Colbert for President?

Just how messed up is this country? I ask myself this question a lot and as the 2008 presidential election closes in, it becomes clearer. The fields for both parties are already crowded and the in-fighting has been hard to miss. But it was this last week we truly started to get the answer to my question.

A few weeks ago, the RIC Political Science club held a viewing of Man of the Year; a great Robin Williams movie where a host of a Daily Show-like TV program runs for president and wins. At first, it's a crazy idea to even contemplate. But, damn, the system we have now is a joke so why not embrace it?

On Wednesday, October 17, a new age in politics was reached. We were given the chance to embrace that very idea. Stephen Colbert, host of The Colbert Report, announced that he is running for president. Although he says he is only running in South Carolina, it still will give us a great view at just how angry Americans are. Have we gotten to a point were we just decided: "Screw it, I'm voting Colbert?"

But his campaign is not just the joke that many think it is. He has filed paperwork and the petitions are out in South Carolina. He even met with the head of the South Carolina Democratic and Republican Parties. Joe Warner, the head of the Democratic Party there, said, "From what I understand, he does have credible people down here, working to have him placed on the ballot." On top of that, on a Colbert fan site, there are people going to other states trying to get the petition progress started there as well.

There is another point I noticed in his campaign. We are always told that the great thing about America is that anyone can be president. Well, if you are interested and want to run as a Republican, get you check book out. It is $35,000 to get on the ballot of South Carolina alone. What is wrong with this system?

I don't know if Colbert will win or not but the fact that he could, even if just in one state, speaks volumes about just how fed up many people are. So even here in Rhode Island, if you want to make that statement, you can write in Stephen Colbert on your primary ballot next year. And you know what? I'll be doing just that.