Stephen Colbert wanted to sponsor the South Carolina Republican primary.  He wanted his name on the ballot and he wanted a referendum about whether corporations are people or only people are people.  He was rebuffed in his efforts but our team at PPP decided if he couldn't get all that stuff on the actual ballot, we could at least poll it for him.  Here's what we found:

5% of primary voters would pick Colbert.  He runs behind Mitt Romney's 27%, Newt Gingrich's 23%, Rick Santorum's 18%, Ron Paul's 8%, and Rick Perry's 7%.  But's he beating out Jon Huntsman's 4% and Buddy Roemer's 1%.

Two-thirds think that only people are people.  Interesting cross-tabs.  

if these Bain stories are going to make him unelectable, which he thinks they will (and I agree), isnt it better for them to be made now than after he is the nominee.

Sen John Thune (SD).

Advantages:  True Conservative to balance Mitt's Faux Conservative.  Older and Experienced -- allows ticket to use the Too Young and Inexperienced charge against Obama.  Already vetted and tested in campaign battle against Daschle.  Bland personality won't overshadow or call attention to Mitt's stiff audiomatronic corporate boardroom persona.  No major political gaffes on record.

Downside:  reps state GOP already has in bag.

Plan B:  Gov McDonnell of VA.

SPARTANBURG, S.C. -- Newt Gingrich signaled Wednesday that he believes his criticism of Mitt Romney's record at Bain Capital is a mistake -- and that he's created an impression that he was echoing Democratic rhetoric.

DAMN

oh wait:

Update: Or, maybe not:
Newt Gingrich is calling a report that he regrets attacking Mitt Romney on his Bain career "misleading."
Spokesman R.C. Hammond says Gingrich never said he had crossed the line, and maintained that Romney's decision to base his candidacy in large part on his record at Bain and Company made his work their fair game.

for me the most interesting thing neither asked or answered in the original part is if Gingrichs superpac (which was always where the attacks were planned to come from) would do the same or if Newt would take the same approach Romney did in Iowa:  "I cant tell them what to do".

Warren Buffett tells Time he is ready to call Republicans' tax bluff. Last fall, Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-KY) said that if Buffett was feeling "guilty" about paying too little in taxes, he should "send in a check."

So, he is willing to take them up on it and has pledged to match one for one all such voluntary contributions made by Republican members of Congress.

Said Buffett: "And, I'll even go three for one for McConnell."