Actually Didius, what really makes it difficult for a third party to make a strong run is the winner-take-all electoral system. That's why Nader couldn't win (remember the debates from repentantnadervoter.com?), and why the Republican winner-take-all primary is over while the Democratic proportional primary continues.

Colbert for President? I don't think so. Isn't there something in the constitution about having to be a mortal human being to run for President. Colbert is some sort of God or something. It's more likely that he'll become the supreme leader of the religion (Matrixism) that he created. Go ahead and look up "Matrixism" on on Colbert's Wikiality to feel the truthiness.

Can you imagine the fun if you stuck all the presidential candidates together in the "Big Brother" house?

This is a great idea! Here's official tshirt! https://www.goodstorm.com/node/367981

please post Mr. Chaney's campaign appearances,
if he does run on a 3rd party ticket.

I'd especially like to be there when he arrives at Schipol Airport,
should he decide to woo the expatriates in the Low Countries.

"If they are really your main source of news, it's time to get out more my friend."

We can at least give Mr. Lewis the benefit of the doubt since he chose to write to the Post. Surely, Stewart/Colbert are not the best source for News. There is alot of quality print media, independent media, and public media out there.

But I challenge you to find better political programming on Cable. CNN, FoxNews, etc., who have unintentionally rendered their political coverage laughable in pursuit of ratings. Stewart/Colbert have made gone in the exact opposite direction. They are first and foremost a comedy show, but as such they become politically astute by bringing to light the absurdity of the politics and media coverage that they lampoon.

What it comes down to is that most cable news distorts reality by fitting into a programmatic formula (they overemphasize the left/right dichotomy, they obsess over candidates' personal qualities, etc), and then Comedy Central makes visible that process of distortion through irony.

For that reason, I say that if Stewart/Colbert is your primary source of news then you have a problem. But if they are your primary source of Cable News, then you're likely to have a better sense of perspective then someone who watches CNN all day.

Two things: One, both shows on Comedy Central have been without writers for the past few weeks, and I thought they did just fine.
Two, Senator Obama was on the Daily Show last August. I agree he's due again. Senator Clinton hasn't been on since 2005.

In this campaign cycle, Barrack Obama, John McCain, Bill Clinton (in support of Hillary), Ron Paul, Mike Huckabee, Chris Dodd, Mike Gravel and Bill Richardson have all appeared on the Daily Show and/or Colbert Report. That is just what I remember off the top of my head. So I would say the candidates clearly understand the value of Comedy Central.

to Geoff in Big D,

Just make sure you go to your precinct caucus at 7:15 on election night. Texas has an incredibly weird system in which three-fourths of its delegates are chosen from the primary results and the other fourth from the precinct caucuses that night. It's at your precinct polling place; don't miss it.

Dear Stumped,
Would you be very surprised to see Lou Dobbs mount a third party (the Independent Know-Nothing ticket) campaign? Especially now that all the major candidates (Huckabee doesn't count) favor what Dobbs calls "amnesty for illegal aliens."

J, that wouldn't be the case if we had reliable coverage, unlike CNN, Fox News, or the fluffy local reports.

Kind of like the Harry Potter books. Definitely not pieces of high art, but you know what? They get kids reading again. Same as Stewart/Colbert. At least we're involved, right? It finally looks like us young voters are making a difference too.

"Stewart and Colbert are already respected pundits in my book, their satire as insightful as any political commentary out there. Their absence, because of the writers' strike, in the weeks leading up to the Iowa caucus was a real blow to our national political discourse..."

Is "Stumped" an irony-free zone? Does it really need to be pointed out that respected pundits who can't do punditry without battalions of writers backing them up are respected only because their audience doesn't know any better?

"For me and most of my friends, Comedy Central is our chief source of news."

I understand their entertainment value and thoroughly enjoy watching them; there is even some news tossed in there. However, this statement portrays a sad state of affairs and I hope it's not accurate for the majority of younger viewers (heck, I'm only 28!). To truly understand Stewart & Colbert's satire, you have to at least have an idea of what's going on in the world to start with. If they are really your main source of news, it's time to get out more my friend. They obviously cover only things that can be made funny, which means you are missing a LOT of important news.

I'd love to see Stewart or Colbert as moderator of one of this fall's presidential debates.

Actually, what really makes it difficult for a third party to make a strong run are several ongoing problems, chief among them:

1. One thing the two major parties agree on consistently is placing as many roadblocks as possible in the way of third party ballot access.

2. The way media takes it upon themselves to decide who are suitable candidates. Pair this with the fact that the majority of media is owned by huge corporations with myriad other business interests, and the chances of a candidate that is critical of those interests getting fair media coverage is all but nil.

This point even applies to candidate s within the two major parties. For a good example, look at the treatment of Dennis Kucinich in the Nevada MSNBC debate.

3. The idea of a candidate that meets the legal requirements, from those outlined in the Constitution on down, to run for an office being a "spoiler".

Again, this is an idea parroted by the media and those who are "yellow dog" voters - those voters who'd vote for Beelzebub himself if he had a "D" or an "R" behind his name on the ballot.