Why is the Punditry so Stupid?

[MadBadger]

I swear, its like they have never followed elections before. I'm speaking to the fact that in terms of numbers and polls, they just dont know jack shit. Julie Mason from the Houston Chronicle thinks that Obama is in trouble when he loses the white vote by 6 from the new NBC poll. Kerry lost the whte vote b 17, and Gore lost the white vote by 12 (and still won). So how on earth is that a bad number? Do these pundits check stats and facts before the run their mouth? (no). And Wolf Blitzer a few days ago was speaking to Barbara Boxer about McCain being competitive in CA. He mentioned that it could help to have a popular Arnold Schwarzenegger out there for McCain. One small problem, and Barbara pointed it out. Arnold isnt popular. His approval rating was 55% in December of 2007, but now, its at 37% with 60% disapproving, according to SUSA. Seriously, all these pundits and media persona talk out of their asses and pretend they know stats and the facts of the states and the elections. Its quite sad that we know much more than them. I think we could have told them that Washington is not a battleground state.

[KittyWampus]

1. They aren't stupid, they're liars.

[WinkyDink]

2. Exactly. For pay.

[glowing]

3. Its how they help steal elections.. the corporate whores are really scared.

[NatBurner]

4. because they think their viewers/listeners are stupid

[WorseBeforeBetter]

5. They're manipulating the stupid and laughing all the way to the bank.

They know exactly what they are doing.

[butterfly77]

16. Exactly..

[PoliticalAmazon]

6. IMO, they are disconnected from the masses, just like many of our politicians are....

For instance, for them to be pushing for Hillary as VP, IMO, shows a complete disconnect from what is the foundation of Obama's campaign (changing the way things are done in D.C., working against the status quo, anti-Iraq-Quagmire) and why Obama's supporters are drawn to him...why some of us are so dedicated to getting him elected.

They are simply clueless because they've become part of the status-quo of D.C. and no longer are connected to the masses.

I think the DNC shares this problem, as well, and it has been one of my main gripes against the DNC for the last 10 years or so: they are disconnected from their Party's voters and now part of the status quo in D.C.

[underpants]

10. DC media basically takes its cues from the RNC via the Drudge report

I am reading Glenn Greenwald's newest book and the part where he illustrates how Drudge rules the world is telling and frightening

I could cite tons of evidence that we both know but I will instead mention comments that I have read from inside the Dem operations that said that they fear the media. That is why no impeachment stuff gets any traction they know they will get lambasted by the MSM.

[PoliticalAmazon]

11. One of Richard Mellon Scaife's legal groups provided help to Drudge....

when Drudge was sued by Sid Blumenthal. The go-between was the Independent Women's Forum. The IWF was a Scaife-funded group. Members included Ann Coulter, Laura Ingraham, Barbara Olsen and Barbara Ledeen. Ledeen is married to neocon Michael Ledeen who has a vendetta against Sid because Sid outed Michael's plagarism which prevented Michael from getting tenure at a college where he was teaching. Michael Ledeen is a zealous architect of the neocon invasion plans for Iraq, Iran, Syria, etc. Ledeen also ran Manucher Ghorbanifar during the TOM HAWK missle sales (with profits going to fund the Contras in Central America) during the Reagan Administration. Ledeen also was prosecuted in Italy for running a fascist paramilitary training camp there. Ledeen also trotted out Ghorbanifar again during the run-up to the Iraq invasion, vouching for Ghorbanifar's credibility to the NSA.

Anyway, sometimes it helps to know the background of folks who pop up in the news.

[underpants]

12. Ledeen is scum

did you know that Laura Ingraham got the 5PM slot on Fox NEws? I read that yesterday-I guess they are letting her back in the club (Norquist banned her from his Wednesday meetings after she said that maybe the right should ease up on the Clintons a bit-back in the 90's)

[PoliticalAmazon]

14. Yes, I read that about Ingraham. She is a piece of work. n/t

[BlooInBloo]

15. (shrug) So do DUers, with their love affair with politico....

Point being: It's pretty much the whole country that's stupid.

[BlooInBloo]

7. Because they're Americans, and Americans are stupid. It's made worse by the fact that they're....

largely Communications majors (close to the bottom of the barrel).

[WCGreen]

8. They have no time for history, reflection. With the 24 hr news cycle, they

just talk, and talk, and talk, and talk...

Seriously, the conventional wisdom sets in and no one questions the veracity of what they keep repeating.

The only thing that might check this is if their rating plateau or shrink due to the ability of people to get their news elsewhere.

[shadowknows69]

9. Because no one hire journalists anymore

Just talking heads.

[Barack_America]

13. Because it suits their bosses' agenda.

And we buy it.

[democracy1st]

17. they get paid to be that way

[SemiCharmedQuark]

18. Because they're greedy and they will say anything to "sell" a story.

You can be a good journalist and speak the truth and end up on NPR. OR you can tell the people sleazy, interesting stories and wind up on network.

[sandnsea]

19. Campaigns push talking points, they repeat them

and repeat the right wing talking points 100 to 1 over Dems.

[SeaLyons]

20. Very interesting.....

I'm amazed at how many are aware of the "corporate whores" that decide elections.