Recently, Stephen Colbert announced that he would run for president in South Carolina. He will run as both a Republican and a Democrat, so he can “lose twice.” Colbert said that he is running for office to satire what has become of the American presidential election.

Colbert admitted that he cannot win the office of president. He does not have the funds or the support to even have an outside shot.

However, what he does have is popularity with an under-represented demographic, college students and a vehicle to get his message out, “The Colbert Report.”

Colbert is no stranger to satire, he has satirized closed-minded pundits for the last two years. But now he takes on a bigger target.

To begin, he released a book titled “I am America, and So Can You.” While this title is meant to satire the views of the ultra-polarized, it also points out a new trend in presidential politics: the book. If people take a trip to the local bookstore and peruse the “Current Affairs” section, they can quickly see their current presidential candidates on the covers of new hardbacks. Hillary Rodham Clinton, Mitt Romney and Rudy Giuliani each have books for sale that they have written. Barrack Obama has two books.

The book has become a new way of swaying the middle-class voter, of presenting the candidates in a positive and idealistic light. While this is the first election to have so many candidates publishing their personal memoirs, it has been done before. Franklin Pierce had his personal friend, Nathaniel Hawthorne, write a somewhat embellished book about Pierce’s life in the run up to the 1852 presidential election.

Colbert also satirizes the trend of the issue candidate. Many of the candidates currently in contention have no chance of winning a party nomination. Previous candidates such as Ross Perot and Ralph Nader have served as issue candidates, to bring up issues that neither the Republican nor the Democrat parties will.

Colbert has also mocked the characteristic coyness of so many presidential candidates, such as Fred Thompson, who were reticent to announce their candidacy. Without prompting, Colbert had said that he is was a potential presidential bid.

Finally, Colbert may satirize the most common trend in the American presidential race, political close-mindedness. Running as both a Republican and Democrat allows Colbert to critique a Republican party comprised of hard liners, running mostly on War on Terror credentials, and a Democratic Party with leaders who are just as hard line, and who compete with each other to be the most “anti-Iraq War.”

The character of Stephen Colbert, that Stephen Colbert and Comedy Central have created, will enter into the 2008 Presidential election with characteristic brashness, and will disarm many of his “rivals.”

Colbert Nation will rally behind their candidate, and Colbertmania will potentially sweep the nation. Will Colbert even win in South Carolina? Unlikely. But will he succeed in making us think seriously about how close his fiction is to the other candidates fact? Most definitely.

Colbert’s satire is so well-received because his rhetoric mimics that of current politicians and pundits. While his intent is comedy, he does force us to reconsider what our political landscape looks like.

Many may contend that Colbert will make a farce of the election, but one might argue that the “serious” candidates are already doing the same thing.

The Colbert Nation consists of a large portion of college students.

This demographic is all but ignored by the political candidates. Despite gestures such as “Rock the Vote,” This demographic is of little concern to presidential candidates because of our lack of formal political activity. Colbert is the one candidate whose base lies primarily among college students.

One should hope that with Colbert running for president, he will cause many of people to become politically involved, and therefore force the other candidates to vie for their support.

Colbertmania may not sweep the nation, but maybe Colbert’s candidacy can help everyone receive greater representation from more realistic candidates.

Staff: - 10/31/07