Civics Crisis: More Know Stephen Colbert Than Why 60th Senate Vote Is Key

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Could this go to his head?

Charles Sykes/AP

Could this go to his head?

Charles Sykes/AP

News like this always seems to signal that many of us just didn't pay much attention in Social Studies:

Only 26% of the 1,003 adults surveyed this month by the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press knew it takes 60 votes to break a filibuster in the Senate — even though that 60-vote "super majority" figure has been written and talked about endlessly in the news media in the past year as Democrats neared it, reached it and then lost it.

But 41% correctly identified Stephen Colbert as "a comedian and TV talk show host."

Of course, Stephen will probably be obsessed by the 59% who couldn't ID him.