Liberals regularly wink and nod at the conservative audience watching Fox News and says a conservative crowd guarantees a conservative bias. Using that method of analysis, a new study suggests "The Colbert Report" on Comedy Central has a strong tilt to the left, despite its faux-conservative host Stephen Colbert. Bob Cusack reports in The Hill newspaper:
Democratic politicians enjoy a major spike in political contributions after appearing on Comedy Central’s "The Colbert Report," according to a new study.
Political scientist James Fowler of the University of California, San Diego found that Democrats receive a 40 percent increase in contributions in the month after appearing on the fake-news show. But Republicans, Fowler concludes, "essentially gain nothing," according to a release.
Doesn't that suggest the show has a strong Democrat-leaning audience? The study appeared in PS, the journal of the American Political Science Association. Fowler found "Democrats benefit from a one-third increase in contributions yielding two-fifths more money over a 30-day period. In comparison, contributions to Republicans stay flat or even decline."
Fowler also notes that there are undoubtedly other factors in a fundraising surge, like the possibility a politician is doing multiple television appearances. He also notes only eight Republicans volunteered to appear in Colbert’s "Better Know a District" feature. The study lists about 40 Democrats who appeared.
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Well, also Colbert's demographics skew younger
August 14, 2008 - 14:17 ET by daberkmanSo that's probably a factor in donating to democrats as well. Wasn't there some big study that said young people were overwhelmingly skewing left?
It doesn't take a study to
August 14, 2008 - 14:57 ET by ksennishIt doesn't take a study to know thats true. Being only 20 myself, I can tell you it is the case. It seems mostly due to the younger generations opposition to the war and dislike of Bush. The left also got a huge boost from the vast majority of young people who didn't care about politics (and still don't for that matter) but didn't like the war or Bush.
The show uses humor and
August 14, 2008 - 14:43 ET by getupstandupThe show uses humor and over the top pokes (wink wink) at the left which is followed by numerous shots at the right. Now doubt this show is left, and uses the guise of comedy to spread their left agenda.
If you settle for nothing now, you'll settle for nothing later - RATM
Well if this is all a
August 14, 2008 - 14:48 ET by bigtimerWell if this is all a fact...maybe the repubs ought to consider not going on the show.
Which has always attracted more lefties.
Isn't that the purpose?
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
I'd think that Republicans
August 14, 2008 - 14:56 ET by balboaI'd think that Republicans still get some kind of "bump" from being on the show, if not monetarily.
Steven himself said 2 of 'em did
August 14, 2008 - 15:29 ET by sarcasmoBoth Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee appeared on the show, did well, and both supposedly got "the Colbert Bump." IMO the study probably refers more to congresscritters than Presidential candidates, though. Better Know a District tends to draw out the idiot in politicians of both parties.
JMR
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
I would have to agree with
August 14, 2008 - 15:36 ET by ksennishI would have to agree with balboa. I have often seen the show (Im in college and many students watch it regularly). I'm always happy when a republican goes on because it actually puts a human face to the republican party that isn't bush and I've never seen one get blatantly mistreated. If anything, it could possibly give 'street cred' to the candidate among liberals for at least going on the show.
ks... Oh silly me...the
August 14, 2008 - 15:47 ET by bigtimerks...
Oh silly me...the dems go on the show for a bump and campaign contributions but at least the repubs will get street cred from the liberals for just going on the show....
Wow...that really will matter at the polling booth right?
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
I think it might.
August 14, 2008 - 16:03 ET by sarcasmoI certainly respect Democrats who'll actually interact with conservatives and/or Republicans more than those who won't, even if the interaction involves a bit of risk. If Republicans try to avoid Colbert instead of just playing along with his schtick, it will make them look humor impaired. (But in some cases, that look may be justified!) ;)
I suspect the Stewart/Colbert audience is, on average, a whole lot younger than many of us. That makes them a political 'sweet spot,' because many peoples' political views seem to be cemented in the late highschool & early college years. Republican Presidential candidates, or at least most of them, have had a tougher time than usual on college campuses this election season; so consultants spend a lot of time talking about how young people don't tend to turn out on election day. But the truth is, around here anyway, these days the Republican Party sometimes looks like it's going to die of old age.
