be rude to him. If you read the initial response, sorry Mr. Fierce. (Now there is a cool last name.)

[Drastic]

The Republican part of the working process works much more efficiently by simply charging a lot more to get on the ballot. The reputation for a more practical mindset is well-earned.

[Hawkeye Fierce]

*Snark and response snipped*

Edit: I see you've retracted, so I'll respond to the rest.

To say that the election process accomplished what it was designed to do isn't much of an endorsement...

I never intended it as an endorsement of the process as a whole. I was merely pointing out that in this case I think the result is appropriate.

One other thing. Colbert himself, by running in just one state, already ensured that someone who wasn't serious about running for President didn't actually run. (You can't become President if you carry only one state.) The process merely ensured that a potential source of criticism was not incorporated into the election process.

I'm a little unclear on what you're upset about. I'm not sure what benefit you believe would be achieved by allowing a satire candidate to actually progress through the elections process. Also, as you say yourself, he wouldn't have actually progressed beyond getting himself on the ballot in a single state. He's perfectly capable of pointing out the system's flaws without being an active participant. I'm not sure what special status being a candidate would confer upon his satire that we should be outraged that he won't be included.

[Anaxagoras]

I made a specific, limited assertion about a specific situation, not the broad generalizations you're attributing to me. I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, but this is pretty blatantly ridiculous even for P&R.
True... and that's why I removed it. Sorry 'bout that. (For what it's worth, I changed my response before you actually posted this.)

[GyRo567]

After seeing the L-Block win the popularity contest that is the GameFAQs Character Battle, I wouldn't put a 2nd or 3rd place finish out of Colbert's reach. The only real problem is that the groups young enough to really vote for him aren't quite as likely to vote.

[Athryn]

Colbert in 3-Way Tie for Virginia Soils Board (http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/11/13/entertainment/e094047S16.DTL)

[Brian Rucker]

Warner, Webb, last week's elections and now this?

I'm liking my home state more and more...not that he's allowed to win or anything but that it even happened,

[Rogen]

As another native Virginian I will just say two things. Virginia is awesome and Webb's wife is hot.