NBC's Chuck Todd Rips Colbert: 'Making a Mockery of the System' With 'Anti-Republican' Agenda

NBC's Chuck Todd blasted Stephen Colbert's recent political exploits, saying the Comedy Central host is essentially making a mockery of the political system and likely pushing an anti-Republican agenda.

(Related: Colbert to MSNBC’s Scarborough: 'You Look…Like Evening Joe Brought to You by Jack Daniel's')

Colbert embarked on a bid for president of  "The United States of South Carolina" earlier this month, handing control of his super PAC over to fellow host Jon Stewart. Within the last week, the super PAC has released a series of mocking ads, including one branding GOP candidate Mitt Romney as "Mitt the Ripper." Colbert's strategy shifted to encouraging South Carolinians to vote for Herman Cain, whose name is still on the ballot despite his dropping out of the race. Cain and Colbert appeared together at a rally Friday, termed the "Rock Me Like a Herman Cain South Cain-olina Primary Rally," though Cain did not actually solicit votes.

"He is making a mockery of the system," Todd said during a panel discussion at Winthrop University Thursday. "Yes, the process is a mess, but he's doing it in a way that feels as if he's trying to influence it with his own agenda that may be anti-Republican."

"We in the media are covering it as a schtick and a satire but it's like, wait a minute here, he also seems to be doing his best to marginalize the Republican candidates in a way, and we're participating in that marginalization."

Todd said he likes that Colbert is educating the public and even enjoys watching his show, but gets "uncomfortable when it merges into the real world."

"Both Jon Stewart and Stephen Colbert have this ability to want to mock us in the media all the time, claim we don't do our job, and then when you call them out on it, say 'we're just comedians,'" Todd said. "Actually no you're not anymore. You are mocking what we're doing, you want a place in this, you're also going to be held accountable for how you do your job."