Reaction
Colbert's campaign has been likened to the plot of the film Man of the Year, in which Robin Williams plays a comedian who runs for president, but more to comedian Pat Paulsen, who received over 200,000 votes when he ran in 1968 as a result of dissatisfaction with the current candidates at that time. While Colbert's motivation remains unclear, his campaign to "bring truthiness to the '08 race" remained popular.
Colbert's candidacy had met mixed reviews, and the growing realization that Colbert may be serious about his candidacy raised the ire of the American political and media establishment. When the Public Opinion Strategies poll put Colbert ahead of Bill Richardson, Richardson's spokesman responded: "This is a serious election with serious consequences and we are not going to comment on this ridiculous exercise". Katon Dawson, South Carolina's Republican party chairman believed Colbert would be better off using the $35,000 entrance fee to "buy a sports car and get a girlfriend". The high polling gave way to what New York called a "Stephen Colbert Backlash", as bloggers criticized Colbert for verging into legitimate political territory, asserting that he had "crossed the line from lampooning the process to actively messing it up." Republican candidate John McCain gave a more positive view, stating that he hoped Colbert would join the Republican party's debates. "He can make them livelier and he can reach a wider audience than that narrow little sliver that watches his show." In conversation with ABC News, Fox News commentator and template for Stephen Colbert's The Colbert Report persona Bill O'Reilly dismissed Colbert's run as a publicity stunt for his book, I Am America. O'Reilly also called Colbert out for not going on the O'Reilly Factor to discuss the book: "He knows the book is dumb, so he's not going to come in. Instead, he runs for president." Sam Brownback's October 19, 2007 withdrawal from the race was humorously attributed by some to competition from the comedian, but others took Colbert's challenge to Brownback's run more seriously. As one reporter for The Atlantic wrote, "Sam Brownback may cite other reasons for dropping out today, but Colbert’s plan to run in South Carolina wouldn’t have made his job there any easier."
Democratic candidate Barack Obama jokingly questioned the authenticity of Colbert's "native son" posturing: "I don't get much of an accent. If he's from South Carolina, he wasn't really down-home South Carolina — that's my impression. I can't picture Stephen eating grits, but who knows?" Colbert promptly ate several bowls of grits on the next night's show. Carol Fowler, the S.C. Democratic Party chairwoman, stated that Colbert's long absence from the state following his leave for college might backfire on him. The scheme might not work against the other candidates anyways. "By primary day, they’ll all be claiming to be from here," she said.
In the 2009 animated film Monsters vs. Aliens, Colbert was chosen to provide the voice of the President of the United States.
Comedy Central's Indecision 2008 coverage during election night, a program which featured both Jon Stewart and Colbert reporting on election results, referenced his failed South Carolina campaign. Upon announcing the results of the election in South Carolina, a state won by John McCain, Colbert's portrait was featured next to the two candidates, framed by Doritos chips.
Read more about this topic: Stephen Colbert Presidential Campaign, 2008
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