Colbert pulling 13% of the vote!

Lonestar · Post by **Lonestar** » 2007-10-25 02:19pm

Stephen Colbert, President of the Twentysomethings
Posted by James Poniewozik | Comments (6) | Permalink | Trackbacks (0) | Email This
Maybe he really does have something to laugh about: according to a poll by Rasmussen Reports, in a three-way presidential race with Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, Stephen Colbert would pull 13% of the vote. (Hat tip to my friends-I've-never-met at fellow TIME blog Real Clear Politics, who pointed to this the other day, but I'm not sure our audiences overlap much.)

Like many polls at this early stage, this one is fascinating and probably meaningless. For starters, and it's easier to "vote" for a third-party candidate in theory a year before the election is actually held. And this poll follows polling that showed Colbert drawing a much smaller percentage of primary voters nationally. Finally, one would assume that for some respondents, Colbert was serving as a de facto "none of the above" or protest vote. To see how well he's drawing as Stephen Colbert, one would want to see some comparisons with other hypothetical third-party candidates: Mike Bloomberg, Ralph Nader, a sweet potato, etc.

On the other hand, says Rasmussen, Colbert drew more support than Jon Stewart did in an earlier poll, at 8%. Also, 13% for a fake person: damn. And finally, in said hypothetical matchup, among voters aged 18 to 29, Colbert pulled 28%--and 31% when matched up with Clinton and Fred Thompson.

In both scenarios, Rasmussen says, Colbert had more support among this age group than the Republican candidate. Whatever turnout ends up being among young voters, this can't be happy news for Republicans. Instead of running Law & Order's Fred Thompson, maybe they should be drafting Ben Stein, to go after the Comedy Central vote.

Of course, the most interesting-but-likely-meaningless aspect of this poll is that it's all predicated on Colbert's actually continuing his campaign, or "campaign," into the general election. Which, if I had to bet, I'd bet against. I've talked to Colbert a grand total of once, in an interview for this feature in 2005, but I got the impression there was a fairly earnest guy under the persona, probably not a guy who seriously would want to play spoiler in a presidential race (as fun as that would make my 2008). I suspect that's one reason, besides practical logistics, that he's limited his primary campaign to his home state of South Carolina.

But who knows? If I somebody woke me up and told me I was pulling double digits in the presidential election, I might suddenly be inclined to make more than just fake news.

Androsphinx · Post by **Androsphinx** » 2007-10-25 02:48pm

Just a question - how many of the 13% were voting for Stephen Colbert, right-wing show-host, and how many for Stephen Colbert, left-wing satirist?

Tanasinn · Post by **Tanasinn** » 2007-10-25 04:21pm

I seriously doubt there's more than perhaps two catastrophically retarded people who don't realize The Colbert Report is satire.

Androsphinx · Post by **Androsphinx** » 2007-10-25 04:26pm

Would that you were right

Pulp Hero · Post by **Pulp Hero** » 2007-10-25 04:29pm

Tanasinn wrote:I seriously doubt there's more than perhaps two catastrophically retarded people who don't realize The Colbert Report is satire.

Sadly, no.

Nova Andromeda · Post by **Nova Andromeda** » 2007-10-25 05:04pm

-Given the utter lack of surrendercrat spine and their related lack of ability to accomplish anything other than cave to 90% of Republican demands I'd seriously consider a vote for Colbert even if he was doomed to lose and a surrendercrat's hopes were on the line. However, I'll probably find a serious third party and vote with them.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-10-25 07:06pm

The fundies have said theyll up and leave if Guiliani makes the nomination, and I know a lot of people wouldnt vote for Clinton on principle.

We're going to see a lot of splinter effect, methinks.

Flagg · Post by **Flagg** » 2007-10-25 07:11pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:The fundies have said theyll up and leave if Guiliani makes the nomination, and I know a lot of people wouldnt vote for Clinton on principle.

We're going to see a lot of splinter effect, methinks.

