Brewer gains, despite debate `meltdown'

[oberliner]

PHOENIX -- Despite what she described as a "brain freeze" in her first and only debate, Gov. Jan Brewer has widened her lead over Democratic challenger Terry Goddard in the Rasmussen Poll.

A survey of likely Arizona voters following the Sept. 1 televised debate shows 60 percent support the Republican governor while 38 percent support Goddard, the current state attorney general.

Brewer drew wide criticism and comments for a 16-second lapse during her opening statements, when she was at a loss for words and looked down, wringing her hands and giggling nervously. She said afterward that she is just human and lost her train of thought.

http://ktar.com/category/local-news-articles/20100909/Brewer-gains,-despite-debate-%60meltdown%27/

How is this possible?

[hlthe2b]

1. Sorry Arizonan DUers, but your state is packed full of IDIOTS.

[Liberal_in_LA]

2. They like her anti-undocumented stance. What can you do?

[David__77]

6. I'd like to see the ethnicity breakdown of the poll and support.

So if the voters were evenly divided between Latino and non-Latino caucasian, would Brewer do what she's done? What would the polls say? One of the best things politically would be to open the door wider for citizenship for these people who are currently working hard and are undocumented.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

8. AMEN!! I wonder how many Hispanics, blacks and other people of color are asked!

[David__77]

20. The "political world" of 2010 is white world indeed.

They right-wing is partying like it's 1968, riding a presumed wave of white discontent. Problem for them is, it's not 1968 - not by a long-shot.

[Liberal_Stalwart71]

22. ...and neither is it 1994, for that matter. n/t

[pezDispenser]

29. and here we sit with underwater home estimates at 51%

Also, of the homes that were purchased within the last year - 11% are now underwater. But yea, our biggest problem is undocumented workers. This fucking state, or the voting majority rather. The state itself is beautiful.

[prolesunited]

3. Because people are idiots

They identify with her. "She's just like me. I might have froze like that. I'm bad at public speaking."

They want to vote for people "just like me" that don't make me feel stupid or bad or feel like I need more education.

Me, I want the smartest person in the room running the show.

[Mz Pip]

12. I do freeze up like that

on occasion, but I'm not running for anything, nor would I. I, too, want someone who's capable and intelligent.

It's not the brain freeze that bothers me so much; it's her superficial knowledge of the issues. Even when she speaks it's just in sound bites and talking points. There's no depth there at all.

[Kdillard]

4. It is Arizona and they apparently like having a fool for a

Representative as long as she is anti immigrant.

[jillan]

30. That's like saying that all Americans liked Bush because he got re-elected.

Get serious.

[Upton]

5. Brewer is a one issue candidate..

and as long as the people of Arizona support 1070, she's going to ride it to a probable easy win.

[Liberal_in_LA]

13. yes, unfortunately

[louis-t]

7. Why do repugs ALWAYS pick the dumbest person

in the room to represent them?

[oberliner]

10. Which is more dangerous?

A dumb Republican or a smart Republican?

[Wickerman]

15. I'm not sure that question can be answered

been a long time since I've seen a smart republican run for office.

[Bill219]

11. Because their base or at least 20-26% of them are idiots

and these idiots identify personally with the idiots that the GOP put up for office.

There is a big reason why the GOP cannot stand having an educated electorate and want to keep our children stupid by killing our public school system.

[sandnsea]

9. Bigotry and greed

and the fact that most people have absolutely no moral compass and are too afraid of ridicule to stand against the tide.

In other words, if we don't have a unified movement, THEY will.

Wake up lefties and stop attacking this president and his agenda.

[ClarkUSA]

14. Rasmussen Polls were the pollster of choice for the Bush 2004 campaign.

Nate Silver doesn't think much of their accuracy and I trust him. No doubt Arizona has more than its share of ignorant racist idiots, too.

[FBaggins]

26. That's not quite what Silver has said.

His position is far more nuanced than that.

It was only a few years ago that he said that if he could only have one pollster "that I'd want with me on a desert island" - Rasmussen was actualy his pick. Even in his fairly recent piece explaining how the normal RV/LV spin doesn't adequately explain the "house effect" he's seen in Ras's polls, he also says that their track record of accurately calling races is "formidable".

It's more important to understand the differences between the polling methodology than to simply say they aren't accurate.

It's also worth noting that over the last few weeks, there have been a number of races where both Rasmussen and PPP (an openly D pollster) have polled at about the same time. PPP has produced less attractive results in the majority of the ones I've seen.

[WI_DEM]

16. This one is a lost cause, I'm afraid.

[azmouse]

17. The RW idiots recognize one of their own.

They are rallying to her because of her crappy performance in the debate.

[damntexdem]

18. I guess a brain freeze plays well with Arizonans.

Maybe in all that heat, a freeze of any kind appeals. Or it may just be that a brain freeze puts a candidate on the same intellectual level with much of the AZ electorate.

[Greybnk48]

19. This says more about polls than reality.

But do they use voting machines out there? Let me guess, no paper trail.

[BrklynLiberal]

21. Aren't there a lot of nuclear waste dump sites there? I would say it must be the water ....

Obviously it has been contaminated, and affected the minds of the populace. Or perhaps, just destroyed their minds altogether...

or could it be the effects of Area51? You know, aliens ate their brains.

[Sheepshank]

23. Hate is hip in Arizona? n/t

[BeyondGeography]

24. My heart goes out to thinking Arizonans

At least you don't have cold winters south of Flagstaff.

[Arkana]

25. To all Arizona DUers--we would like to offer you asylum in New England

so we can cede Arizona back to Mexico.

[Jennicut]

35. I second that offer.

We have our share of nutballs too but they are very much the minority, at least in CT.

[golfguru]

27. It means idiots outnumber intelligent people in AZ

[BlueIdaho]

28. John Fucking McCain...

I rest my case.

[oberliner]

31. McCain on his worst day is still sharper than this woman

And McCain was willing to debate anyone and everyone constantly.

Brewer has refused all future debates because of this meltdown (and probably for numerous other reasons).

[BlueIdaho]

36. John McCain is completely insane and a rageaholic. nt.

[depakid]

32. One thing for certain, a meritocracy America ain't

[totodeinhere]

33. They don't care if she's stupid. All they care about is keeping brown people out of their state. n/t

[oberliner]

34. I'd like to know how she has 15 percent of the Latino vote

That is also baffling to me.