October 08, 2008 02:00 PM
Daily Show: Undecided Voters, aka 'The Stupids'
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John Oliver polls undecided voters (a large portion of which fall squarely in the 'stupid' category) to find out what issues are important to them.
"Let's look at the latest numbers. Right now, nationwide, it's Obama 49, McCain 43, Undecided 8. Those Undecideds can still break either way. But who are they? As you can see, they fall into a variety of categories: Attention seekers; racist Democrats; the chronically insecure; and "the stupid. That is 45% of the Undecideds, John. They are the swingiest of the swing voters. And they, as they always do, will decide this election."
I do wonder what these people are looking to hear or see that will make up their minds or are they just not paying attention and relying on being slapped in the face with whatever proof would float their boats.
I betcha, that these are the very same people who when asked why they vote for Pres Bush in 2004, would say, "I don't know" or "I don't know why I did that", doggone it.
is probably a gross underestimate.
He could have just said Republicans and saved a word.
Hasa Diga Eebowai
Sometimes I think to myself, "what would my life be like without the Daily Show?"
This is why.
Ah, that's some funny shit. John Stewart makes politics bearable for a 20-something like myself.
He makes politics bearable for a 40-something like me, too.
He makes politics bearable for a 30-something like me, too.
He makes politics bearable for a 35-something like me, too.
The Daily Show makes politics bearable for an old fart like me, too. Without TDS, Colbert, Letterman and KO, I would have had to move out of the country.
All right! Old farts and 20-somethings alike survive this political atmosphere with the help of TDS, Colbert, Letterman, KO and Maddow.
Cheers to them!
I'm fifty-five and have given up on teevee. But I'm always looking for clips of TDS online. Colbert, KO and Maddow too.
I'll take that 50+ year old category and I'll continue to watch if I make to the 60's. Just wish it was on a little earlier, like maybe during the 4:00 dinner hour (HA!, laugh with me!)
Oliver's piece let me know I wasn't alone in my thoughts that those STILL declaring (or actually BEING) undecided are complete idiots! Isn't there enough out there? Would be nice if the media just ignored them, why should they swing anything?
I turn 50 in March, so I'm spending the next few months lording it over my 3 older sisters that I'm still in the first half-century of life, while they're in the last half-century.
Hence, I classified myself as 40-something. It's a BIG something.
Cool feature: I just edited a typo of mine!
I'm 62 and I love "The Dailey Show" and "The Colbert Report"
He makes politics bearable for a something-something Cub fan like me, too.
What about the "she's/he's a Christian category or the "she's/he's someone I would wanna have a beer with" category or the "Anti-Choice is my only criterion" category.
Plenty of room in the "Stupids" for those folks.
They're diehard repugs.
Amalink...these people vote in accordance with the last thing they've heard. They are in the office on election day...someone says..."McCain is an idiot"...KNEE JERK..."Ohh...I'll vote for Obama"...or..."The black guy in the mail room is a jerk. They're all alike"..KNEE JERK.."Oh...Obama is black...I'm voting McCain".
You know the type.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
I suppose you're right L&P, but I was watching the after-debate coverage on MSNBC and they had these "undecided' panels and a couple people said that they haven't heard what they want to hear yet. So I wonder if there is something specific they want to hear and are too lazy to do the research or they want someone to make up their minds for them and will vote like you say - whatever beats them about the head last.
I think the ones making those types of comments or something to the effect of "I just don't trust him yet" are the closet racist segment who may in fact be decided but just can't admit it (to themselves).
If you can bear it, view the trailer: http://redstateroadtrip.com/
These are "The Stupids".
I think TDS kind of missed the "herd animal" category.
They tend to mingle at water coolers, follow which way the wind blows and stampede when scared. THOSE are the 3% margin of error.
I often think, "If you haven't made up your mind by now, you obviously haven't been paying attention!"
Exactly. There have been three debates and pretty much all of the important topics have been discussed at length. There's nothing else of substance that the candidates can say that will have any impact. That's why it's become "smear season," at least in the McCain camp. It's the last hope they have left to coerce the "stupids" to vote their way.
For some people life is just one coin flip after another. They are totally incapable of making up their minds.
Well, I think the debates are FOR undecided voters anyway.
These are the people who complain about a lack of substance -- chronically. Then don't bother to go to "BarackObama.com" which he mentions all the time in case people want to know more. In 90 minutes with 15 topics and two people there is no fricken' way any one of these guys can mention that they are taking 10% of X and 25% of Y but adding 5% to Z.
