GREENVILLE, S.C. The momentum of the Colbert presidential campaign hit a cul-de-sac today when the South Carolina Democratic Party decided he wasnt a serious candidate and turned down his application to get on the ballot.
South Carolina is the only state where Stephen Colbert, the comedian and a native South Carolinian, has sought to get on the ballot. He did not try getting on the Republican ballot because that costs $35,000.
Mr. Colbert met the Democratic filing deadline of noon today to send in some paperwork and a check for $2,500.
But the partys executive council just voted 13-3 not to certify him.
Carol Fowler, chairwoman of the state party, told us that the council really agonized over this because they really like him, they love his show and everyone thinks its wonderful that he cares about us.
But, she said, they decided he did not meet two basic requirements: that the person be generally acknowledge or recognized by the media as a viable nationwide candidate; and be actively campaigning for the South Carolina primary.
The committee decided he didnt meet those two basic requirements, Mrs. Fowler said. She did not vote herself, saying she votes only in the case of a tie. Asked how she might have voted, she said, We didnt have a tie, so I didnt have to vote.
The committee also denied a spot to someone else who filed an application and sent in the check, but he was someone whom Mrs. Fowler said no one had heard of until today.
Both will be getting their checks back, she said.
I don't know if the irony was intentional or not.