JMR
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
This is true. Colbert makes
August 14, 2008 - 15:53 ET by ThatDudeThis is true. Colbert makes fun of people from both parties. Naturally he gives his winks and nods to the liberal crowd, but in the end I feel like he's decently fair to Republicans despite the fact that his show parodies the right. Call me an idiot, but if Colbert had actually made it onto the presidential ticket, I would likely have voted him over our currrent options. The man is entertaining and I can't begrudge his bias, especially when compared to Stewart's constant hatred against anything even slightly right wing.
I wasn't talking about if
August 14, 2008 - 16:00 ET by bigtimerI wasn't talking about if Colbert is likeable or not, or funny, I have seen some of his shows...I too have laughed...
I was attempting to stay on point with what this blog post was all about...
Dems getting a bump in polls and raking in campaign $$$...not the repubs...
Guess I shouldn't of done that.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
I swear I haven't looked, BT, but
August 14, 2008 - 16:07 ET by sarcasmoI'll bet there's one certain Republican Presidential candidate who'd qualify, after a funny Colbert/Stewart appearance week, as "the exception that proves the rule." This exception, if true (and I really haven't checked!) might just be telling us something very positive about libertarianism & America's future.
JMR
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
sarc... Come on...Ron
August 14, 2008 - 16:18 ET by bigtimersarc...
Come on...Ron Paul's bump or cash he may have received from appearing on the show isn't from conservatives, nor most likely a majority of people who are registered repubs.
"America isn't the problem...America is the solution." ~ Rush Limbaugh
Fiscally, many are more conservative than "conservatives"
August 14, 2008 - 16:24 ET by sarcasmoAnd many were quite a bit younger than I am. I'm certainly far more fiscally conservative than any Republican I've ever met, whether or not I don't give a crap about (and don't want to spend taxe$ on...) various victimless "crimes."
Many young people actually registered Republican and/or changed registration in order to vote for Ron Paul. I haven't looked, still, but my bet would be the Colbert/Stewart appearances didn't hurt him at all, and probably helped. Of course, Paul's fans themselves, by then, had started the "money bomb" behavior which no-doubt makes the effect of a particular show hard to judge.
JMR
PS Just for the record, I think Huckabee did an excellent job on his Colbert appearance; which was if anything even better than Paul's because Mike played the guitar AND he was funny.
The tax & spend drug war looks racist in the real world.
BT, I'll agree that Comedy
August 14, 2008 - 16:10 ET by JasonCBT, I'll agree that Comedy Central and its stock political shows are generally left-leaning and that when they mock the left it's generally more good-natured. But since they make no pretense of being a legitimate news show, I see little problem with it. Conservative bias at FNC and liberal bias on MSNBC (I disagree that CNN is particularly biased) are on a whole different level of importance, I think.
"Issue-driven politics in red-and-blue America is like a man whose appetite for steak is greatly enhanced by his contempt for vegetarians."
Don't worry Fox will level the field.
August 14, 2008 - 15:42 ET by Biff McCainThe Fox News Shows edits Congressman Wexler (D) on the Colbert Show to make a funny skit damning.
http://www.youtube.c...
We report we decide!
Can't wait till Jodi sees this one.
Young Minds
August 14, 2008 - 16:37 ET by AndyRYoung minds are usually skewed to the left because of the leftist education they get. The ones who are politically astute come from Conservative homes.
We saw this in 2000 with Gore and 2004 with Kerry. This election is no different. What eventually happens is these kids get jobs, realize that there is no way in heck they are going to give up 90% of their money to the government to promote equality and become Republicans.
The socially retarded ones who believe in a pack mentality become the useful idiots.
Like, you know, after
August 14, 2008 - 17:07 ET by zhombreLike, you know, after watching the Colbert dude one night I said to mysefl WTF and used the twenty bucks I was gonna use to buy a DVD of Harold & Kumar Go to Guatanamo and sent it to Obama 2008 instead because you like have to be socially committed at some point and make like a sacrifice so this like country can have like real change for a change.