UPDATE: News Outlets Take Serious Look at Witty Colbert-for-President Campaign

By: E&P Staff At least a couple of major news outlet is taking the alleged presidential bid by Comedy Central?s Stephen Colbert semi-seriously.

CNN headlined a story on its Web site: "Can Colbert Actually Get on the Ballot?"

Colbert, the faux talk show host with a new book out, had teased the media with a threat to run for days and then unexpectedly announced his candidacy Tuesday night on his own show. So far he has said he will run only in his native South Carolina -- but in both party primaries.

On the The New York Times? popular The Caucus Blog today, Jacques Steinberg revealed that Colbert ?is apparently serious enough that his staff reached out to the state?s Democratic and Republican committees in advance of his announcement.

?Joe Werner, executive director of the South Carolina Democratic Party, said that a representative for Mr. Colbert, who was raised in Charleston, called three weeks ago to request basic information about filing dates and other requirements. Mr. Werner added, ?From what I understand, he does have credible people down here, working to have him placed on the ballot.'

?Katon Dawson, the chairman of the state Republican Party, said his office had also received a call from Mr. Colbert?s staff ? on Tuesday.?

The Times went so far as explore what Colbert would have to do to get on the Democratic ballot in the South Carolina primary. ?Well, there?s two ways,?? Werner said. ?The first is you pay a $2,500 filing fee. And if you can?t afford to do the $2,500, you can gather 3,000 signatures.??

Commented Dawson: ?There is nothing in our filing that would prohibit him from running on both ballots, if he chose to pay the filing fees.? But the fee is $35,000.

Colbert on his show Wednesday night said a downloadable copy of petitions to get him in the South Carolina primary would be available on his Comedy Central site on Thursday. He said, while munching from a bag of Doritos, that (hint, hint) he might need a "corporate sponsor" to pay the GOP fee.