I really doubt that. As unhappy as the Christers are with the Terrepublicans, they know damned well that that's where their bread is buttered. They're just using the threat as a means of trying to get someone who will essentially be their meat-puppet nominated or failing that, some real power within the nominees Administration.

Though I would abso-fucking-lutely love it if I'm wrong.

Lord Relvenous · Post by **Lord Relvenous** » 2007-10-25 08:04pm

You know when i saw the episode of him announcing his candidacy, I was left wondering if he was serious. Now, the more I think about it, I hope he is serious. He'd at least be able to shake things up, and I'd like to see that with this election.

CmdrWilkens · Post by **CmdrWilkens** » 2007-10-25 08:19pm

I've said it before and I'll say it again he will run in South Carolina but nowhere else. I think he may even campaign a bit earnestly in South Carolina just for the gigantic laugh that would be having pledged delegates at either national convention since it would give him an excuse to attend and satirize both parties in a national forum (See Also: White House Correspondent's Dinner)

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-10-25 08:29pm

I think if he did another Correspondent Dinner he'd ride in a wave of acclaim.

20% approval for Bush, 10% for Congress. A Colbert Smackdown would get massive points.

Ritterin Sophia · Post by **Ritterin Sophia** » 2007-10-25 11:25pm

Androsphinx wrote:Just a question - how many of the 13% were voting for Stephen Colbert, right-wing show-host, and how many for Stephen Colbert, left-wing satirist?

If anything, at least right-wing talk-show host Stephen Colbert is too much of a coward to wage war... Seriously, all Russia would need to do to be the world superpower would be to make their national symbol the bear and show him the picture of the Russky Bear Cavalry wielding AK-47's.

Fingolfin_Noldor · Post by **Fingolfin_Noldor** » 2007-10-25 11:27pm

Flagg wrote:
Enforcer Talen wrote:The fundies have said theyll up and leave if Guiliani makes the nomination, and I know a lot of people wouldnt vote for Clinton on principle.

We're going to see a lot of splinter effect, methinks.
I really doubt that. As unhappy as the Christers are with the Terrepublicans, they know damned well that that's where their bread is buttered. They're just using the threat as a means of trying to get someone who will essentially be their meat-puppet nominated or failing that, some real power within the nominees Administration.

Though I would abso-fucking-lutely love it if I'm wrong.

It might help the Democrats if less of these loonies vote anyway.

Rogue 9 · Post by **Rogue 9** » 2007-10-26 09:08am

Y'know, I'm pretty sure if Colbert keeps this up, it won't be long before he's breaking FEC regulations. Every time he uses his show to promote his candidacy, he's accepting donations in the form of airtime from Viacom.

Illuminatus Primus · Post by **Illuminatus Primus** » 2007-10-26 09:09am

I'm sure he's been advised by their legal staff.

Middleclass · Post by **Middleclass** » 2007-10-26 09:18am

Yes, he mentioned legal positioning on a recent episode. He accepted a sponsorship from Dorito's to help finance the campaign, but his lawyer told him that it violated election law. So now the Colbert Report get the money, and the show simply chooses to cover the Colbert candidacy.

So, yeah, it's a strange situation, but apparently it has been cleared by the lawyers.

Brother-Captain Gaius · Post by **Brother-Captain Gaius** » 2007-10-26 10:03am

To add to that, he specifically went out of his way to point out that the Colbert Report was not promoting his campaign, merely providing coverage of it. And Stephen Colbert the show's host accepted the money for promoting the delicious cheese-tastic nacho cheese Doritos, while Stephen Colbert the presidential candidate merely happens to enjoy the rich taste-splosion of nacho cheese Doritos.

Enforcer Talen · Post by **Enforcer Talen** » 2007-10-26 11:52am

I think the way he's been playing the election system has been absolutely hilarious.

Really shows what the system has turned into.

CaptainChewbacca · Post by **CaptainChewbacca** » 2007-10-26 02:00pm

Enforcer Talen wrote:I think the way he's been playing the election system has been absolutely hilarious.

Really shows what the system has turned into.

He's definitely setting a good deal of precedents, and I'm sure his campaign will be examined by future generations of political analysts.