Professor: 'The Colbert Report' aids candidates

[question everything]

Professor: 'The Colbert Report' aids candidates

By Matthew T. Hall
UNION-TRIBUNE STAFF WRITER

August 16, 2008

Local political scientist James Fowler thought his research about politicians being lampooned on “The Colbert Report” might land him a guest spot on the satirical show. He found out it wasn't so easy. He set out to prove – or not – host Stephen Colbert's claim that a political candidate's fortunes are boosted by being on the Comedy Central show, which can fake the news better than other TV stations break it.

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Fowler, 38, an associate professor of political science at the University of California San Diego, used Federal Election Commission donor data to evaluate fundraising for 47 politicians who went on the show and 47 comparable others who did not. He found Democrats had greater fundraising successes a month after their appearance than 30 days preceding it. Conversely, Republican fundraising was more successful before the appearance than after it.

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He cautions that his sample is skewed toward Democrats (who apparently object less to being asked to finish statements such as “I like cocaine because . . . ” on national television).

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Yesterday, Larry Ross, director of the University of Southern California Annenberg School of Communications, said the best way to prove if TV viewers are moved to contribute to a candidate is by asking them. In scientific but unfunny terms, he explained, “The standard axiom of statistical research is that correlation doesn't prove causality.”

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Find this article at:
http://www.signonsandiego.com/news/politics/20080816-9999-1m16colbert.html

[progdonkey]

1. didn't Pelosi say Dems shouldn't go on the show?

You know, because Colbert will make a fool out of Dems like he did when he made Wexler say how much he liked cocaine and prostitutes. Wexler, the poor bastard, completely disappeared after that and hasn't been seen since.

Nancy Pelosi is an excellent leader.