Stephen Colbert traveled to his home state of South Carolina to speak to the residents of the capital city of Columbia.
Colbert was welcomed to the University of South Carolina by Columbia Mayor Bob Coble, who presented Colbert with a key to the city, declaring him South Carolina's "favorite son." He said the day was to be known as "Stephen Colbert" day.
Colbert said the state's children should dress up like him for the day.
He instilled a rivalry with Georgia, the state that borders South Carolina to the south. In typical Colbert style, the man who created the word "truthiness" developed another term that helped to heat up the rivalry.
"Our peaches are more numerous than Georgia's," he said. "They are more juiciful."
Colbert, host of "The Colbert Report," announced his presidential candidacy earlier this month, saying he would run only in this key primary state. He also said he plans to run as a Democrat and a Republican — so he could lose twice.
His visit to the University of South Carolina was a bright note on a bad day for the school. A beach house fire in Ocean Isle Beach, NC killed seven college students, six from the University of South Carolina. The other student attended Clemson University. The names of the students has not been announced yet.
They were said to be a group of friends who were members of Delta Delta Delta Sorority, Inc. and Sigma Alpha Epsilon Fraternity, Inc.
