Just when you thought there were enough candidates in this critical presidential election, another fish has leaped into the barrel. Media gadfly and political satirist Steven Colbert has announced his candidacy and is raising eyebrows in the more legitimate media circles.

On first hearing this news I chuckled. Then I began to think, do we really need another candidate, and joke candidate at that? I think not.

Why is this man, who obviously understands the gravity of the situation, running in such a pivotal election? Do we need another blind conservative in this race, albeit a fake one? My country is falling apart in front of my eyes and I feel that this man is distracting the public from the real issues. Sadly in my own home I find the Colbert Report on the TV far more than the actual news. Adding insult to injury, I feel that this move is simply a publicity stunt to push his new book “I Am America (And So Can You!).”

In all honesty, Colbert frightens me. With idiocy levels at an all-time high in America, I am afraid some might watch Colbert on television and not pick up on the blatant satire. I am afraid that someone might listen to him or read his book and think “finally a reporter who will take charge and silence those freedom-hating liberals who salute the American flag with one finger.” In his book there is actually a disclaimer in a footnote in his section about gun laws that reads “I think every man should keep a gun under his pillow and fire blindly at anything that moves after 10 p.m.”

Colbert is not an unintelligent man by any means. One would think that in his line of work he would realize that his contention could possibly hurt the more legitimate candidates.

He easily receives more time on television on any given day than many of the other contenders, considering that his show is on three times a day. The legality of his candidacy is also being brought into question stating that Comedy Central is a corporate backer. I guess this is a test to see if our government has a sense of humor.

Thankfully he is only running in the state of South Carolina and one can only hope that this matter will eventually be brushed aside.

Sooner or later he will be swept under the political rug and join other former candidates such as Ross Perot, Steve Forbes, and Al Sharpton in candidate heaven.