Colbert for president (again)
(CNN) - Faux-news host and comedian Stephen Colbert announced Thursday night he was launching his second run for president in South Carolina.
"I'm proud to announce I plan to form an exploratory committee to lay the groundwork for my candidacy in the United States of South Carolina," Colbert said at a taping of his show Thursday evening.
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Colbert said voters in South Carolina saw him as an alternative to current GOP frontrunner Mitt Romney.
"Clearly my fellow South Caroliniacs see me as the only Mitternative," Colbert said.
However, according to South Carolina election law, Colbert may not get his way. The state's website said write-in votes are prohibited in political party primaries or for president and vice president.
South Carolina Election Commission spokesman Chris Whitmire told CNN with the Republican presidential primary just nine days away, there "won't even be a way for someone to do that because it's not allowed under the law."
The comedian missed the November 1 filing deadline to get his name on the GOP primary ballot. Whitmire added that, in accordance with the law, there's no write-in space on the electronic and paper primary ballots.
Colbert, who filed to run for the White House as a Democrat in 2007, lost a fight with South Carolina's Democratic Party when it removed him from the state's 2008 primary ballot, a step that ended his presidential bid.
But the comedian has been back in full force this election cycle with his own Super PAC, called "Making a Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow."
In October, the Federal Election Commission allowed Colbert to form the group, which can raise and spend unlimited amounts of money on a candidate as long as it doesn't coordinate with a candidate's campaign.
In the taping of his show Thursday, Colbert confronted that hurdle, officially signing over the super PAC to fellow Comedy Central host Jon Stewart.
As a satire on super PAC rules, the group created a commercial endorsing "Rick P(a)rry" just days before the Texas governor launched his White House bid this summer.
"So to prove we're truly uncoordinated, we're asking voters to write in Parry with an A – as in America, IowA, or PresidAnt," Colbert said. "You can feel confident he's not asking us to do that."
In the fall, Colbert also made news when he offered $500,000 of super PAC funds to cover the cost of South Carolina's primary on January 21, following a heated battle within the state over who would pay for the contest-the state party or the taxpayers.
In return, Colbert, a South Carolina native, asked for the rights to change the name of the primary to the "The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary."
The state did not take him up on the offer.
- CNN's Shawna Shepherd, Ashley Killough and Julian Cummings contributed to this report.
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He even has better hair than Mittens
Im not sure South Carolinans 'get' Colbert.
He's simply pointing out that Super Pacs are the most ridiculous, in a long line of ridiculous, things to enter American politics. Every single one of them are run in the interests of a candidate by someone close to the candidate even though the law prevents "coordination" with the candidate. If you believe any of the candidates when they say there is no relationship between them and their corresponding Super Pac, you're to dumb to vote.
Thomas
Who is the CNN COMMENTS editor today ?
Please let me know why you didn't post my last five comments ,
did I not comply with your guidelines ?
I thought Journalism went with free speech
================================================
Welcome to the club buddy! There are days when everything I post gets refused, no matter what the content. All the while, multiple posts by RudyNYC, Sniffit, Obama Mama flood the articles. It is why this board always appears to be so liberal. I've sent numerous complaints via the CNN web site and suggest you do the same.
Apparently satire is lost on the author...
What ? Me Worry ?
I'm on board! This should be fun, especially when some people don't get it and take it seriously.
But honestly, he probably would be a better president than the GOP candidates – both in or out of character.
"Only liberals would vote for a Hollywood personality." Er...I think you're forgetting about Reagan.
@Deej59
Sadie Boyd said: "We need the dumbing down of America to stop. Vote Parry!"
Was that intentional? You want credit for not being dumb, but you say "Vote Parry"? It's Perry. And even if you'd spelled it right, you'd still apparently be supporting a candidate with a less stringent personal ethical code than many of the people his state executes. Look up "Todd Willingham" and see what a great guy Rick Perry is. I don't want anyone capable of allowing state sanctioned murder just to keep his poll numbers up among the "tough on crime" crowd, never mind that the inmate in question is looking less guilty by the hour as revelations about the flawed investigation are revealed. And just crickets from Perry's end of the phone. I hope he drops out soon and is never heard from again.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________
Reading is Fun-Duh-Mental. See the actual article attached to the comments section, wherein Colbert's super PAC, requested viewers to write in "Rick pArry" – so to indicate Perry is not attached to the PAC. Then see Websters for the words Satire and Sarcasm
"Comparing him to Romney (from a RINO perspective) makes you look ignorant and foolish." @ far is far, Lies and Nothing But Lies, dumb as a door, etc.
Actually following what those voices you hear in your head (or the crap coming fox & fiends) tell you to believe make you ignorant & foolish.
I'm a Conservative who can laugh at himself from time to time but I just can't laugh at this guy. He's a liberal making fun of Conservatives and I find his style of humor condescending. Perhaps I have no sense of humor. Or maybe all you Republican fans of this idiot are rubes and cannot see when a liberal is laughing at your beliefs. You may as well turn on John Stewart.
Truth and Nothing But the Truth
Thomas
Who is the CNN COMMENTS editor today ?
Poor babies, did you type right through your nap time today? Stopped from spewing right when you were all frothed up?
Always the unjustified victim…..we feel your pain.
"Welcome to the club buddy! There are days when everything I post gets refused, no matter what the content."
Awww, does to poor baby need his bottle? Guess what, ALL of us have had posts delayed or not run from time to time, including me. Some of us, though, don't go running to work the refs at CNN like you extreme rightwing whiners, however. Buck up and stop playing the victim. Perhaps you should take some time off and compose things that make more sense and have a connection to reality,
@Truth, don't forget The Real Tom Payne, Diridi, and Tsah from virginia. I would imagine their comments don't even go to the moderator.
@joke.....you mean the elections weren't already a joke with all these crooks?
@ the Conservative who can't laugh at himself and has no sense of humor.
Condescension is a fundamental (heavy on the mental) trait of the GOP, it fits Colbert’s character perfectly – so stop the “pious baloney”.
Clearly CNN doesn't see that the point of this isn't to participate in the primary; it's to point out the lunacy that is the PACs and SuperPACs.
COLBERT FOREVER!!! As long as I don't have to watch him every day...
"chuchsheen9
Only liberals would vote for a Hollywood personality."
Like Ronald Reagan?
the best man for the job has it now
Jon Stewart for VP
heck ya u go steve, ill funnel money too you.
YES YES YES....and Stewart for VP
Colbert has more to offer than any GOP candidate and he isn't really even running. At least the POTUS would be entertaining which would be more valuable than many of the politicians in Washington. The only difference is Colbert would create jokes...the current GOP are jokes.
Kinda reminds me of the OWL Party in the 1976 elections in Washington State.
Gotta love Stephen! Colbert 2012!