Bob Herbert tries, unsuccessfully, to avoid demonstrating his own ignorance in the New York Times:
I think a case could be made that ignorance played at least as big a role in the election’s outcome as values. A recent survey by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland found that nearly 70 percent of President Bush’s supporters believe the U.S. has come up with “clear evidence” that Saddam Hussein was working closely with Al Qaeda. A third of the president’s supporters believe weapons of mass destruction were found in Iraq. And more than a third believe that a substantial majority of world opinion supported the U.S.-led invasion. This is scary. How do you make a rational political pitch to people who have put that part of their brain on hold? No wonder Bush won….You have to be careful when you toss the word values around. All values are not created equal. Some Democrats are casting covetous eyes on voters whose values, in many cases, are frankly repellent. Does it make sense for the progressive elements in our society to undermine their own deeply held beliefs in tolerance, fairness and justice in an effort to embrace those who deliberately seek to divide?
And speaking of ignorance, Mr. Herbert, do you believe that spending more government money will help the poor, despite four decades of evidence to the contrary? Do you believe that “shall make no law” means to pass a law or not to pass a law? If shells filled with sarin are not weapons of mass destruction, what are they? And do you believe every poll and study you read?
Remember, you’re on the side that can’t figure out how Bush won because they don’t know anyone who voted for him. The side that can’t figure out that 0-11 on “gay marriage” does not indicate mass public approval. This would seem to indicate that if there is cluelessness floating about, it just might be on the side of the zeros. Speaking of cluelessness, by the way, was Dukakis really so spectacularly successful that you just couldn’t resist nominating another archliberal Massachusetts politician?
I wonder specifically which values championed by conservatives are the ones that you find repellent? The concept that homosexuality is sin? The concept that marriage is between a woman and a man? The concept that killing unborn children is evil? The concept that not having sex is the best way to avoid contracting a sexually-transmitted disease? The concept that there is a God? The concept that such things as good and evil exist at all?
I’m just curious. Oh, and one last question, if Democrats are so smart and informed, why is it that so many of them can’t figure out how to make any money?
Under $15,000: 36% BUSH 63% KERRY
Over $200,000: 63% BUSH 35% KERRY 1% NADER