COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) — South Carolina's governor appears to have closed the door on appointing Stephen Colbert to the U.S. Senate, all because the comedian didn't know the state drink was milk.
During 'The Colbert Report' on Thursday, Colbert urged his fans to send Gov. Nikki Haley messages on Twitter with the hashtag 'SenatorColbert' telling her why he would make a great senator from his home state. Haley is appointing a senator after Jim DeMint announced he is resigning at the end of the year.
Colbert, who plays a mock conservative pundit on his show, also gave Haley four reasons he was the perfect choice.
'You want somebody young, somebody conservative, somebody from South Carolina, maybe somebody who had a super PAC,' Colbert said, ticking off the choices by putting down a finger until the final one was left pointing at himself.
'Wait a second,' Colbert said, as his crowd cheered.
Thousands of messages poured into the governor's official Twitter account. She responded on her favorite social media site, Facebook, writing on her page that she appreciated Colbert's interest and all the tweets.
'But you forget one thing, my friend. You didn't know our state drink. Big, big mistake,' Haley wrote, adding a link to a video of her April appearance on Colbert's show where the host did not know milk was the official state beverage.
On that same show, however, Colbert stumped Haley with the state amphibian — the spotted salamander.
Colbert was born and raised in Charleston, and he still has family in the state. He gently mocks his home, and has made a couple of faux runs for president during the state's early primaries. He also put on a crown and declared himself governor of South Carolina in 2009 when then-Gov. Mark Sanford disappeared for several days while visiting his mistress in Argentina.
On his show Thursday, Colbert also gave one other qualification he had to be a U.S. Senator.
'When I look at the U.S. Senate, I say to myself, you know what they could use?' Colbert said. 'Another white guy.'
Today is Thursday, May 23, the 143rd day of 2013. There are 222 days left in the year. 1863 — 150 years ago: Messrs. J. and M. Rosenfield have moved their leather and hidestore to the building formerly occupied by Temple Bufords's store. They buy and sellhides, pelts, furs, wool, beeswax, lard, tallow, etc. 1888 -- 125 years ago: The Rock Island Lumber Company has recovered 5,000 of the8,000 logs that were carried away by the Mississippi River flood last week. 1913 -- 100 years ago: John J. Ullemeyer has been awarded the contract to furnish RockIsland fire and police department members with uniforms, at the city's expense. 1938 -- 75 years ago: Work on Aledo's new $38,000 swimming pool was started thismorning at South Park when ground for the pool was broken by Mayor John W. Murphy. 1963 -- 50 years ago: Students and teacher at Moline High School called today "MissLeona Day" day at the school in honor of the government teacher who retires at theend of the school term. Although she's been teaching for 43 years at the school, Miss Dayfound a new way of arriving at the school this morning. At 7:30 a.m., a police squad carpulled up in front of Miss Day's home and escorted her to school. A caravan of students' cars joined the procession along the way. 1988 -- 25 years ago: Barbecue cooking and riverfront antics are planned for Discover the River Day Saturday in Leach Park, Bettendorf. A 5K run, wind surfing, a canoe race, hogcalling and more will round out the day under the Interstate 74 bridge.