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    Jon Stewart (Formerly Colbert) Super PAC Buys Ad Time in South Carolina

    Mocking Super PACs Apparently Became Serious for the Guys at Comedy Central

    By Saul Relative | Yahoo! Contributor Network – Fri, Jan 13, 2012
    This story comes from the Yahoo! Contributor Network, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the world’s most popular websites.
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    COMMENTARY | Stephen Colbert and Jon Stewart, Comedy Central's tag team of late night faux news hosts, non-coordinated a transfer on Thursday night that gave Stewart control of Colbert's political Super PAC. Why? Because politics is serious business, so Colbert could run for president of the United States of South Carolina. And Stewart didn't waste any time non-coordinating with the former head of the Super PAC. As ABC News reported Friday, the Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow has already bought a substantial amount of commercial time in the Charleston, S. C., market.

    According to the report, the now Stewart Super PAC has purchased $10,000 in ad time in Colbert's hometown. There is also a report in the Palmetto Public Record that negotiations are underway for a large airtime buy in Columbia as well.

    In Colbert's continuing mockery of the campaign financing regulations with regard to American elections, he formally transferred control of his Super PAC to Stewart, giving him the power to run political ads for Colbert and against any and all of Colbert's opponents (as long as Stewart and Colbert never coordinated such a strategy). The bit performed on "The Colbert Report" revealed how simple it was to not only transfer the control of the Super PAC but to keep everything in place (as long as there was no coordination between a politician and the Super PAC). With his lawyer, former Federal Election Commission chairman Trevor Potter, witnessing the transaction, the deal was struck -- by signing a single, double-spaced document.

    Still, South Carolinians who are afraid that Colbert (and Stewart) might be going too far in mocking his home state's political process don't have to worry to much, though. Colbert cannot actually get on the South Carolina ballot in the Republican Primary. Republican Party regulations do not allow for write-ins, either.

    But that does not mean his (well, Stewart's) Super PAC cannot make a mockery of both the Republican Primary and its candidates, a group that has been providing comedians and the media with plenty of amusing material on their own. Still, given the negative political ads that have inundated the state in the past week in the run-up to the Primary on Jan. 21, a little levity might be appreciated.

    And if South Carolinians do not know who they can trust among the Republican candidates, at least they can trust Colbert's (Stewart's) Super PAC ads to at least be amusing. Can anyone say that about any Newt Gingrich ad they've seen?

     

    84 comments

    • Independent
      Independent  •  4 mths ago
      They have shown how insane super pacs are to have in the system but most people prefer not to see it.
      • Luckylady200149774
        Luckylady200149774 4 mths ago
        Why is it everyone "gets it", except the republicans?
      • Douglas
        Douglas 4 mths ago
        The GOP do get it, but they are the party by, of and for unbridled greed and lopsided accumulation of wealth, wealth and more wealth.
      • 333
        333 4 mths ago
        ....and religion is BLIND...
    • A Yahoo! User  •  Houston, Texas  •  4 mths ago
      This is the greatest period in history...... to be a comedian. The material is falling like manna from heaven. So far this election cycle we have had Spermin Hermin, John Wayne Gacy has been popular again and Newt says he wants to be the moral compass of America.
      • 333
        333 4 mths ago
        If it only were not true...
    • clay
      clay  •  4 mths ago
      If it were not for Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert. Fox news would have the Kool-Aid character tattoo on every ones forehead! Stewart is the one who blew the whistle on Fox news for using photo shopped Photos of big Tea party rallies that never existed.
    • Angry
      Angry  •  Darien, Connecticut  •  4 mths ago
      How is it possible that the best illustration of how America became a plutocracy comes from comedians? Has everybody else lots its guts (or were they bought out)?
      • Joseph M
        Joseph M 4 mths ago
        They happen to have a better audience than the leading papers have readers.
      • drew g
        drew g 4 mths ago
        I will go with the bought out choice
      • 333
        333 4 mths ago
        The audience is not in control; they are spoon fed by the people who own the media; and they are fed what the media wants to feed them....look at the Ron Paul media coverage. I watched the NBC debate and as soon as Ron Paul mentioned the Fed or Corporate welfare he was IMMEDIATELY cut off and was given far fewer questions than the candidates trailing FAR behind him in the election results and polls. The people are like sheep and they do not know how to think for themselves. Watching this process makes me very sad for America. It's like watching the loss of a loved one during a slow death.
    • David
      David  •  4 mths ago
      I would vote for President Colbert!
      • Andre Jack
        Andre Jack 4 mths ago
        Now lets not get carried away podna.....
      • JediRonbo
        JediRonbo 4 mths ago
        I too would vote for Colbert, and Stewart for VP! VOTER REVOLUTION! VOTE OUT ALL THE BUM'S IN CONGRESS!!!
    • getting by
      getting by  •  4 mths ago
      The supreme court and the congress has made a mockery of our politican system all colbert and stewart are doing is bringing it to light. america was lost to the rich and powerful many moons ago. good bye freedom, good by land of opportunity. it belongs to the rich and so do YOU
    • Nathan
      Nathan  •  4 mths ago
      They should mock the system. It completely stupid. What other country countries have stupid rulings like "money is speech" and "people are corporations." The whole PAC system leaves so much room for abuse.
    • Ricardito
      Ricardito  •  San Diego, California  •  4 mths ago
      Absolutely awesome!!! Both of these guys make more sense of our political system than anyone has ever been able to explain to me. Although funny, it's sad that it takes a comedy team to enlighten the American people with facts of how we have let our politician create loop holes in our political system to line their pockets.

