Colbert: “So daring! I mean, white, Christian and male? That’s a triple threat of not threatening to me.”

Awesome. Click the video for more.

The Vatican is taking some hard lines against American nuns it views as too progressive in their thinking. In the Rewrite, Lawrence O'Donnell explains why the nuns — and even Stephen Colbert — are right and the Vatican is wrong.

The men's magazine Maxim has an unusual addition to its Hot 100 list of the world's sexiest women. Coming in this year at no. 69 was... Stephen Colbert.

The magazine allowed its readers to vote and due to a huge write-in campaign, Colbert slipped in at no. 69 ahead of Kat Dennings, Sofia Vergara, and Lois Griffin (yes, that Lois Griffin).

The Huffington Post reports the text of the award reads: 

In special recognition of his continued efforts to bring to light the issues, both real and imagined, that face women, and generously putting a male voice to their struggles, which is far louder and therefore more convincing than a female one, Stephen Colbert, with the approval of most of the women around the office, is conferred upon the title of 'Honorary Woman' with all the honors, privileges and nearly the same rights as men.

Maxim explained Colbert's auspicious prize this way: Democracy isn't always pretty: "Sometimes it's downright handsome. With a massive write-in vote campaign, the Colbert Nation proved they're not only loyal but also incredibly horny."

Maxim's entire list can be perused here.

ht BuzzFeed

Last night on The Colbert Report, Stephen Colbert talked about one of the big electoral problems facing the Republican Party in this Fall's election: the youth vote. But the Republicans have a plan to attract younger support. A new magazine magazine-like PDF is now available was released and then quickly pulled from the Internets after a Buzzfeed post about it went viral.

BuzzFeed/The Conservative Teen

Buzzfeed's post pointed out several of the ridiculous interesting headlines the currently available magazine has no longer available magazine-like PDF had to offer. Here you see one such example.

The web address (TheConservativeTeen.com) where the magazine is magazine-like PDF was available now hilariously inexplicably takes you to the site of the SPCA of Texas, a "local, independent non-profit animal welfare organization serving North Texas, funded by the generosity of the community." Nothing wrong with that.

I actually called the SPCA of Texas and talked with a very nice spokeswoman named Lacy Ball. I explained to her this interesting circumstance. She then tried entering TheConservativeTeen.com into her web browser and sure enough... it redirected to her own organization's website. When I asked her why this might be, she laughed and told me, "This is a very interesting situation that we have never encountered before."

Ms. Ball also told me she would reach out to her IT department, and if she found out anything more she would get back to me. I will add an update if we learn anything more.

The SPCA, by the way, takes online donations if you are a Texan (or not) and an animal lover with a few dollars to spare.

A lot of political hay was made over the nasty race that unfolded between Newt Gingrich and Mitt Romney in Florida. Given that Newt never conceded and never called Romney to congratulate him, I don't think we've seen the last of the mudslinging.

Mitt Romney has responded saying the GOP infighting will only "prepare" the Republican nominee (which is likely himself) for the fracas against President Obama in the general election.

Fake conservative Stephen Colbert agrees, and thus took to Twitter with insults a plenty for both Newt and Mitt marking them with the hashtag #PrepareThem. Here's a few of my favorites.

Things got a little weird in South Carolina, today... in a good way. Stephen Colbert and Herman Cain teamed up for a joint campaign rally. Why? Colbert, as you may know, recently announced his candidacy for President of the United States of South Carolina. The super PAC that Colbert started which Jon Stewart now controls (an amazing bit of commentary on the Supreme Court's Citizens United decision) is telling South Carolina voters to vote for Herman Cain, whose name is still on the South Carolina ballot.

Colbert promised the crowd that if the rally turned into an Occupy protest, that they would be pepper-sprayed "in the politest way possible." He added, "This is Charleston after all." He then told the crowd, "I want you to vote for Herman Cain, because Herman Cain is me."

Amazing.

Also amazing? Stephen Colbert wearing Herman Cain's hat.

Reuters/Jason Reed

Fake conservative Stephen Colbert and real conservative Herman Cain team up in Charleston, South Carolina

Michael Justus/AP Photo

Willard M. Romney laughing with supporters in Greer, South Carolina on Thursday.

One week after we all stayed up past midnight to find out the results of the Iowa caucuses, the New Hampshire primary was called as soon as the polls closed. Romney's latest victory, his history at Bain Capital and Newt Gingrich's last stand are the stories we were watching this week.

Mitt Romney wins New Hampshire
Unlike his extremely narrow win in Iowa, Mitt Romney handily won the New Hampshire primary on Tuesday night, giving an odd, albeit better, speech than the one he gave after Iowa.

Ron Paul had another strong finish this week after he placed a distant second to Mitt Romney in New Hampshire. Steve Kornacki, despite enduring technical problems during the show, stuck around to talk about Paul's appeal.

