Presidential candidacy not a laughing matter
Robert Leslie, Editor-in-Chief
November 7, 2007
Stephen Colbert (pronounced KOHL-behr) is a name people have been hearing a lot lately. The comedian has his own show on Comedy Central, "The Colbert Report," and he recently published a book titled "I Am America (And So Can You!)." However, what's been drawing headlines most recently is his announcement that he intends to run for President of the United States. Now, this alone is not really enough to justify that the story has been picked up by "The New York Times," "The Washington Post," and many other prestigious news organizations. It sounds too much like a recycled joke or the plot for a lame Robin Williams film. What's drawn publicity and added validity to his "campaign" is his Facebook group. That's right, his Facebook group.
The information for the Facebook group "1,000,000 Strong For Stephen T Colbert" claims that it is the fastest growing group ever. It now has 1.3 million members. This sudden and rapid response from Facebook users has drawn media coverage from all over the nation, despite the ludicrous nature of Colbert's joke. He has announced that he will be running on both the Democratic and Republican ballot so that he can lose twice. In addition, he will only be running in his home state of South Carolina. Judging from the constant stream of news stories on this practical joke it looks like Colbert intends to follow through and file to get his name on the ballot. The media coverage has also spawned a variety of polls pitting Colbert against more substantial candidates such as Hilary Clinton or Barack Obama. This has resulted in ridiculous predictions that Colbert could actually have a chance at sweeping the White House.
No doubt this situation deserves some recognition from the press. Stephen Colbert is well known and his surprising online support is worth noting...like maybe a Post-it note. If Colbert really does run in the state of South Carolina, the only way he could win the election would be to win the electoral votes he needs by write-in votes.
How many people, even those who have joined Colbert's Facebook group, will actually going to vote for him come November 2008? The truth is that this is not a campaign; it is a farce. Unlike Colbert's show, however, he is not really making any good point. When Colbert cracks jokes about President Bush, a member of his administration, or a political candidate, he helps viewers see some of the problems with their actions or statements. In this, Colbert is only lampooning the presidential election.
Although he will never win, how many people will still waste their votes on a joking Presidential candidate? Millions of people vote for independent candidates that will not win each year, but by doing so they make a point. By taking away votes from the Republican and Democratic parties, they force them to change to match the changing face of America and what Americans want. Colbert's antics will be pointless and meaningless. How many more will take the upcoming election less seriously because of what Colbert is doing?
If Colbert's point is that we should not take it seriously, he is dead wrong. According to a CNN/Opinion Research Poll published Oct. 26, President Bush's approval rating stands at 24 percent. What this country needs right now is a President seeking change, someone it can stand behind. For that to happen, Americans need to be invested in the election, know the candidates and what they stand for, and make their voice be heard. At the very least, Colbert is taking up a lot of media coverage that really belongs to the true presidential candidates, which is keeping real information from reaching the public.
In this regard, we cannot place all of the blame on Stephen Colbert. Had Facebook users and the media not picked up the story and thrown him their support, this might not have gone past an on-air joke. The problem is that Colbert's actions are what sells news. It is different, unexpected, and novel. This is also why the polls show what I believe to be groundless support for Colbert and why his Facebook group has seen such success. The vast majority of these supporters just want to get in on the next new thing.
Colbert has some important points to make on his show. Let me repeat that last part: on his show. His foray into the real world of politics is confusing things and diverting attention away from what truly matters. His joke has ceased to be funny.