Comments on: CORRECTION: It Turns Out A Lot Of My Fellow Liberals Are Just Flat-Ass Ignorant

By: Rachelfriend

Rachelfriend — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 03:54:19 +0000

Dans: I agree that Governor Palin does not speak well (under certain conditions). I’ve seen interviews with her where she’s spoken very clearly, and others where she’s spoken very haltingly.

She does have a habit of dropping the first couple of words of sentences, especially if they are about herself. For example, instead of saying “I didn’t order those clothes, nor did I ask for them”, she might say “didn’t order the close, didn’t ask”. Her speaking style can be very passive which makes it hard to follow, especially with her slight accent. However, I think it’s a BIG mistake to call someone stupid when it’s really that you just don’t understand their phraseology. Listen more carefully. I once made the mistake of thinking someone pretty important was stupid because he had an accent and spoke in a style that was different than what I was used to. It turned out he was one of the smartest people I’d ever met.

Russia and Alaska _are_ close and there are true economic and national security concerns that exist _because_ of their close proximity (http://www.gov.state.ak.us/trade/2003/tad/russia/russia.htm). What’s wrong with Governor Palin stating that, even if she doesn’t spell it all out for people who should already know that much about the largest state in the Union?

By: The Bulletproof Monk

The Bulletproof Monk — Thu, 20 Nov 2008 01:14:45 +0000

As I’ve said before…..
My bumperstickers are coming.
They read “The dumbing down of the electorate is now complete, Dear Leader”.

By: Joe Budzinski

Joe Budzinski — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 22:14:29 +0000

Hey Zimzo’s Web site is back online!

Nice work and perseverance there, Sammy!

http://africanpress.wordpress.com/

By: Lovisa

Lovisa — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:08:44 +0000

Atrocious grammar! “Any “personS”. =========

By: Lovisa

Lovisa — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:05:32 +0000

You bet I will! Any person in an important position ought to think before they speak.

Hope Biden will take a lesson from Obama

By: Cathymac

Cathymac — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 20:00:34 +0000

Whatever Lovisa, if you want to think Obama’s verbal stumbling is a sign of intelligence or patience – go for it.

By: Lovisa

Lovisa — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 19:53:01 +0000

Cathymac,

Well, you know, the stumbling and “uhhh” might give the person a little time to THINK, before answering. I don’t think at all that taking one’s time to answer a question necessarily shows lack of intelligence or knowledge.

How to answer a difficult question is tricky; choice of words important. Those who seem to have a quick answer to everything used to be called “glib”, not always a compliment.

By: Cathymac

Cathymac — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:34:19 +0000

Dan, Palin’s remark did come off as stupid -fairly or unfairly. She should have explained why her State’s proximity to Russia was of concern and value to her candidacy, instead it was used to lampoon her.

I tend to agree on the rambling bit, but I seem to recall quite a few politicians that had the same problem early in their career on the national stage. If you watch Palin’s interviews and debates during the Gov’s race she was much more concise and to the point. People ramble when they are reaching for more information, and they tend to repeat what they just said as if to emphasize.

Look at Obama and his “uhhh” and hiccuped sentences, he still relies on that verbal crutch when he is not sure how to answer something, or plain doesn’t want to.

By: dans

dans — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 18:08:22 +0000

sally, I was not in any way discussing Obama, Biden or McCain, so don’t see how they factor into my comments.

Her remark was what I consider to be rather stupid. If Sarah wishes to run again for national office, she needs to fix the problem she has with rambling.

By: sally

sally — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 14:42:03 +0000

dans, Governor Palin, due to proximity to Russia and Alaska’s role in homeland security, has the highest national security clearance. Prior to the election, Obama may not have been entitled to any security clearance, due to his relationship with known terrorists (“family friend” according to Ayers, now.) And, neither McCain not Biden have any such national security clearance. Palin is the head of the Alaska National Guard which plays a crucial 24/7 role in national security. Her remark was not “stupid,” only the presentation of her remark–and the attitude that the proximity of Russia to Alaska is “stupid.” Ignorant people, and the press, belittled this extremely important role, and qualification on the part of Palin to understand our national security and foreign policy issues.

By: BarbaraN

BarbaraN — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 10:24:15 +0000

Joe, I posed the question because election eve I participated in a telephone survey (conducted by another organization) which asked which presidential candidate I intended to vote for and then went on to ask the very same questions posed in this study, including the questions about Walmart and NASCAR. Although I try to pay as little attention to politics as possible, I new the answers. Whew! The caller asked the Walmart/NASCAR questions right after asking whether I considered myself a member of the “investment class.” Admittedly ignorant of what was meant by “investment class” I asked the caller what that meant. She said she had no idea, and even if she knew, she would not be allowed to tell me. My phone being right next to the computer, one Google click later, I was able to answer in the affirmative. How many of us study what Mr. Nader has to say anyway, right. When she posed the questions about Walmart and NASCAR, I had a good laugh and asked the caller why these questions were included in what sounded like a serious assessment of voters’ knowledge of the candidates. Again, she said she could not answer, but she too said she found the inclusion of these questions comical. I was so struck by the inclusion of these two questions in the survey that I mentioned it to my coworkers and to my hair stylist. Everyone I spoke to thought it very odd. Would these questions assess that respondents are getting information and media coverage on issues from the National Inquirer lets say, rather than the NYT or Washington Post because that is what is on the shelves at Walmart? Or that respondents formulated their views on energy/oil gas issues based on whether or not their favorite driver and team will have to retrofit his or her to run on electricity? Having participated in answering the same questions posed in the study you cite, I’m still stumped by exactly what these two questions reveal about people.

By: zimzo

zimzo — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 07:21:48 +0000

The survey was commissioned by the right-wing group that made the video you posted. It’s meaningless because they didn’t poll McCain voters who would have been equally if not more moronic. It’s funny how the American people were so smart when they voted for Bush and now their IQs have suddenly plummeted.

By: Stay Puft Marshmallow Man

Stay Puft Marshmallow Man — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:38:28 +0000

now that you have a new found interest in the media and it’s influence on politics, have you seen the documentary called “outfoxed” Joe?

I watched it, and let me tell you, as a life-long conservative, it made me want to close my eyes, plug my ears, and yell “LALALALA-I Can’t Hear You-LALALA!”

By: Joe Budzinski

Joe Budzinski — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:37:23 +0000

Barb, the people conducting the survey were not, as far as I can tell, attempting to say anything about the intelligence of the respondents. I think that was all demographic info meant to place them. The point of the survey was to investigate the role of the news media – the extent to which the media distributed different pieces of information.

The “ignorance” conclusion was contributed by me and me alone, so in this case it is ok to shoot the messenger.

By: Linda B

Linda B — Wed, 19 Nov 2008 04:24:08 +0000

Wow, 55 percent of those polled were college grads. So much for developing critical reading and thinking skills.