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Stephen Colbert's Super PAC Is Running Attack Ads Against ... Stephen Colbert

By Dustin Rowles | Posted Under Videos | Comments (21)

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If you haven’t been watching “The Daily Show” and “The Colbert Report” the last few weeks, you’re missing one of the finest long-tail parody take-downs in the history of politics. It’s a joke, but it’s a joke with the ability to effect change. A joke that allows Stewart and Colbert to skewer the political system by working within the political system.

The very short version: Stephen Colbert announced his intention to create an exploratory committee in order to run for the President of United State of America of South Carolina. By law, if someone become a candidate for office, he or she must relinquish any control he has of a Super PAC, one of those independent organizations that raises money on behalf of a candidate but can’t actually coordinate with the candidate. As a result, Colbert had to relinquish control of his Super PAC, Americans For A Better Tomorrow, Tomorrow. He gave it to Jon Stewart, who renamed it The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC.

Now, The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC is running actual ads in South Carolina. The first was an anti-Romney ad, in which they accused him of being a serial killer, Mitt the Ripper (narrated by John Lithgow). The second implored voters to vote for Herman Cain (who is on the ballot but not running) as a way to show support for Colbert (who is not on the ballot but running). Hilariously enough, Herman Cain is actually supportive: He’ll be on Colbert to tape a segment showing said support.

This week, however, has been all about how easy it is to get around Super PAC “do not coordinate” laws through loop-chasms in campaign finance laws. Candidates are not allowed to directly coordinate with their Super PACs, but as New Gingrich has demonstrated, you can speak to your Super PAC on television as a “citizen.” Now, The Definitely Not Coordinating With Stephen Colbert Super PAC is definitely proving that it’s not coordinating with Stephen Colbert by running an attack ad on … Stephen Colbert. And it’s narrated by Samuel Jackson. And it is great.

This is some Jonathon Swift shit right here, people. And when it’s all said and done, I think this satire will raise awareness and ultimately effect real change in campaign finance.










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Comments

Simpsons did it.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at January 19, 2012 9:30 AM

Mayor Quimby supports revolving door prisons.

Mayor Quimby even released Sideshow Bob -- a man twice convicted of attempted murder.

Can you trust a man like Mayor Quimby?

Vote Sideshow Bob for mayor.

Posted by: MurderBot at January 19, 2012 9:53 AM

I missed last night but have been watching for about a week. They really are taking the piss in a brilliant fashion. Apparently, I'm also British now. Indeed.

Posted by: admin at January 19, 2012 10:05 AM

Also, what is a "Simpsons"?

Posted by: admin at January 19, 2012 10:13 AM

to be fair, the FEC has been confused about regulating "coordination" since 1976 -- this is not constrained to SuperPACs. It is terrible, and I love Colbert's commentary on the sad state of federal campaign finance regulation, but changing things is a pretty daunting task. I think he may effectively shame some members. Maybe.

Affecting change through shame.

Posted by: hattie at January 19, 2012 10:35 AM

Affecting change through shame.

Politically more effective than asking nicely.

Posted by: Pete at January 19, 2012 10:41 AM

Effect! You EFFECT change! You can AFFECT the outcome of a political race but you EFFECT change. GAAAAAAH!

A rare chance to legitimately use "effect"as a verb and you blew it. You blew it!

You have broken me, Dustin Rowles. There is no fight left in me. I'm going to go type some misogynistic and nonsensically punctuated vitriol in the YouTube comments section now.

Posted by: marya at January 19, 2012 10:48 AM

Affecting Effecting change through shame.

They are politicians. They are already shameless, and not in the Emmy Rossum gets naked way.

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at January 19, 2012 11:13 AM

Thank you, marya... that was driving me crazy!

Posted by: Az at January 19, 2012 11:18 AM

I actually think Sam Jackson was phoning it in on that v.o.

But otherwise, this whole endeavour is brilliant. (Hmm. "endeavour". Why does spellcheck disapprove? this is how the shuttle name was spelled)

Posted by: Sara Tonin at January 19, 2012 11:33 AM

My work's webfilter won't let me see Stephen Colbert's attack ad about Stephen Colbert. Reportedly it is "tasteless."

I'm going to assume that instead of hating humor it hates super PACs that are people. The filter is easily as sentient as a super PAC and wants to be recognized as a person too.

Posted by: Lipton at January 19, 2012 12:03 PM

Between this and the dog ad, there's some brilliance floating about.

Probably just the karmic balance in response to the Republican debates.

Posted by: Drake at January 19, 2012 12:15 PM

I am in awe of those of you who can use "affect" and "effect" correctly. Every frakking attempt I've made to keep this straight has failed, miserably. It's weird. I'm fine with other homonyms.

I can use "affect" in the psychological sense. Otherwise, I am reduced to writing around either word in print, and mumbling when I say them out loud.

/shame

Posted by: BierceAmbrose at January 19, 2012 12:18 PM

@ BierceAmbrose

+1

(I'm afraid of typing anything else for fear of grammatical errors)

;)

Posted by: Jaxx at January 19, 2012 12:38 PM

Sara Tonin - the shuttle spells it in the British fashion because it's directly named after Captain James (Tiberius?) Cook's ship which he took on his first voyage to Australia/New Zealand.

The American (and spell-check's) way to spell the word is endeavor. When it's not a proper noun that is.

Posted by: Bert at January 19, 2012 12:52 PM

American is wrong.

Posted by: admin at January 19, 2012 1:12 PM

No I'm not.

Posted by: American at January 19, 2012 1:15 PM

I've been snickering aloud at the prospect of Colbert actually doing well in the primary. What if he comes in second in the polling?

Truly a satire of Swiftian proportions.

Posted by: The Wanderer at January 19, 2012 1:54 PM

Sara Tonin:
That is Samuel Jackson's natural state since, oh, just before Snakes on a Plane. The only projects he immerses himself in are the ones where he gives up his $9 million salary to sign on as producer.

Posted by: Jerry at January 19, 2012 2:21 PM

If he comes in second it's the voters admitting that their choices suck elephant schlong.

Posted by: Protoguy at January 20, 2012 2:16 AM

Hi, i must say fantastic website you have, i stumbled across it in Yahoo. Does you get much traffic?

Posted by: Tyson F. Gautreaux at March 4, 2012 9:04 AM