Yes, we all wish there were more substance in debates -- but those of us who actually care, already researched these things. The Republicans tend to research on three categories; Will this person be good for my wallet or White Tribe, will this person be good based upon coded messages of religiousity, and will this person be good against whatever it is I really fear. Greed, God and Fear.
The nation is split in thirds. The undecided aren't really all mental midgets. Do we think Conservatives are just smart and evil? They may be the most confused, sacrificing social or monetary issues for the bigger picture or greater good.
Libertarians and Independents, are afraid that everybody is corrupt. Not keeping score of how the economy or civil rights always does better under Liberals; Great Article on political Ostriches--from a Libertarian of all things. There is more hope and promise amongst these people. They are either just frustrated by the imperfections of both parties, or they want to be liked (at a guess). Not being political or having an agenda means you are more fun at parties -- having spoiled a few, I surely know this.
But I've always felt that we have to care about these things -- we are reminded of late why it matters that we care about regulation.
The truth in that is painful.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Locked that up when the remaining thirty-percenters got in line.
Even true conseervatives won't vote for gramps and the tart. Palin, in particular, is basking in the glow of mass-idioting right now. Something stupid's gonna happen everyday from now until the two scuttle back into the sea.
Just hope whatever happens is funny, too.
This 'splains it all, folks.
What the hell can you say anymore?? Careers are being lost every day trying to paint this any way but honestly. He's now certifiable.
direct quote from today:
Across this country, this is the agenda I have set before my fellow prisoners. And the same standards of clarity and candor must now be applied to my opponent.
Doggone it, golly gee....all the wheels have come off now.
McCain is his own worst enemy. Every since they invented that 'new fangled' TV, and all that Video Tape malarkey, he's been drowning in all the feces he's spouted all through the years.
All someone has to do is 'play the tape' and McCain can shown making a fool of himself, lying, or engaging is some activity of dubious legality.
By the way... Just why did he stop the United States from rescuing the rest of the POW's out of Vietnam?
Talk about evil. He's always going on about how he was a prisoner of war, yet all he does is show hatred for other people who are imprisoned.
The man is more than a hypocrite. His words are poison.
Well,
I think it's time for McCain to pack it in. He gave it a decent run, but he really needs to retire and enjoy his old age.
As for the embarracuda. She needs to high-tail it back to Wasilla and lawyer up for Troopergate.
She needn't go away empty handed though.
We'll rename the western-most US island in the Aleutians for her. Afterall, what better way to celebrate the fact that you can see those pesky Putin-heads from Alasks than to name the god-foresaken place -
Palingrad
I think that we've actually got 2 categories of undecides: liars/fraidy cats - people who won't own up to their decision for fear of being made fun of for their political leanings or people who won't own up or decide because they like the attention of being an undecided. And idiots - people not interested in voting at all, or people who don't care to follow politics and will make up their minds at last moment based on FSM knows what.
Good points. But I think they kind of covered that with "Attention Seekers."
Yeah, there is probably a big component of Nice people who are afraid of being made fun of by one group or another -- but those are basically the "herd mentality" folks, who need to be scared into the right or wrong choice.
I''m sure Rove targets these people. Just enough uncertainty. Expect that 5 days before the election they will have some really scary ad about Obama -- that "if it were true -- you can't take a risk."
It won't work, however, because Obama has perfected the anti-swift-boat ads and will have something up within 3 hours.
Undecided voters are kinda like the person that goes out to dinner then reads the menu for an hour only to order the same thing they ordered the last ten times they went to dinner. If you've ever sat across from one of those people waiting to order, you know how frustrating they can be. Eventually you catch on and stop inviting them to dinner.
racist democrats part cracked me up.
I believe there are more than a few republicans who on Nov 4, in the privacy of that voting booth, will vote for Obama. They may never admit it to their republican friends and family, but I think they will realize Obama is best for our country right now.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
It won't matter here in CA, but I know some of those people and they are either voting Obama or not at all. They view Palin as a huge mistake and they just cannot stomach her as one heartbeat away from the presidency.
Every for not for McCain is a good vote.
Amalink...I saw that piece too...and honestly...I wondered the same thing. What are they waiting for? Honestly, if I was on the other end of the microphone...I would have asked that question to them. You can do that as a journalist and not leave the answerer with any preconception of who YOU think they should vote for.
But the question wasn't asked.
The folks you saw on tv were really average folks. They get most of their information from around the family table, including their extended family. There are so many undecideds...I believe...because even anectodally alot of people know that there are problems with our economy and our country. However, these people are also fighting against their baser instincts and prejudices...particularly with regard to race. It is EASY for the media to say, that race is not an issue in this election. But lets be frank... network journalists work in a multicultural, multicolor environment as do most of us in big cities. The majority of the nation does not. In most of "middle america" towns are smaller, more segregated...race is a big deal. People are struggling with it, and I think that that struggle is reflected in the number of "undecideds". These folks are waiting for McCain to give them a reason to vote Republican...but he has flumoxed so bad...and the economy is so bad...that Obama is now ALMOST a viable option for those folks.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
I agree, completely.
