The Colbert Campaign

My colleague Josh Green has taken a detailed and un-satirical look at campaign tactics Steven Colbert should employ in South Carolina if he really wants to pick up a delegate or three with his PR-stunt presidential campaign:

In the Democratic primary, Colbert’s best bet is the Second District, which encompasses most of the capital city of Columbia, and, more important, has the highest concentration of college students. Though it’s less Democratic than the Sixth District, it has a far higher proportion of white voters, which, in a Democratic primary, is exactly who Colbert needs to target. Even better, Columbia is its own media market. Colbert probably won’t have Obama-like fundraising prowess. But an Internet campaign ought to be able to raise enough cash to run a few well-targeted ads (here again the drunken-college-student demographic could prove valuable).

In this context, though, a Colbert race is probably objectively pro-Hillary, since his most likely supporters are going to be people whose votes Obama needs.

Comments

I haven't been following this story, so I was honestly shocked to learn indirectly, via this blog post, that he's not running as a Republican. Wouldn't that make a ton more sense? It seems to me the only point of a Colbert candidacy would be to worm his way into a GOP debate, but I guess that's wishful thinking.

Posted by Bill | October 22, 2007 11:39 AM

Is Jesus's General a Democrat now as well?

Posted by theCoach | October 22, 2007 11:55 AM

He's running in both the Democratic and Republican primaries. Gotta maintain that bipartisan edge.

Posted by mad6798j | October 22, 2007 12:03 PM

How do you know he's running as a Democrat? I never considered that he'd be anything but a Republican.

Posted by eriks | October 22, 2007 12:04 PM

I think that a lot of people who like Obama like him a lot. They won't throw away their votes for Colbert, as funny as he is.

Also, Colbert is running as both a Democrat and a Republican

Posted by Neil | October 22, 2007 12:07 PM

At first, I figured this would distress the anti-Hillary crowd quite a bit, but then it hit me: if he gets any appreciable number of votes, what we're really seeing is not so much a pro-Hillary act as a demonstration that Americans' attitude toward politics is deeply poisoned.

Who in their right mind would vote for this guy? Only someone who believed that electoral politics really deserves to be treated like a joke. But given the overwhelming badness of the American primary system, could any of us blame them for thinking this?

Posted by jhupp | October 22, 2007 12:08 PM

As an Obama supporter, I'd like to think that potential Colbert votes would come from those who aren't likely to vote otherwise. However, driving to work this morning (in Charleston, SC), I was behind a car with two bumper stickers: (1) Obama 2008, and (2) Stewart/Colbert 2008. Not an encouraging sign (from my POV, as much as I love Colbert).

I imagine much will depend on Obama's viability when SC has an opportunity to vote. If Hillary has begun to run away with it by Jan. 29(?), some of Obama's supporters may give Colbert the votes he needs for a delegate. Some support for Colbert could come from Edwards' supporters as well.

Colbert could also do well in Charleston, in addition to Columbia (as well as Greenville and Clemson). He grew up here, his mom still lives here, and there is a significant college population in Charleston (College of Charleston and the Citadel). In addition, I think he will be recording a show in Charleston in the near future (I can't confirm this, but that's the word).

Posted by David Watkins | October 22, 2007 12:09 PM

Sure he's running as both, but how many Republicans are likely to vote for him? Lots of Republicans are unhappy with they're choices, but somehow I doubt they're Colbert fans.

Posted by KCinDC | October 22, 2007 12:10 PM

I guess I didn't know you could run both as a Democrat and a Republican.

Posted by Bill | October 22, 2007 12:10 PM

Also, I think the reason Colbert is trying to appear on the Democratic ballot is that delegates are awarded proportionately in the dem primary, while the republican primary is all or nothing (I think that's what Colbert said on MTP, but I may be wrong.)

Posted by David Watkins | October 22, 2007 12:15 PM

I think he's running in both mainly to stay in character. Bill O'reilly, his main inspiration always claims he's an independant despite having been a registered Republican until someone found out.

Posted by mad6798j | October 22, 2007 12:50 PM

"But an Internet campaign ought to be able to raise enough cash to run a few well-targeted ads"

I thought all the money that's being raised only goes to Colbert's campaign symbolically, that it's actually all being given to different charity. Indeed, I thought that was the whole point of his running? That is, beyond it being great material.

Posted by rachel | October 22, 2007 12:50 PM

"Sure he's running as both, but how many Republicans are likely to vote for him? Lots of Republicans are unhappy with they're choices, but somehow I doubt they're Colbert fans."

I imagine he could eat into what little support Ron Paul has. I don't imagine he'll get many votes though.

Posted by Jayhawk Max | October 22, 2007 1:50 PM

If I were Colbert's campaign manager, I'd pursue the Columbia strategy by blanketing the USC campus, the Five Points area, and the Shandon neighborhood with posters and flyers.

Posted by low-tech cyclist | October 22, 2007 1:57 PM

"PR-stunt presidential campaign"

I don't think you get it - you're too young. It's much more akin to a Yippie stunt than a PR stunt.

I guess the moral is: Don't trust anyone under 30.

Posted by dogfacegeorge | October 22, 2007 2:54 PM

Colbert is actually polling ahead of Richardson nationally. Wow.

http://blog.washingtonpost.com/thefix/2007/10/the_colbert_effect.html

Posted by David Watkins | October 22, 2007 4:56 PM

Have any of you considered that if Colbert were seriously going to file as a candidate, he'd have to give up his day job?

Last I checked, you can't have a national radio or TV platform and run for political office.

Posted by Jinchi | October 22, 2007 6:54 PM

Democratic Party rules stipulate that Colbert can't run in both primaries.

Posted by Stine | October 22, 2007 7:46 PM

Yes, I believe one article said he'd have problems running under the Democratic rules, but the Republicans weren't sure they had any rules that could prevent him from running as a Republican (Republicans having no rules in an election, gee, what a surprise...)

Colbert's real problem is...General Zod.

Zod does not take opposition lightly.

If Colbert does not "kneel before Zod", the Comedy Channel may be looking for a new comedian soon...

I'm told Ursa has already been put on the case...

Posted by Richard Steven Hack | October 23, 2007 12:56 AM

College kids, if registered at all, are registered in their home town. If they were to vote in a primary, which they won't, it would not be in a district that includes their college since they are not registered there (unless it is a college with a large local population of course). Targeting college students in a primary then is a losing strategy. Targeting drunk college students is even dumber as they are too hung over to get to the polling place.

Posted by Patrick | October 23, 2007 10:35 AM

College kids, if registered at all, are registered in their home town.

Having gone to college myself, I can tell you that simply isn't true.

College students have the right to register according to their primary residence. For a lot of them, that's the town they go to school in.

Posted by Jinchi | October 23, 2007 11:58 AM

well, the campaign would initially have a pro-Hillary effect, maybe. but Colbert's plainly stated intention to influence the convention by holding onto at least one delegate may very well be a very anti-Hillary plan...

Posted by onceler | October 23, 2007 1:03 PM