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Obviously Colbert's run and the South Carolina primary are now over, but if you'd like to keep up with my other blog, please visit Sarkozy the American.

Colbert in Williamsburg runoff, KFC President

The Washington Post reports that Stephen Colbert is involved in a three-way-tie in a local race for a seat on the Colonial Soil and Water Conservation District Board in Williamsburg, VA.

His base of support in the historic cradle of democracy? Three voters.

On Nov. 6, voters went to the polls to fill Williamsburg's two seats on the 12-member board, which allocates government funds earmarked for environmental preservation.

The race's declared candidate, Gregory Hancock, took one seat. The other seat, uncontested, ended in a tie of three votes each among three write-in candidates: two College of William and Mary students, and the famed host of "The Colbert Report," who this month dropped his efforts to run as a presidential candidate in the South Carolina primary after the Democratic Party denied his application.

The actual winner will now be drawn from a hat, and if Colbert is chosen, he will have the opportunity to establish residency and take the position. And considering he is currently out of the job, that might not be so bad. Unlike the very undemocratic Democratic Party in SC, Williamsburg Voter Registrar Win Sowder is not hiding his enthusiasm:

"It's pretty funny, actually," said Sowder, who added that it was originally thought Colbert would be ineligible, but that a Virginia State Board of Elections official told her Colbert would have to be given a chance if his name was picked.

"I think he would be afforded the opportunity to come here and establish a residency if he chose, from what I understand," she said.

Colonel Colbert
In other news, TMZ reports that Colbert might soon be challenging Colonel Sanders:

In an open letter to the semi-fictional right wing political pundit funnyman, the restaurant chain has extended an offer to Colbert to serve as KFC President for a day -- "no ballot, election or voting required."

Husband of SC Democratic leader against Colbert

According to the NY Times, the husband of South Carolina's Democratic chairwoman Carol Fowler, who was himself the former chairman of the Democratic National Committee, lobbied strongly against Colbert's bid to be on the SC Democratic primary ballot:

Mr. Fowler distributed a letter to council members saying that Mr. Colbert “seeks to make a travesty of our primary.” In his letter, he raised the specter of the 2000 presidential campaign, saying that if Ralph Nader had not drained votes from Al Gore, Mr. Gore could have been president.

Mr. Fowler said in an interview that he had heard some concerns expressed by Obama supporters that Mr. Colbert might siphon young voters away from Mr. Colbert, but that was not his motive in urging the council to say no to Mr. Colbert.

“I am conscious of the fact that the Obama people are concerned about the potential effect, but that in no sense was the reason that I wrote that letter,” he said. Rather, he said, he wanted an orderly process. “For somebody to make light of that process as if it were his own little play toy, that is offensive,” he said. “We would be the laughing stock of America. Electing the president is serious business.”

In other news, The Hollywood Reporter is reporting that the much heralded and criticized Doritios campaign sponsorship actually involved no money at all:

he concept of the Doritos sponsorship came from Colbert and was arranged with the brand through its media agency OMD.

According to sources, Doritos and Comedy Central realized that it was illegal for the PepsiCo-owned brand to sponsor an election bid -- whether it was a mock campaign or not -- and no money changed hands as a result, nor was any official deal made or contract signed.

Obama supporters stopped Colbert's SC candidacy

CNN is reporting that supporters of Barack Obama campaigned to keep Stephen Colbert off of South Carolina's Democratic primary ballot:

At least one member of the executive council, who requested anonymity, told CNN he felt "pressured" by former State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum to oppose Colbert from being placed on the ballot.

Tenenbaum is a high-profile supporter of Obama. Her endorsement of Obama in April was touted by the campaign, and she has appeared at several Obama campaign events..."She said it wouldn't be fair to the other candidates. That he [Colbert] wouldn't be sincere. That he was only running in one state," said the executive council official.

The official added: "The Obama people, they just didn't want him at all."

And more:

Another Obama endorser who regularly appears at campaign events, state Rep. Bakari Sellers, also made phone calls to members of the party's executive council about Colbert, according to Sellers.

"I placed the calls as a concerned Democrat, realizing that we are a country in despair," Sellers told CNN. "It is not a time for games or to make a mockery of the process."

Tenenbaum also defended her calls, saying that she only "called them to see what they were thinking, and if they had made up their mind." In any case, the actual Obama campaign denies having any connection to the actions of these two SC supporters. These supporters might have had the best of intentions, but they certainly didn't think of the possible consequences.

Colbert releases presidential statement

Stephen Colbert has released a statement today, considering he won't have a new show tonight:

"Although I lost by the slimmest margin in presidential election history - only 10 votes - I have chosen not to put the country through another agonizing Supreme Court battle. It is time for this nation to heal.

I want to say to my supporters, this is not over. While I may accept the decision of the Council, the fight goes on! The dream endures! ... And I am going off the air until I can talk about this without weeping."

Colbert misses NH deadline

Yesterday was the deadline to sign up for the New Hampshire Democratic primary ballot, and despite many rumors, Stephen Colbert did not show up:

Speculation that comedian Stephen Colbert might make a last-minute appearance flew throughout the day yesterday. That's because on Thursday, South Carolina Democratic party officials blocked the would-be candidate from the ballot, saying he wasn't a serious candidate.

New Hampshire has no such requirement.

And compared to the very undemocratic Democratic council in SC, NH Secretary of State Bill Gardner had open arms:

Gardner said he doesn't see the many fringe candidates as mocking the process. "For me, it's like the principle of sometimes you let a guilty person go free because you want to protect the rights of the innocent," Gardner said.

At stake is the notion that anyone can grow up to be president, Gardner said.

"I like the feeling of regular people saying that this is their chance and they want to try," he said.

Calling Campaign for Colbert

The new site Colbert for South Carolina is trying to start a calling campaign against the South Carolina Democratic Party that will carry out 10,000 calls in just 10 days:

Sources tell us even a 1000 calls is considered a successful calling campaign, so imagine the response to 10,000 calls!   Stand up for truthiness and justice for all and pick up the phone today!

And the info:
South Carolina Democratic Party
Office: 803-799-7798
Toll-Free: 800-841-1817
info@scdp.org