How Stephen Colbert tried to buy naming rights to the SC Primary

[knapplc]

Once again funnyman Colbert reveals the inner peccadilloes of our political process.

 

 

 

Stephen Colbert offered $400k for South Carolina GOP primary naming rights

 

Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert offered to pay $400,000 to buy the naming rights to South Carolina's upcoming Republican presidential primary—and contrary to earlier reports, he says the state GOP almost took him up on his offer.

In an op-ed published in The State newspaper, Colbert says he contacted state GOP officials earlier this year after the party went public with concerns about how it would finance the upcoming primary election.

 

Party officials told him they needed $400,000—which the comedian, who is from South Carolina, offered to pay via his political committee, the Colbert Super PAC. In exchange, Colbert asked for the right to place his name on the primary as well as the inclusion of a non-binding referendum asking GOP voters to weigh in on whether corporations are people, as Mitt Romney suggested at an Iowa campaign stop earlier this year.

 

"We hammered out a contract over barbecue. Colbert Super PAC would pay up to $400,000 directly to the state and counties to defray the cost of the election," Colbert writes. "In return, the primary's official name would be 'The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary.' This name would appear on all press releases, official notices and signage, including the debates. We would finally raise democracy to the same level as the Tostitos™ Fiesta Bowl and Kardashian™ weddings."

[NUance]

"Stephen Colbert, the private citizen, called out of the clear blue and made an unsolicited offer to help his home state. We were intrigued and met with him, but also wary," Moore told Yahoo News

 

Ha ha! That's how I feel about many things. Intrigued but wary.

[knapplc]

Sounds like the old Soviet cold-war maxim, "Trust - but verify."

[carlfense]

Once again funnyman Colbert reveals the inner peccadilloes of our political process.

 

 

 

Stephen Colbert offered $400k for South Carolina GOP primary naming rights

 

Comedy Central host Stephen Colbert offered to pay $400,000 to buy the naming rights to South Carolina's upcoming Republican presidential primary—and contrary to earlier reports, he says the state GOP almost took him up on his offer.

In an op-ed published in The State newspaper, Colbert says he contacted state GOP officials earlier this year after the party went public with concerns about how it would finance the upcoming primary election.

 

Party officials told him they needed $400,000—which the comedian, who is from South Carolina, offered to pay via his political committee, the Colbert Super PAC. In exchange, Colbert asked for the right to place his name on the primary as well as the inclusion of a non-binding referendum asking GOP voters to weigh in on whether corporations are people, as Mitt Romney suggested at an Iowa campaign stop earlier this year.

 

"We hammered out a contract over barbecue. Colbert Super PAC would pay up to $400,000 directly to the state and counties to defray the cost of the election," Colbert writes. "In return, the primary's official name would be 'The Colbert Super PAC South Carolina Republican Primary.' This name would appear on all press releases, official notices and signage, including the debates. We would finally raise democracy to the same level as the Tostitos™ Fiesta Bowl and Kardashian™ weddings."

Brilliant.

[Hercules]

Amazing

 

 

Colbert SuperPac Ad Endorses Herman Cain

[knapplc]

So he's not on the ballot in SC? I thought that was what the whole show was about last Thursday?

[Sub-Husker]

So he's not on the ballot in SC? I thought that was what the whole show was about last Thursday?

 

He's raising Cain (see above).

[JJ Husker]

It's a pretty sad commentary on our system that a comedian is likely doing more to rectify this superpac deal than any elected or appointed officials can muster in that regard. I hope he keeps pushing this to the extreme.

[Sub-Husker]

It's a pretty sad commentary on our system that a comedian is likely doing more to rectify this superpac deal than any elected or appointed officials can muster in that regard. I hope he keeps pushing this to the extreme.

 

Russ Feingold was doing a good job, until he was defeated by a heavy infusion of corporate money in 2010.

[redblooded]

The Cobert & Stewart stuff from last weekend into this week has been absolutely hilarious. Mitt the Ripper had me rolling last weekend, and the explanations of how super-pacs can be run this week on both programs has been both hilarious and eye-openingly sad.

 

http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/tue-january-17-2012/colbert-super-pac---not-coordinating-with-stephen-colbert

[Hercules]

I love this guy so friggin much. If he can manage his way into just ONE debate with the other candidates, I'll die happy.

 

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/19/colbert-approval-rating-south-carolina-moms_n_1216082.html

[NUance]

Stephen Colbert, Herman Cain Hold Rally In South Carolina

First Posted: 1/20/12 12:59 PM ET Updated: 1/20/12 04:32 PM ET http://www.huffingtonpost.com

 

A mock presidential rally held by a comedian, Stephen Colbert, and an ex-candidate accused of serial sexual harassment, Herman Cain, drew far more attendees than any actual presidential event in this election cycle's South Carolina primary. But for the first time this election, someone theoretically running for president engaged in sustained discussion on the rising influence of money in politics.

 

LINK

 

Watch the video if you have a couple minutes. Classic Colbert!

[huskerjack23]

I love this guy so friggin much. If he can manage his way into just ONE debate with the other candidates, I'll die happy.

 

http://www.huffingto..._n_1216082.html

If he got into one debate, that'd be fantastic. But, what needs to happen is he needs to get to the convention, being neck and neck with the other guy. I honestly believe if he did that, it would expose elections nationally. He'd be an activist on the level of Susan B. Anthony, Cesar Chavez, MLK even. If only he weren't a comedian, his campaign would be taken seriously. But without it, he wouldn't have such a platform to speak from.

 

If he ever got that far, he'd have to drop the act eventually to highlight what it seem's like he's trying to expose.

[Hercules]

I love this guy so friggin much. If he can manage his way into just ONE debate with the other candidates, I'll die happy.

 

http://www.huffingto..._n_1216082.html

If he got into one debate, that'd be fantastic. But, what needs to happen is he needs to get to the convention, being neck and neck with the other guy. I honestly believe if he did that, it would expose elections nationally. He'd be an activist on the level of Susan B. Anthony, Cesar Chavez, MLK even. If only he weren't a comedian, his campaign would be taken seriously. But without it, he wouldn't have such a platform to speak from.

 

If he ever got that far, he'd have to drop the act eventually to highlight what it seem's like he's trying to expose.

 

His candidacy isn't supposed to be taken seriously. That's the whole point. The people who vote for Cain/Colbert in SC (totally would if I could) aren't trying to be serious, they're trying to be subversive.

 

Anyways, he is highlighting what he's trying to expose, which is the corrupt political process and the super pacs in the middle of it all. He's trolling the entire republican primary race. It's so awesome.

 

He doesn't even need to get into the debate to make his point, it would just be awesome to see him on the same stage as those other guys, mocking them and the system and the media and the idiotic voters who have been cheering for the death penalty, all right to their faces. It'd be more hilariously awkward than when he slammed Bush at the White House Correspondents Dinner.

 

He's already made his point though. The people who haven't gotten it by now are morons like NBC's White House Correspondent Chuck Todd who aren't ever going to get the point. Todd yesterday exclaimed, "He's making a mockery of the system!" Duh, Chuck. That's the point.

[Sub-Husker]

IIf only he weren't a comedian, his campaign would be taken seriously. But without it, he wouldn't have such a platform to speak from.

 

Exactly.

 

Airtime costs money, and the media does it's best to shut out third parties and as well as non-standard Democrats and Republicans.