Daily Show fans got a surprise treat this week when Stephen Colbert rode in on a wagon pulled by Uncle Sam. This, on an episode already promising prestigious actress Meryl Streep. Colbert pulled out a bale of hay and kicked back to enjoy a brew he produced from within, accepting a huge round of applause from Comedy Central studio fans. It was Jon Stewart’s show that launched Colbert’s success, eventually leading to a spinoff and the birth of the Colbert Nation (the nickname given to Colbert fans).  Colbert gave Stewart a note card containing questions he wanted asked, then surprised fans with his official announcement to officially consider whether – or not – he was going to run for the office of the President of the United States of America. Colbert added that he hoped to make the announcement of his decision on a more prestigious show. Fifteen minutes later, on The Colbert Report, he did.

As red, white, and blue balloons showered down and the studio audience roared, Colbert announced that he will, indeed, run for President in South Carolina—and South Carolina only. The satirical host has been leading up to just such a run for weeks now, starting with the release of his book I Am America (And So Can You). Colbert stated he will run as a Republican…and as a Democrat, discussing the matter with CBS political analyst Jeff Greenfield. Colbert introduced three possible running mates for his campaign: Huckabee, Putin, or Colbert. Chalk it up as a huge victory both for little cable networks that could and the entire idea of political satire with an edge.  But what does Colbert’s run really mean politically? And could his campaign make any real difference in a race already swamped with contenders?

Colbert’s announcement has received scant attention from the mainstream media, and so far there’s been little comment from Colbert’s presidential competitors. The announcement is being treated as what it is: farce. By announcing his intention to run in South Carolina (the state of his birth) and nowhere else, Colbert has made it clear that his candidacy is pure satire – as is his show. South Carolina does hold an important position in this year’s election, but is Colbert’s influence strong enough to sway an entire state? Even if Colbert wins in South Carolina, he can’t take his campaign much further. Political web sites are alive with comment from three distinct camps: the pure fans, the pure politics, and the in-betweens. The staunchly political-minded seem to be against Colbert’s campaign on the whole, stating that he’ll take votes away from others. The in-betweens like both politics and Colbert, saying that a vote for him is a vote in protest of a corrupt government. And then there are the pure fans, who plan to vote for Colbert no matter what. This is the call of the Colbert Nation – the same nation Colbert has prompted into accepting invented words, changing Wikipedia, and re-naming an entire town, to name just a few. And the Colbert Nation just might be capable of anything. Colbert’s spokesman was not available after the show for any further comment on Colbert’s presidential run.