Just look at how many times we find words like "Nagger" and "porch monkey" posted in broad daylight. Then there are the closet ones. I'm sure there are lots of those!
far left loon >.<
The attention to detail was quite remarkable in this study...
long-live Stewart & Colbert!....
While funny...it may be true. And that's scary.
[Deleted. Off topic. Please take it to an Open Thread. Site Monitor
[Deleted. Off topic. Please take it to an Open Thread. Site Monitor
[Deleted. Off topic. Please take it to an Open Thread. Site Monitor
Things are really changing fast McCain is showing his colors (War-Red) and Palin is showing more of her scary stupidity. I thought Obama did well on the Debate last yesterday, but the moderators suck.
My good buddy Steve lay dying in the hospital but he still would ask a few questions about how the race is going. I hope I can give him some good news before he dies.
When did this big change in Format take place anyway?
I am so very sorry to hear about your friend. I too hope he gets to know the good news we are all waiting for in November.
This was the town hall format or it was supposed to be. In town hall sittings, the audience asks the candidates questions, but this one was a bastard child of what a real town hall meeting should be.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
"He makes politics bearable for a 40-something like me, too."
And me. My socks are 40 years old.
The green area in the graph represents the green areas in my socks.
Palin's gonna drop the puck at an Ultimate Hockey Mom contest....
at a Fliers game in Philly!
There's not enough security to stop what'll happen then, unless all the fans are escorted out, first.
I wanna go with the dolphins.
[Deleted. Off topic. From here on out I'm deleting these OT comments without edit: comments go poof! Take them to an Open Thread, please. Site Monitor]
[Deleted. Off topic. Please take it to an Open Thread. Site Monitor
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Personally I think the "attention seekers" was the most underestimated category. I was listening to an "undecideds" focus group on NPR this morning, and the fact that these people were reveling in the media attention was coming through loud and clear over the radio. Along with a major portion of stupid. I think the two are related.
I'm none of the above.
In the 2004 US Presidential elections
217,767,000 were eligible to vote.
167,802,660 registered to vote (77% of eligible voters).
122,293,548 voted (56% of eligible voters; 73% of registered voters).
62,040,610 voted for Bush/Cheney: 28% of eligible voters.
59,028,439 voted for Kerry/Edwards: 27% of eligible voters.
95,473,452 eligible voters did not vote: 44% of eligible voters.
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
so many didn't vote is that they knew voting made no difference...to them.
I wonder how many of them still feel that way now.
Over 95 million did not vote, and allowed Bush to win.
I wasn't at all enthusiastic about Kerry, but OMG he could NOT have been anywhere so bad as Bush.
When will government of the people, by the politicians, for the corporations perish from this Earth?
Not soon enough!
I think we've identified a new category of stupid!
To paraphrase (possibly apocryphally) Adlai Stevenson when he was told he had the vote of every thinking American, the problem is that you need a majority of the voters.
OT but just curious. Do the site monitors have a job now that we have this fancy new site situation? I haven't seen any comments from any of them for a long time. I sure do hope they haven't been laid off or fired. I miss them.
[We're still here. We're locked up in a basement in Long Beach. Why should Master Amato lay us off when we're slave labor? ;D Site Monitor]
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Whew! Good to hear from you. Should we try to arrange a rescue for you? Maybe we could lure Master Amato away with some sort of bait and then one of us will run in and let all you guys go free. Until we see you again, take care.
[Rescue? Nah, we're fine. The Master provides all the Red Bull and Cheetohs we need to function. But please don't reply to OT comments, okay? We gets the claw for every OT comment we fails to edit! Thank you. Site Monitor]
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
They knew? Really. Just as McCain knows the solutions to all problems.
Boy..and I thought I was cynical.
If you had said that they BELIEVED that voting made no difference...you might have gotten me to agree with you.
No one KNOWS whether or not it would have mattered...unless they all voted. That is why voting is too important to blow off.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
If you don't vote, you can't bitch about the outcome.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
pissed off patricia
If you don't vote, you can't bitch about the outcome.
HEY! You stole my line. Don't make me come over there!!!
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
No! NO! No! Don't come over here and make me sorry. Here's your line back. I hope I didn't damage it in any way.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
George Carlin and I would tend to disagree...
being Not Verified.
It's like going to my regular bank branch and being asked for a driver's licence.
