MIA: The FEC's Sense of Humor

Is the Stephen Colbert presidential campaign serious? Stephen himself answered the question in an interview with NBC's Tim Russert on Meet the Press:


"I think a lot of people are asking whether -- they say, 'Is this, is this real,' you know?" Colbert said Sunday on NBC's "Meet the Press." "And to which I would say to everybody, this is not a dream, OK? You're not going to wake up from this, OK? I'm far realer than Sam Brownback, let me put it that way."


This is not a dream - but it may become a nightmare if the DC bureaucrat election police over at the FEC get involved.


Colbert's nascent run for the White House may be derailed before it gets off the ground. His efforts to place his name on the South Carolina primary ballot (in both the Democratic and GOP contests) may run afoul of campaign financing regulations.


The normally docile FEC is looking warily at Colbert's association with Frito-Lay, the manufacturers of the midnight munchie Doritos and the platform provided by his Comedy Central program may amoung to an illegal corporate sponsorship.


As Colbert makes the obligatory media rounds (the "sit down" last Sunday with Uncle Timmy on MTP), creates online buzz (more than one million Facebook friends), and inches up in Palmetto State polls.


The satirical presidential campaign is garnering attention - apparently causing Comedy Central suits enough concern to consult lawyers. It makes one wonder, whatever happened to America's sense of humor?

Retirement Watch - First Dem Added to GOP-Dominated List

According to The Albany Times-Union, NY House Dem Michael McNulty will announce his retirement next Monday. The 60-year old congressman will be relinquishing his relatively safe Democratic seat (NY-21) after ten terms. The Albany-Schenectady area has been a reliably Democratic district in recent national elections. While the NRCC may be tempted to pour resources into this open seat, Dems will be favored to retain in 2008. No candidates from either party are in the race, but the Times-Union lists the following as potential candidates:

Among the names already circulating on the Democratic side are Schenectady Mayor Brian Stratton, son of McNulty’s predecessor; state Sen. Neil Breslin of Bethlehem; M. Tracey Brooks, an aide to Sen. Hillary Clinton who challenged former Assemblyman Pat Casale.
On the Republican side, freshman Schenectady Assemblyman George Amedore’s name has come up.

Two other House Dems (Maine's Tom Allen and Colorado's Mark Udall) are currently the only Dem open seats heading into 2008. Both are vacating their seats in hopes of a "promotion" to the US Senate.

The story is far different for the GOP, where a dozen House members (at last count) have either opted for retirement or been tempted to run for another office. Many of these retirements are occuring in the critical battleground states of the midwest, fueling Democratic hopes of expanding their House majority.

Race Tracker wiki: NY-21