Colbert Applauds Bachmann's Iowa Straw Poll Showing, Issues Challenge To Des Moines Local News Team (VIDEO)

Stephen Colbert gave a thorough recap of the Iowa Straw Poll on Monday night's "Report," covering everything from Bachmann's impressive winning strategy -- buying votes -- to Pawlenty's exit from the race.

But he saved the most important detail for last: the results of Colbert Super PAC's campaign to get voters to write-in "Rick Parry". Apparently, Iowa GOP officials refused to release the full write-in results, so there's no real indication of how effective the Super PAC's efforts proved. But don't think Colbert was going to take that on the chin.

Instead, the host issued a challenge to Des Moines local news station WOI-DT, listing the entire evening news team by name. More specifically, Colbert threw the gauntlet directly at the feet of "intrepid cub reporter Katie Eastman," promising that if she could find out how many people voted for Perry with an "A," WOI-DT could announce the results on the "Colbert Report," or he could announce it on theirs. Either way, we encourage WOI-DT to do the right thing and accept this mission.

Watch the full clip below and let us know what you think the Iowa Straw Poll results mean for the GOP race.

WATCH:

Most international viewers can watch the clip at Colbert Nation.

Comments

[LMPE]

12:49 AM on 08/18/2011

Michele Bachmann's campaign slogan should be:

I ENSURE THAT ALL COMEDIANS' CHILDREN WILL HAVE NO TROUBLE GETTING INTO COLLEGE

[redheadwoman]

12:19 AM on 08/18/2011

Great slapdown on Associated Press--talk about phoning it in!

[kokobin]

01:18 PM on 08/17/2011

StewBeef and Cold Beer
The happy faces of REAL news.

[Eduardo Tijerino]

12:36 PM on 08/17/2011

Maybe they should do a Sim caucus where make believe politicians can pay make believe people to cast make believe votes for them. All of this will help to prove how artificial our democracy really is. When our only choices are Tweedle Dum & Tweedle Dummer Thomas Jefferson would call this a bummer.

[dvncmdy]

12:04 PM on 08/17/2011

The Left has Comedy
The Right is just Tragic

[kokobin]

01:19 PM on 08/17/2011

The Left has Comedy
The Right is just Tragic
*******************************
Right wingnutters are comedy served warm and extra large.

[daakardior]

11:42 AM on 08/17/2011

Folks, let's not get bent out of shape on this issue. I'm an Iowan, this was my 3rd straw poll this has always been billed as a party fundraiser for the Iowa GOP for their efforts in the 2012 caucus (which the party has to pay unlike primaries where the state pays the cost). The media has made this into spectacle and very few people actually pay for the tickets. Everyone in Iowa knows you can get tickets from the candidates all you have to do is provide a phone number and an email. (which you can easily use an email you don't use or a phone number that is disconnected) You also DON"T have to vote for the candidate that gives you those tickets. Case in point, Chris Cilliza was on MSNBC reported that the Bachmann people gave away 6,000 tickets. Yet only received 4800+ votes. I got my ticket from Tim Pawlenty and voted for Rick Parry (I have a picture of the ballot to prove it). This is a fundraiser and the event has a carnival experience, a lot of fun for all who attend. Hell even DNC Chairwoman Debbi Wasserman-Schultz was there.

[ATXNight]

01:25 PM on 08/17/2011

Any way for you to find out how many other votes besides yours came in for Rick Parry?

[daakardior]

02:04 PM on 08/17/2011

No, there isn't. The Iowa GOP has been asked by national and local media if they kept track of those votes. They didn't and won't announce those results. They did however say that they didn't include Parry votes with Perry. There were also 178 votes that were counted as "scattering" like Sarah Palin, the Iowa Butter Cow and I assume "Parry". I know of 3 other people whom voted for Parry.

[bjp4321]

11:15 AM on 08/17/2011

So, proof that the "straw poll" in Iowa is meaningless. The Iowans' are laughing the whole way to the bank. The snooker'd those media mogels and the politicians with one sting and everyone left Iowa happy. Why the media covers an event where people buy votes to win nothing is beyond me. At least it provided some material for Colbert, and he made great use of it.

[NRMLUNIT]

11:02 AM on 08/17/2011

If it were not illegal in an actual election, I wonder just how much the presidential hopefuls would pay per vote?

[furby6]

11:38 AM on 08/17/2011

The 2008 elections had roughly 200 Million eligible voters. Spending during that election by all parties was $480 Million (yep, almost half a billion). That means your vote is worth $2.40.

[NRMLUNIT]

12:12 PM on 08/17/2011

You gave me the answer to a question I did NOT ask. Try again

[trevorhanson86]

09:26 AM on 08/17/2011

I have always hated Randy Travis!

[gorgol]

08:19 AM on 08/17/2011

Colbert and Stewart need to be moved to "MEDIA"...they do better investigative reporting than the
MSM talking heads...Stewarts take on the news clowns ignoring Paul, and this one by Colbert...needs to go VIRAL.

[gorgol]

06:54 AM on 08/17/2011

Very funny...but disturbing....are the only two places where we can get the real truth...on Stewarts and Colberts shows??? Its starting to look that way.

[WorkhelpWorkhelp]

04:21 AM on 08/18/2011

MAddow and Olbermann speak truth

[layman]

06:53 AM on 08/17/2011

Everything is so rigged in America. We are so screwed.

[Hunh]

11:12 AM on 08/17/2011

This has been evident since the Florida State recounting of votes was dismissed by the Supreme Court. And we all know the statement: "he who controls the media controls the masses". Our country has been handed over to the 1%ers.

[layman]

09:51 PM on 08/17/2011

Your are right. Unfortunately, that's kinda a distant memory for me and, I'm sure, many others.

[dowl]

01:08 AM on 08/17/2011

Colbert is really good. Thanks for the laugh. Did these roughly unknown 700 votes move Ron Paul to 2nd place therefore eliminating him fro the GOTP Iowa straw poll top three?

[siciliabel]

12:59 AM on 08/17/2011

What do I think the Iowa Straw Poll means to the GOP? I think it means you have to spend $180,000.00 to get $144,690.00 worth of votes. But, you will get to pet Randy Travis, so there's that.

[CJ1]

12:43 AM on 08/17/2011

Who hosts a petting zoo in Iowa farmland? Isn't that kind of like peddling ice cubes in Alaska?