NBC's 'Today' Touts 'Rock Star' Colbert Looking to Replace DeMint in Senate

After gushing on Wednesday over left-wing actress Ashley Judd possibly running for Senate in Kentucky, on Friday's NBC Today, the cast applauded liberal comedian Stephen Colbert suggesting in jest that he might replace outgoing South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint, with co-host Willie Geist proclaiming: "I can tell you, having done a show with him [Colbert] in Charleston, he is an absolute rock star in that state."

Geist added: "It doesn't mean he will be a senator, but he could probably pull it off." Fill-in news reader Erica Hill remarked: "Doesn't mean he...won't be either." Fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie chimed in: "He's already run for president. I mean, this is really a downgrade." Weatherman Al Roker quipped: "Comedy concert with him and [Minnesota Senator] Al Franken, that would be fantastic."

Here is a full transcript of the December 7 segment:

7:52AM ET

SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: Meanwhile, have you guys heard? South Carolina Senator Jim DeMint made headlines, surprised a lot of folks on Thursday when announced he was resigning his Senate seat, he's going to go chair the Heritage Foundation. So the question became who should replace him and one late-night comic had a possible idea.

STEPHEN COLBERT: The decision on who will replace DeMint falls to South Carolina Governor and friend of the show, Nikki Haley. But who will she pick? Let's see, you want somebody young, somebody conservative, somebody from South Carolina, maybe somebody who had a super-PAC, wait a second.

[LAUGHTER]

WILLIE GEIST: Well, there's already a Twitter page, there's Facebook, there's a Draft Colbert website. I can tell you, having done a show with him in Charleston, he is an absolute rock star in that state. It doesn't mean he will be a senator, but he could probably pull it off.

ERICA HILL: Doesn't mean he wasn't either – won't be either.

AL ROKER: That's right.

GUTHRIE: Exactly. He's already run for president. I mean, this is really a downgrade.

GEIST: Twice. Exactly.

ROKER: Comedy concert with him and Al Franken, that would be fantastic.

GUTHRIE: Oh, my God. We'll see.