Public Policy Polling: Colbert Has Edge Over Obama With South Carolina Independents

by Josh Feldman | 10:30 pm, September 2nd, 2011

» 33 comments

Public Policy Polling surveyed South Carolina residents on the Republican presidential candidates, and one of the more interesting/surprising/fascinating results they found was that political comedian Stephen Colbert ranks higher among state independents than President Barack Obama.

Less surprisingly, the president trails both Mitt Romney and Rick Perry in hypothetical matchups, and ties with both Sarah Palin and Michele Bachmann. And Obama’s approval rating in South Carolina currently stands at 41 percent.

But “just for fun,” PPP decided to throw Colbert, a native son, into the race to see how he would fare in a three-way race. In a hypothetical (and admittedly awesome) race between Obama, Perry, and Colbert, the comedian takes 12 percent of the vote, and wins with the support of 24 percent of independents, compared to Obama’s 22 percent. PPP ranks the three candidates’ individual numbers among independents:

Colbert has a positive 33/22 favorability rating with independents, quite a contrast to Perry’s 31/38 and Obama’s 34/53 approval with them.

Given Colbert is already getting involved in the 2012 race with his Super PAC, he might not launch the same kind of mock presidential campaign he did four years ago. But if so, that would be a fun candidacy to watch.

h/t The Atlantic Wire

barack obama, independents, Michele Bachmann, Mitt Romney, Public Policy Polling, Rick Perry, Sarah Palin, South Carolina, stephen colbert

http://thefunemployed.blogspot.com/ rance

I hope he actually gets himself on the ballot and runs for office. Because idiots like Josh Feldman, who think this is “admittedly awesome”, would vote for Colbert. Those are Obama voters.

So I hope Colbert runs for President too. That would be like, totally cool!
http://twitter.com/Staciisa_bitch Staci Chase

I hope The Colbert PAC. is going strong.
Anonymous

This is a teachable moment. I’m going to go against my better judgement and give the Libs/Progs some advice-

Get Hillary ready…and I don’t mean Duffy.
Sharpo

both barrels, why are you a poosey?
Sharpo

both barrels, why are you a poosey?
Emerald California

This is a comedian who pretends to be an up tight ego maniac concervative republican. That finds himself a liberal broad minded social {istic} for him to gain a serious seat is positivly entertaining and very possibly refreshing. Almost unattainable
Nature Freak

Hate to disappoint Conservatives here, but most of us on the left learned a lesson in 2000 about voting.
The Ralph Nader situation will not happen this election. Idealism can have a price. I would love Colbert as POTUS, but at this point he does not have a chance. Someday in the future he may be a legitimate candidate for POTUS. Not in 2012.

Now I am all in favor of Palin running third party. I would enjoy that.
Anonymous

America needs a jackass like Colbert denigrating our political system like we need another Obama.
Anonymous

Fact: Libs are living in an alternate world if they really think that the ‘O’ is geting a second term.
The ‘O’ thinks that people are saying to him that the public wants jokes and not jobs because he has continued to deliver them at a great comics rate
Anonymous

Fact: Libs are living in an alternate world if they really think that the ‘O’ is geting a second term.
The ‘O’ thinks that people are saying to him that the public wants jokes and not jobs because he has continued to deliver them at a great comics rate
Bob

Considering a freakshow like Donald Trump was leading the entire Republican field in the polls, rightwingers might not want to gloat too much.
Anonymous

Fact: Yes Trump can even defeat the anointed one.
Anonymous

So one is a strange oddball “comedian”.

And the other is Stephen Colbert .
Typical

Why are you such a douche?
http://twitter.com/iZaccy Zacky

lol Perry is very strange i agree
http://www.facebook.com/people/Dronetek-Bulk-Vanderhuge/100000918732763 Dronetek Bulk Vanderhuge

How much longer will the left get away with the “he’s just a comedian” excuse?
Norbit

I’ve seen both Colbert’s and Stewart’s shows, but I don’t regularly watch either.

For those of you who do, which of them do you think is the more talented?
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

?? That is speculation, not a fact!!
http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

Maybe someone should inform the Hillbillies down in South Carolina that Stephen Colbert is just an entertainer and not a politician!!
Moosenuts99

You have to understand the point of his PAC. It’s comedy through and through.
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TheMiz455

you probably meant Hilary (with one “L”) Duff — not “Hillary Duffy”. Nice try tho.
Anonymous

sounds like ‘mickey mouse’ would have done just as well as Colbert. And be a better candidate as well…
Sharpo

typical, why are you a coward with no balls?

Is that why you post crap?
Glutton

If elections were done online, there’s no doubt that Colbert would get the most votes. Probably the most patriotic American hero of my lifetime.
Glutton

I Like Colbert better. Stewart’s show is dependent on the news items of the day. Colbert could be funny regardless of the news.
Glutton

He’s not just an entertainer. He’s also a national hero.
Glutton

Judging by the hero$ ticker I would say it is.
Vasallese

Stewart tells the idiot politicians they are idiots. He calls them on what they do and the hypocrisy they display. He does not attack or threaten, unlike a lot of the writers on this thread. Colbert does the same thing, and puts himself smack in your face without threatening you. Talented in slightly different ways. But both are good.
Anonymous

In another hypothetical race, it would be interesting to see who would win in a 4 way race between Warren, Obama, Romney(or Huntsman), and Perry. (I’d vote for Warren myself. May have to wait for 2016 though)
Anonymous

How about Obama, Biden and Colbert as the news speaker? At least we would get a good laugh every morning and release some tension!. With the repub. field that is now going, I will have to vote for Obama although I do love the hellout of Colbert. Until the repubs find a sane person to run against the President, I am afraid they are so far down they wont get hardly the votes they think they will. They have to realize they have nothing but insane idiots running, especially Perry. Out of their field, I am afraid it would be Huntsman, as he appears sane or at least half sane. I am glad to see Colbert’s home state still loves him cause all of his viewer sure do.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_ILYHPLJYYHR2BQV7LMPK2UJENI BaileyinMI

Stephen Colbert is a native son of South Carolina and he ran for POTUS in 2008: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Colbert_presidential_campaign,_2008
Hugo Daun

“Our political system” needs a lot of denigrating.