Sigh. See below:
S.C. Dems reject Colbert candidacy
By: Kenneth P. Vogel
Nov 1, 2007 02:36 PM EST
Updated: November 1, 2007 03:16 PM ESTStephen Colbert’s satirical run for the presidency has run into its first roadblock – his bid to be on the ballot in the South Carolina Democratic presidential primary was rejected on Thursday.
The party’s executive council voted 14 to 3 to refuse Colbert’s application for a spot on the ballot.
“The general sense of the council was that he wasn’t a serious candidate and that was why he wasn’t selected to be on the ballot,” said Joe Werner, the party’s director. “There was discussion — I wouldn’t call it a heated debate — but there was discussion about it.”
There is no appeal process, Werner said, adding that the party will certify its ballot as final later Thursday with the South Carolina State Election Commission.
The Democrats had to decide whether they considered Colbert to be a bona fide Democrat who is nationally viable and has spent time campaigning in the state.
A South Carolina-based lawyer who was working to get Colbert’s name on the Democratic ballot could not immediately be reached for comment, nor could members of the executive council that made the decision.
Colbert could still run as an independent in the general election, though he’d have to collect 10,000 signatures to get on the ballot, said Chris Whitmire, a spokesman for the State Election Commission.
I get it, South Carolina Dems; I really do. But given your approval of candidates like Mike Gravel (how is he “viable,” I ask you?), I find your unwillingness to welcome Stephen a pretty bitter pill to swallow.
Two words for the 14 members who voted against allowing Stephen onto the ballot: party poopers.
CORRECTION: Evidently, the vote was 13-3 against Stephen. Darn you, Politico, for making me wish an undeserving person ill!
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.
;_;
this sucks.
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Aww, that blows…
So do they keep his $2500 too!?
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Awwww, COME ON! This week just gets worse and worse.
Though you know Stephen’s going to turn the whole thing in some new direction none of us expect. At least, I hope he does… and he’s still got Huckabee’s promise!
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This sucks big time. Like you said Gravel is viable? REALLY!?
From a PR standpoint this loses a lot of free publicity for the Dems who would stand to benefit from the Colbert bump. It also alienates some college aged voters – way to go SC Dems – a twofer! ;(
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I’m thinking about what he’s said in the past about being snubbed by the AP and his character’s persecution complex, so this can only be fodder for his new career as a “rejected” candidate. It would have been nice if they could have played along, but I’m sure the $20,000 was a big consideration. Can he be a write-in in the primary?? Can’t wait to see what he does with it.
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Oh, thank G-d.
Stephen’s so much funnier when thwarted.
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I agree that Stephen’s hilarious when he fails, but it would’ve been entertaining to follow his campaign during the strike. Argh.
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@lincognocity
lol, you do have a point :-)
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Well, I guess he can do a “Who’s Not Honoring Me Now” segment. Personally, I’m totally bummed about it. He would have brought more people to the Dem. party. I can picture the “discussion” about it now: probably that guy, Ware?, Wise?, got up and restated over his dead body would Colbert be on the ballot.
Way to go SC. I’ll never buy your peaches again, never mind the shrimp!
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Haha, the ending of the article makes it seem like it would really be hard for Stephen to get 10,000 signatures. Let’s be serious.
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My first thought was that he could mine this for comedy gold for weeks to come. Then I remembered that the strike is probably going to happen, and it might be weeks before there’s another new show (besides tonight’s), and by then it won’t matter. So basically, everybody loses. Sigh.
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Even if the Democratic Executive Council agreed to place SC on the ballot, they had to consider the next stage of the electoral process (beside the $20K it would cost them): how would Stephen try to distinguish himself from the rest of the Dem Presidential hopefuls to win votes?
The Democratic Party surely doesn’t want Colbert lampooning the Party and its candidates any more than he does now. I believe this is why FOX has been so relatively easy-going (polls indicating he had a chance among voters, etc.) about a Colbert run: his competition would be other Democrats, not the Republicans. Additionally, it would supply FOX and other like-minded “news and commentary” sources with endless material for sarcasm and derision of the Party and its voters. Who wants to hear, “Even Stephen Colbert had this to say about the absurdity of Clinton/Obama/Edwards…”?
I don’t, at least.
The rational side of me having had its say, I can understand the disappointment of Colbert’s supporters and (probably) the press corps. I have no idea where SC will go with this now; my concern (after last night’s WORD) is that he’ll ask himself, WWBD?
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Awww… Boooo!! to the SC Dems. Ms. I got it right, they’re all a bunch of party poopers. At least Stephen will make his rejection funny. Assuming he even gets the chance to do that, given the impending strike.
Does this mean my Colbert ’08 shirt is obsolete now? I just got it and I haven’t even had a chance to wear it yet!
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Shame on you, SC Dems!
And you call yourself Americans…
There’s nothing more American than Stephen Colbert — this just goes to show that he is not, in face, SC’s Favorite Son.
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Ann G., where did you get your Colbert ’08 shirt? I want one anyway.
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Senator Edwards would do well to write a very publicized letter to the SC Dems right now “demanding” they reconsider their rejection of Stephen Colbert’s candidacy. Although it surely wouldn’t get Colbert on the ballot, it would most definitely give Edwards a HUGE Colbert bump.
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I’m so disappointed in them. They’re acting like he’s a huge threat to the Presidency, and he’s not. He’s just having some fun. I highly doubt he’d win the Presidency anyway. I mean, we’re a huge demographic, but I can’t believe we’re THAT huge. They sound like a bunch of douchbags down there. :’(
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Actually I’m kind of relieved. For one thing, I thought Stephen seemed kind of exhausted on Monday and Tuesday, possibly due to running around in S.C. the previous weekend–I feel kind of guilty laughing at someone who’s killing themselves to make me laugh. I hope he takes the stike period to get some rest.
I also agree that his satire will be sharper now that his character has been faced with this affront. Evidently his strategy running as a ‘favorite son’ was to talk up S.C.’s shrimp and peaches. I’d rather hear him light into both Reps and Dems with a *vengence* now. I can’t wait.
As for the criteria used to exclude him: sounds like the idea was one had to be either serious (Gravel, Kucinich) or viable (in the front of the pack), and they deemed Stephen neither.
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This decision actually pissed me off more than the writer’s strike even. :(
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Ah that sucks. I’m sure The Colbert Report will get around in somehow. And if not, I think Stephen running as an independant might actually be funnier! I can imagine him creating his own party with an awesome name, slogan and manifesto :D
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@jentaps: Cafepress.com. Just do a search on “Colbert,” and you’ll get lots of choices.
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From the BBC:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/7074694.stm
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