The Voting Booth | Colbert Report more than a gimmick in 2008 elections

Allison Good Columnist

This is the 12th article that I’ve written for The Voting Booth, and I have yet to mention the most influential character in the 2008 race. You may know him: He loves eagles, pokes fun at Democrats and was a one-time presidential candidate. To him, Bill O'Reilly is “Papa Bear,” and he insults Washington like nobody’s business.

He targets anyone and everyone, but his one-raised-eyebrow facial expression never fails to entertain. I’m talking about our favorite conservative pundit Stephen T. Colbert (silent “t” on the Colbert). Whether you like it or not, he has a profound effect on the election. He has done everything from attempting to run in the South Carolina primary to hosting presidental candidates on his late-night “news” show, The Colbert Report.

Of course, Colbert’s failed South Carolina run was an outrageous and very Colbert-esque gimmick. Anyone can file for the Democratic or Republican ticket in any state, but fees run in the thousands. Although Colbert paid the $2,500 fee to file for the Democratic ballot, the party’s executives voted against allowing him on the ballot for the Jan. 26 primary. Colbert, who only wanted to run for President, and not actually be President, also intended to run on the Republican ballot for the party’s Jan. 19 primary.

Colbert is a comedian who genuinely loves to entertain. He never seems to step out of character, even when he appears at benefits or on other late night television shows. The cult of the “Colbert Nation” has enveloped America and “Stewart/Colbert 2008” merchandise has made its way into the mainstream market.

But Colbert himself is not just a gimmick. By drawing attention to his character on a regular basis, even for comments that some find appalling, he has created a niche for himself that encourages a certain hype about the candidates and the election itself. Colbert’s dealings in South Carolina even resulted in a Facebook group entitled “1,000,000 Strong for Stephen T. Colbert.”
A true pop culture icon, Colbert hosts important celebrity guests on each show. Sometimes, he uses sarcasm and irony to induce a response that shows his support, as he did with Michelle Obama.

“Everyone knows you and your husband are elitists. Tell me about your elite upbringing on the South Side of Chicago. How many silver spoons in your mouth?” Colbert asked. Michelle answered, “We had four spoons...and then my father got a raise at the plant and we had five spoons.”

Even though Comedy Central is a comedy network, this interview is a serious political commentary on name-calling in elections, and Michelle's naturally sarcastic tone was perfect for Colbert’s question. Colbert also gave Obama a platform to talk about political analysts’ mistaken assumption that independent women are supporting Hillary Clinton. Then, political commentary aside, Colbert later serenaded his guest with Nat King Cole’s “L-O-V-E.”

For those tired of watching CNN or other major news networks, Colbert’s show is perfect. It certainly requires some knowledge of current events, and Colbert may not appeal to every viewer.

But the fed-up, liberal/moderate demographic sees something in Colbert. His ratings, as well as the ear-splitting screams of his live studio audience, prove that viewers are thoroughly entertained.

Combining smarts with humor and blatant criticism, Colbert has profoundly affected this election.

Young viewers of high school and college ages, including myself, look to Colbert for a certain type of commentary that newspapers and news broadcasts are missing. By solidifying his character, Colbert ensures that his name is on the tip of everyone’s tongue and that he receives press coverage for his antics. Recently, CNN has written several articles about his week-long broadcast from Philadelphia that coincides with the Pennsylvania primary.

The niche that Colbert has carved for himself in the political sphere is unique; never before has a comedian been at the forefront of a presidential election. Maybe someday Colbert really will run for president—something that I am certainly not opposed to. But in the meantime he is entertaining Americans and, more importantly, educating them.

—Allison Good ’11 is writing a weekly column about American politics, focusing on the 2008 presidential election and the primary process.