Stephen Colbert Takes Credit for Huntsman Exit

Odd reports have begun to trickle out explaining the reasons behind Jon Huntsman's decision to call off his campaign for president Monday.

Howard Fineman of the Huffington Post  reported Monday night that a high-ranking campaign source told him that the Huntsman family "were worried that he would be compared to Stephen Colbert."

The Comedy Central host announced last week that he was forming an exploratory committee to “lay the groundwork for my possible candidacy for president of the United States of America of South Carolina.” Colbert, a South Carolina native, is already backed by a super PAC which has attacked front-runner Mitt Romney in the Palmetto State.

"They were risking being a laughingstock and wanted to preserve some dignity at the end," the unnamed source told Fineman. Huntsman spokesman Tim Miller said the Republican insider's account was "stupid."

"There were a lot of reasons he (Huntsman) made this decision. Beating Obama was at the top. Stephen Colbert was not on the list."

That said, Fineman notes that while Colbert is not on the ballot and there is no space for write-ins in South Carolina, he has run even with Huntsman in some polling.

During "The Colbert Report" Monday night, the host took credit for Huntsman's exit.

"Folks, do you see what’s happened here? The mere possibility that I might run for president blew Jon Huntsman all the way back to the Lands’ End catalog he came from!” said Colbert. “Again, that’s just from me exploring the idea of running. Can you imagine what it would do to the field if I, Stephen T. Colbert, looked into the camera right now and officially announced?”

Comedy Central video of Colbert's Monday monologue:

Colbert's super PAC released a new ad Monday night urging Americans to "vote Herman Cain."