      A vast majority of our politician are crooks by the time they end their political careers even if they had good intentions going into it. These two guys show the American people just how stupid they are. Bravo guys!
    • steelerman
      steelerman  •  Miami, Florida  •  4 mths ago
      Colbert is hilarious and informs in a funny and disarming way. Brilliant.
    • Four Horsemen
      Four Horsemen  •  4 mths ago
      Probablly the ONLY two things dumber than "W"
      1. Rick Perry
      2. South Carolina
      • DanielF
        DanielF 4 mths ago
        And someone who spells probably...probablly!
      • Zuck Likes CISPA
        Zuck Likes CISPA 4 mths ago
        Living in SC .... sadly, I can vouch for that ....
      • Excellency
        Excellency 4 mths ago
        And someone who spells Four HorseMEN as Four HorseMAN.
    • Luckylady200149774
      Luckylady200149774  •  Deforest, Wisconsin  •  4 mths ago
      Has anyone besides me noticed that FOX news has remained totally mute on this? Not even the big O has made any comments. What's up with that? Their web site doesn't mention this anywhere hmmmmmm.
    • scott
      scott  •  4 mths ago
      It is the only way to get at the republican voters stupidity. Bravo to Colbert & Stewart. Make a mockery of the election process to force a change in the laws.
    • R C man
      R C man  •  4 mths ago
      are you hearing crazy voices??? ... well turn off FOX news
    • Display name
      Display name  •  4 mths ago
      If you've ever watched any of Jon Stewart's interviews and commentaries, you'd notice that he is easily more incisive and intelligent than any of the politicians seeking office. He's centered, fair-minded and can discuss and negotiate with people who aren't even close to his political viewpoints...and do it intelligently and convincingly. Too bad HE's not the actual candidate. In any case, the absurdity of corporations being people and Super PACs being independent of the candidates they promote can only be driven home by people like Colbert and Stewart.
    • goTony
      goTony  •  Sioux Falls, South Dakota  •  4 mths ago
      goes to prove how fraudulant our election process is when all it takes is super pacs to bring on the money
    • edgar allen pie
      edgar allen pie  •  4 mths ago
      This is the crap that our "leaders" are pulling and if Colbert and Stewart help expose and get under their skin, well then, keep it up.........
    • edgar allen pie
      edgar allen pie  •  4 mths ago
      Oh yeah.......could anyone name a Republican comedian or a Republican comedy show? Besides Fox news.
    • Scotty
      Scotty  •  4 mths ago
      About time! Our government and political "leaders" really need a reality check. I hope John Stewart and Colbert's Super PAC can give them the enema they deserve.
    • Eric1
      Eric1  •  4 mths ago
      Of COURSE Colbert and Steward 'mock American politics!' They wouldn't be professional political satirists if they DIDN'T 'mock American politics, WOULD they? Kinda in the job description, I'da said........
    • Jared
      Jared  •  4 mths ago
      So you can legally only give so much to a candidate, but it's legal to give millions to the candidate's super PAC and buy up all the airtime during an election cycle.
     Post a comment
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