FEC Holds Colbert to Same Standards as all Candidates

An article published on thehill.com by Bill Press has revealed that the Federal Election Committee will hold TV personality, Stephen Colbert, and now 2008 “Presidential Candidate” to the same regulatory standard of sponsorship and media affiliation as the other candidates. “If Fred Thompson had to give up ‘Law and Order,’ Colbert has to give up ‘The Colbert Report.’”

Colbert grew in South Carolina, and announced on his Comedy Channel program that he is running for President on both the Republican and Democratic tickets. According to the New York Post, Colbert was unaware at the time of the cost involved in such a stunt. Under South Carolina state election laws, anyone is eligible to appear on the ticket, if they can afford it - $35,000 for Republicans and $2,500 for Democrats.

What effect will a comedian have on the election? There is already discussion of a possible “Colbert Effect”, with a Washington Post blog reporting that in a Public Opinion Strategies poll (a Republican polling firm), Colbert was ahead with 2.3% of the Democratic vote which places him ahead of Bill Richardson (2.1%), Rep. Dennis Kucinich (2.1%) and former Alaska Senator Mike Gravel (< 1.0%). With this being the case, let it be known that the margin of error for this poll is 5%.

Anton E. Helmke, C’08