Wingnuts: A Harris Poll That Has Generated A Lot of Attention

[Emit]

Humphrey Taylor, Chairman of The Harris Poll, discusses their recent poll. He also notes that they'll be publishing a poll on the Tea Party Movement and the attitudes of their supporters, so be prepared for more crazy :crazy: shite!

March 25, 2010
Wingnuts: A Harris Poll That Has Generated A Lot of Attention
Post by Humphrey Taylor, Chairman of The Harris Poll

Our recent Harris Poll “Wingnuts and President Obama” has triggered more interest and controversy than any other recent Harris Poll. As readers of this blog probably know we found that very large numbers of Americans think that President Obama is a socialist, a Muslim, wants to turn over the sovereignty of the United States into a world government, has done many things that are unconstitutional and resents America’s heritage.

This poll also reported that a quarter of Americans still believe that he was not born in the United States and so he is not eligible to be President, and almost a quarter believe that he is a racist and anti-American. Perhaps the most startling were the smaller but still substantial numbers who believe that he is doing many of the things that Hitler did (20%) and that he may be the anti-Christ (14%).

We have been asked several questions about this poll.

Q. What are the implications of this poll for American politics?

A. They are important. Next week we will be publishing a poll on the Tea Party Movement and the attitudes of their supporters. Many of them believe the statements about President Obama. There are other Republicans who think they are dangerous nonsense.

Over this year, and beyond, I think we will see a struggle for the control (some might say the soul) of the Republican Party. If the Tea Party people come out on top, I think it spells real trouble for the party, as they run the risk of alienating moderate Republicans and most Independents.

One other thought strikes me. Bismark famously remarked that people should not be allowed to watch the making of sausages or laws (presumably because the former is too unpleasant and the latter is too complicated ). But we believe in Democracy with “one man one vote” (forgive the sexism here) regardless of whether they are knowledgeable or misinformed. Voters are not always right. Which may explain why Churchill believed that “democracy is the worst form of government --- except for all the others”.

~snip~

http://overthewire.typepad.com/my_weblog/2010/03/wingnuts-a-harris-poll-that-has-generated-a-lot-of-attention.html

[gratuitous]

1. Very similar to the Research 2000 poll a couple of weeks ago

The one commissioned by Daily Kos? My, oh my, was there a kerfuffle over that! It was tantamount to Kos calling all Republicans a bunch of traitors. And now the Harris poll appears to confirm that the Republicans are low-information, racist nitwits. And the popular media coverage? Ooh, listen! Crickets!

[UTUSN]

2. K&R #3 n/t

[DCKit]

3. It's a pity they didn't dig a bit deeper.

Dog knows what other totally ignorant and bizarre beliefs they hold.

[Monk06]

4. The Republican Party, sorry, the Republic Party has been taken over by Alex Jones' brain.

I never thought I'd live to see the day that one
of the two main political parties would lapse into
full blown psychosis. Last time the Rs came this
close Barry Goldwater was the Rs great white hope.

[RainDog]

5. 14% of Americans are barking mad

because that 14% believes that Obama is the anti-christ.

25% of Americans are too fucking stupid to breathe. luckily for them, you can have shit for brains but your heart and lungs still work.