May 10, 2009

Absolute Denial
From the Washington Post--by Carlson
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This morning on The McLaughlin Group, a poll by AP was presented:
31% of those polled identified themselves as 'conservative'. I don't remember the exact percentage of that 31% — but it was substantial — refused to identify themselves as Republican.

Eleanor reported another poll by The Washington Post in which 21% self-identified as conservative. There was no breakdown by party identification reported.

So, McLaughlin asked, reasonably enough, if the elephant is becoming extinct.
No one admitted to believing this to be the case. I agree. The same question was being asked about the Democrats just 4 years ago. [The Democrats, however, did not provide the hilarious entertainment that the Republicans are now dispensing. As a matter of fact, the Dems were, so I understand, wracking their brains trying to figure out how to appeal to more people—not fewer.]

During the ensuing discussion, Pat Buchanan accused the Democrats of gloating. Outside of blogsville, I don't believe that's true. Certainly, within the MSM, all parties are pointing to steep declines by both parties in the past and predicting a comeback.
And, let's face it, we bloggers are, for the most part, amateurs. We're not obliged to hide our snickers behind our hands. And it's a good thing—or I would bust a gut!

But here's the kicker:
Pat also declared, in a no-nonsense fashion, the Republican Talking Point, "This nation is a Right-Leaning nation!"

Amazingly, no one refuted his statement. Are the other people on the panel afraid of him as so many fear Rush?
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My question to Pat is this:
How can the numbers 31% [AP] and 21% [WaPo] be construed as a majority? Those are the people who declare themselves as "Conservative"— although many of them run, screaming, away from the label "Republican."

Either Pat is lying [while the figures are right up there on the screen in front of us] or he doesn't understand how percentages work.

So, which is it, Pat? Are you a liar or an imbecile?

4 comments:

Mauigirl said...

I vote for imbecile.

two crows said...

hey Mauigirl--
yeah, given his penchant for disbelieving what he sees right in front of his nose, I've got to agree with you.

acourse, he could be both.

libhom said...

The McLaughlin Group is a right leaning propaganda program financed by GE.

two crows said...

hi, libhom--
yeah, I had always thought so-- still, even Pat went after Bush late in his 2nd term.

The blond woman [can't remember her name] is a lockstep right wing-nut.

Eleanor is quite liberal, fwiw. there are usually 2 and 2 + Mc who leans conservative but, probably, pretty moderately so -- at least as moderate is measured these days.

and McLaughlin, himself, said he believes the elephant will go extinct if it doesn't wake up.

I watch it most weeks to get both sides without having to listen to the absolute crazies [except for that blond who makes all the blond jokes make sense.]