Colbert to Nikki Haley: Pick Me! Haley: No Way

SC guv reminds Stephen he didn't know the Palmetto State's drink
By Mark Russell,  Newser Staff
Posted Dec 7, 2012 10:13 AM CST
Updated Dec 7, 2012 11:51 AM CST

Who could take over Jim DeMint's Senate seat at the end of the year? Conservatives are talking Rep. Tim Scott, but another South Carolinian has thrown his rather high-profile hat into the ring: one Stephen Colbert, reports the New York Post. Colbert dedicated a segment of his show last night to less-than-subtly suggesting himself, and encouraged his 4 million followers to tell Gov. Nikki Haley to pick him, noting, "I wouldn't just block legislation, I'd bodycheck it!"

“Stephen is honored by the groundswell of support from the Palmetto State and looks forward to Governor Haley’s call,” says a Colbert publicist. Sure, Colbert would face a lot of resistance from more, uh, enthusiastic Republicans—Madeleine Morgenstern, for example, called Colbert a "bombastic, faux-conservative," notes the Week. But Colbert is a strong Catholic who loves Richard Nixon, says the Atlantic, which proclaims him "vastly overqualified." Even so, he shouldn't hold his breath: Nikki Haley swung back via Facebook today, reports CNN: "Stephen, thank you for your interest in South Carolina's US Senate seat and for the thousands of tweets you and your fans sent me," she said. But: "You forget one thing, my friend. You didn't know our state drink. Big, big mistake." Got milk, Stephen? Here's the exchange. (More Stephen Colbert stories.)

Get the news faster.
Tap to install our app.
X
Install the Newser News app
in two easy steps:
1. Tap in your navigation bar.
2. Tap to Add to Home Screen.

X