Karl Rove embarrassed himself on O'Reilly the other day, babbling incoherently about the Research 2000 poll that revealed the depth and breadth of Republican ignorance. In particular, note this morsel about 2:23 in:
But look - here's a point about DailyKoss [sic]: DailyKoss is trying to make an argument. And the argument falls flat on its face when you begin to look inside the numbers and you look at the methodology. They just simply said, "Do you think President Obama was born in the United States?" Y'know, only 36% said, "No, he wasn't." But by saying your choices are, Yes, he was, No, he wasn't, or I don't know, I mean they sort of drove things to these numbers that could be taken . . . [here O'Reilly talks over Rove]
(The fact that Rove mentioned numbers is hysterical in and of itself. Karl Rove? Talking about NUMBERS? Seriously, Karl? You want to go there? Remember "The Math"? Yeah - didn't think so.)
Now, Rove says that the Research 2000 poll "drove things to these numbers" by asking such complex, arcane, devious questions as, "Do you think President Obama was born in the United States?" and only offering the respondents THREE CHOICES!!!: Yes, No, or I don't know!
Clearly Karl believes those choices were inadequate to plumb the depths of Republican thinking. And you know what - I tend to think he's probably right. As any true Kossack knows, a well-designed poll will include every possible permutation of answer - and pie. "Pie" was not even one of the choices in the Research 2000 poll. The poll also lacked these obvious possible answers to the question, "Do you think President Obama was born in the United States?":
- Hell, no - he's born in HAWAII!
- No Murkn'd have a name like 'at.
- In what respect, Charlie?
- Has he ever denied he's born in Kenya? Well, has he?
- Marge, git mah gun - there's a N***er-lovin' varmint on the front portch askin' questions 'bout that halfrican in the White House!
- You shore got a purty mouth.
And I love how Rove - in brilliant Rovian fashion - tries to minimize the fact that - let's make sure we highlight this -
36% of Republicans are CERTAIN the President of the United States was NOT born in the United States
Another 22%, by the way, aren't sure whether he was.
Look, Karl, much as you'd like to deny it - and believe me, we get it that your stock in trade is denying reality - the harsh reality is, a lot of Republicans are scary stupid.
And your pathetic attempt to deny it makes you look the same.