Obama vs. Colbert

So apparently the Obama campaign was an important factor in keeping Colbert off the ballot in South Carolina: Obama vs. Colbert

Here is the reason, given by former State Superintendent of Education Inez Tenenbaum, an Obama supporter: ". . . I thought it could have taken votes away from a lot of people."

This argument infuriates me every time I run across it. I supposes that only certain people deserve to receive votes, and that those who are deemed undeserving by the powers that be should not get votes. Isn't this a democratic republic? I don't care if he's doing it for a joke, or what the reason is anyone wants to run. The bottom line for me is that candidates and their campaigns should not be able to have a say as to who is running against them. People complain that Perot "took votes away" from Bush Sr.. People complain that Nader "took votes away" from Gore and Kerry. Nonsense! They didn't "take votes away," as though those votes rightfully belonged to Bush or Gore or Kerry. Those were votes cast for someone and rightfully belonged to the person running.

How is it even legal for a candidate or his campaign to influence who they are running against anyway? Isn't that anti-democratic? And even if someone could make the argument that it should remain legal, it still isn't right.