This Cracks Me Up

When I landed that world-exclusive interview with Stephen Colbert about his presidential bid, I figured the whole effort was more about getting laughs than votes.

D'oh!

Not only was the guy on "Meet the Press" Sunday, but some pundits are openly debating how many votes he'll get in South Carolina.

As Jake Tapper put it on ABC's "World News" (!), Colbert is the only presidential candidate who knows he looks ridiculous. Maybe he will appeal to those who find politics a theater of the absurd.

What does Colbert stand for? He's running on both the Democratic and Republican lines. When I asked him, he sung the praises of South Carolina peaches and shrimp and went negative on John Edwards (for moving out of the state when he was a year old). When I impudently observed that he hasn't lived in the Palmetto State for years, Colbert retorted that he still vacations there and that his wife is a native. We'll have to see whether any broader themes emerge if Colbert actually hits the hustings (as opposed to running from a Manhattan studio).

Meanwhile, the Atlantic's Josh Green called up actual experts and produced a detailed evaluation of the man's chances. On the Democratic side, Green writes, not so much. "Colbert might fare better in the Republican primary. According to one presidential advisor, the South Carolina Republican electorate is 'monolithically white, much more male than female, and younger' than the Democratic electorate--all good news for Colbert. As a rule of thumb, younger voters tend to be more liberal than older voters. But in South Carolina, younger voters are more conservative than their counterparts elsewhere. Factor in 'Reaganiness,' and things could really get interesting.

"The next question is: Which presidential candidates might be threatened by a Colbert candidacy? The obvious group is second-tier competitors, because if Colbert runs more than a 'front-porch' campaign--if he actually shows up and holds a few rallies--he'll suck up the media buzz any laggard needs to break through . . .

"I can't point to anything other than truthiness, but I believe the 'drunken college student' demographic is being overlooked."

Never underestimate the Heineken vote!

Not everyone is laughing about the newest candidate. HuffPost's John Seery admits he's no fan:

"I cringe at Stephen Colbert's buffoonish entry into the presidential arena, tongue-in-cheek though it may be.

"Previous comedians who pretended to throw their hats into the U.S. presidential ring seemed to do so, I want to say, in order to make a larger point, in addition to providing giggles along the way. Pat Paulsen (who ran in 1968, 1972, 1980, 1988, 1992, and 1996) reminded us that speechifying politicos can be bombastic, bumbling, soporific and tone-deaf-lessons that Michael Dukakis, Al Gore, and John Kerry should have taken to heart. Wavy Gravy, in his cross-country 'Nobody for President' campaign (in 1976, 1980, and 1984), gave humorous voice and a protest alternative to the frustration many citizens felt and still feel about our national politics, namely that few candidates of genuine worth offering genuine alternatives seem to be showing up on our ballots.