Having decided to skip Iowa and focus his attention on New Hampshire, it's difficult to tell if Jon Huntsman's third place finish is a good thing or a bad thing for the candidate. Right now, he's polling behind Stephen Colbert in the upcoming South Carolina primary, and the comedian hasn't technically entered the race.

Let me remind of you of Mr. Vermin Supreme.  It's a crime this "friendly fascist," boot-hat wearing presidential candidate  didn't win the New Hampshire primary, effectively killing the war with gingivitus and the dream of having a free pony.

Willard's work and family history
It's tough to tell what kind of week Mitt Romney really had. On the one hand, Romney won in New Hampshire and currently leads in the South Carolina polls.  On the other hand, questions have been raised about his time as CEO of Bain Capital and the gaffs he's had in response to them. One mistake came on Wednesday after he told Matt Lauer on Today that his critics were suffering from "envy." This comment is now being added to a growing list of times Romney has appeared to be out of touch with the American public. 

His family south of the border also made headlines. Mike Taibbi discussed his piece from this week's Rock Center on Mitt Romney's Mexican roots.

The wrath of Newt
Remember the end of "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid"? Paul Newman and Robert Redford were pinned down and had no choice but to shoot their way out even though there was no chance of survival? That's kind of what Newt Gingrich is doing. He's pinned down, he's angry and South Carolina is where he'll make his stand.

Zombie campaigns
Fortunately for us, and unfortunately for Mitt Romney, both Newt Gingrich and Rick Perry (who finished near or at the bottom of both the Iowa caucuses and New Hampshire primary) are still in the race. Because of the pro-Gingrich "Winning Our Future" super PAC and Perry's exceptional fundraising last year, both have been able to stay in the race — not to win the nomination, but to destroy Romney. As a result, their campaigns have turned from viable options for the nomination into lurching zombies who's only purpose is to tear at the flesh of Mitt Romney.

THE WEEK AHEAD...

Super PAC ads
Almost all of the candidates have been gearing up the barrage of super PAC sponsored advertisements that will inevitably fill the airwaves in South Carolina. Even Stephen Colbert decided last night to transfer over his "Colbert Super PAC" money to Jon Stewart in order to explore a run there. Be on the look out for ads from the pro-Newt Gingrich super PAC "Winning Our Future" as well as the pro-Romney "Restore our Future" this week.

South Carolina primary
The candidates have already made their way to South Carolina. MSNBC coverage of the South Carolina primary begins next Saturday, January 21 at 6pm ET.

Stephen Colbert is one step closer to jumping into the 2012 presidential fray.

During Thursday's edition of The Colbert Report, the comedian transferred control of his super PAC to Jon Stewart, a fellow host at Comedy Central. This move gives him a legit legal opening to explore a presidential run.

He dropped the I'm "forming an exploratory committee" line, like many politicians before him who then went on to run for president. He added this will "lay the groundwork for my possible candidacy for the president of the United States of South Carolina!”

It's late in the game, but he's not doing so bad up against other Republican candidates who have been campaigning much longer, especially in his home state.

A recent PPP survey found Colbert leading Jon Huntsman in South Carolina with five percent of the vote compared to Huntsman's four percent.

Under election laws, it's illegal to run a super PAC and run for office. Candidates and those who run super PACs can't coordinate with other either.

Colbert previously tried to enter the South Carolina primary during the 2008 election cycle.

Televangelist Pat Robertson teased his followers viewers with news that God told him who would be our next President. He also said God told him about a great stress that America would be facing this year.

A religious follower viewer of Robertson's, Stephen Colbert relayed the divine message to his audience on The Colbert Report.

Stephen Colbert paid The Occupy Wall Street protesters a visit to try and take over the movement. He talked to two idealist "rebels" — one who is named Ketchup. He interviewed the pair while dipping breakfast sausage links into his champagne flute (as you do when you’re Colbert). After watching the clip, viewers actually take away some new insight into the communication process at Zuccotti Park, learning the definitions (and hand motions) behind "temperature check," "blocks" and "point of process."

The Last Word's former favorite Republican candidate Tim Pawlenty resurfaced on a last night's Colbert Report.

T-Paw dropped out of the GOP presidential race because finishing behind Michele Bachmann and Ron Paul in the Iowa straw poll is "enough for any one person to endure." That's his reasonable side talking.

He said winning these days requires tons of money and more of reality TV show component — two qualities his campaign lacked.

When questioned about juggling these factors among GOP voters, he randomly blurted out, "I thought about shooting sparks up my butt." For the record, that's a direct quote.

What did you do with our boring yet middle-of-the-road candidate that we've come to know over the months? His campaign should've unleashed T-Paw 2.0 a long time ago. Better late than never.

The week that was according to Stephen Colbert. Enjoy & happy weekend!