Colbert political ads mock Iowa straw poll

Saturday, August 13, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) — Stephen Colbert’s latest attempt at campaign mischief-making involves encouraging Iowans to write in a false name during the weekend’s presidential straw poll.

Colbert plays a mock political talk host on his Comedy Central show. He asked voters in Iowa’s Saturday Republican straw poll to write in “Rick Parry” with an “a” as opposed to Texas Gov. Rick Perry, who spells his name with an “e.”

The NBC and CBS affiliates in Des Moines ran two ads produced by Colbert’s political action committee. But the ABC affiliate rejected an ad because it says it would confuse voters.

Colbert formed a “super PAC” this year and won approval from the Federal Election Commission to begin taking contributions. He tried to run as a Democrat in 2008 in South Carolina but was kept off the ballot.

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tonto 1 year, 9 months ago

Wait a minute!! The ABC television network refused a political ad because it might confuse voters? Pardon me, but isn't that the whole objective of political ads? Don't politicians spend lots of money trying to convince people to ignore their actual records and vote for them because of some emotionally appealing sound bite? Next thing maybe they will try to eliminate "The Onion" as a source of bogus but entertaining news articles.

By the way, the secret code to post this wessage was just too clever. It had to do with a fictional scary open-forum reference source, like "Wikipedia" only with a couple letters changed. I couldn't make up that kind of stuff if I tried really hard.

spelchek 1 year, 9 months ago

Why is anyone taking Colbert seriously? He's paid not to be taken seriously.

spelchek 1 year, 9 months ago

Did Will Rogers have a political action committee? Or did he stick to what he knew best, comedy/acting/commentary? The questions are rhetorical. I like the Colbert Report for the laughs and that's about it. If you are looking to Colbert for serious political coverage, you are not serious about serious political coverage.

tonto 1 year, 9 months ago

Obviously the ABC affiliate in Des Moines doesn't have a sense of humor either. It would have been more fun if he had run his ad on Fox.

tonto 1 year, 9 months ago

Serious political coverage? What would that be like? Most people look for political coverage that reinforces their prejudices.

I avoid serious political coverage and all other kinds of political coverage. I do not need talking empty heads trying to tell me what to think and how to vote.

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