I like being an outsider. It's cool.
Oh, and by the way, 2 + 2 = 4 is not always true.
we won't have to read all of your comments
perhaps you won't.
And you won't be any better off.
Blue, what I say here means nothing.
What you do means everything.
begs to differ ;^)
If you would like to be verified, just go the the very top of the page, on the right hand side and click on the word "register". That will take you to a page and it will ask for your screen name and email address. When you have finished, they will email you a password. Once you have that click on the link at the top right hand side of the home page here that says something like "log In" and fill out your screen name and your new password. When you are finished, the comment box will be nicer for you and you can forget about that 2+2 thing forever.
Say what you mean. Mean what you say. But don't say it mean.
Very mavericky of you.
far left loon >.<
john sidney mccain
sarah louise palin
barack husien obama
John Sidney McCain III
Sarah Louise Palin
Barack Hussein Obama
Fixed it for ya.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
Pop, I think most Americans have forgotten about that 2+2 thing forever.
Vote GOP and move forward to the 18th Century.
"What you won't hear from this campaign or this party is the kind of politics that uses religion as a wedge, and patriotism as a bludgeon -- that sees our opponents not as competitors to challenge, but enemies to demonize." – Barack Obama, June 3, 2008
http://fightthesmears.com/articles/22/AyersSmear
Repeat is loudly; repeat it often.
Lots of undecideds seem to be Republicans who know just how bad their ticket is but can't quite go to Obama. It's very difficult to suddenly find out you are not who you thought you were.
In the Cartesian plane, 2x + 2y = (2,2).
Linear mathematics are one thing.
Multi-dimensional mathematics are another.
No simplistic thinking, please.
Also: in chemistry, 2 moles of sodium plus 2 moles of chloride = 2 moles of sodium chloride. (OK you chemistry types, take it easy. Yes, it's a little bit more complicated than that, but that's it in a nutshell.)
I say the unregistered should be asked to enter the quadratic formula.
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
I'll enter the quadratic formula any time you or anyone here asks.
Do you know the basic uncertainty theory?
Yes. McCain's bound to be uncertain where he stands on any issue from one day to the next.
Good luck to you and the rest of us.
:p
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
So Oliver thinks it's stupid to long for something for over a hundred years, never to achieve it?
The Federal Reserve turns one hundred in 2013...
How's that "elastic currency" working out?
Riddle me this Batman: how stupid is it to participate in an election that's been rigged for at least the past one hundred and fifty years?
You only get to choose ONE out of TWO people that THEY provide you with?
Sounds stupid to me.
Vote "second party" this election. Don't let the Statists win, because after a HUNDRED YEARS of mercantilism, nepotism, corporate favoritism, and cronyism, only a STUPID PERSON would continue to support them.
Just imagine where your 401k would be without the Federal Reserve.
On that note, I haven't seen many Libertarians lately spamming Liberal blogs about private retirement accounts (because it's your money)as a substitute for Social Security lately. What's up with that?
Darn, we can't do typographic designs with the new comment system. I had a graph of the stock market. Didn't take. Where's the fun?
I dont have to imagine where it would be without the Federal Reserve. I KNOW where it would be! HIGHER
I wonder how many people are aware that the markets in CHINA are now more efficient than ours? That the methods of price discovery caused by being able to go 'short' (not naked short) have been SUSPENDED in our current market system. That the spreads on option contracts make them almost useless tools compared to what they used to be.
I will say it again, I dont have to imagine where it would be. Those fuckin crooks STOLE everyones money, by changing the rules mid-game plain and simple. THEY DONT WANT IT TO BE FAIR!
I dont remember hearing any of these wall street geniuses freaking out because the moves to the upside were becoming separated from the underlying fundamentals of the economy. Keep in mind, the front of your mind, that the things they are trying to accomplish in 'holding' the market from finding a true bottom, are going to work the exact same way on the recovery phase.
hahahahaha!! whew, i needed that laugh.
He's wrong. There's a helluvalot more of them that he says. I live and work with a lot of them.
This is perhaps the truest thing I've ever seen on TV.
The Penguin http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfsAHxnODkw Palin Ivy and Governator Freeze http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKNSstnq4sg&fe... and the Joker http://catsworking.files.wordpress.com/2007/1...
soledad o'brien's group of ohio undecideds last night were racists. as anderson cooper noted, the group were responding more positively to obama throughout the debate but when they were asked by soledad, a majority said they were voting for mccain if the elections were yesterday. these people are voting against their interests and i think it's because obama is black. THAT now is what we have to look out for.
I've rarely seen a bigger group of slack-jawed yokels outside of reality tv.
How is this a surprise to anyone?
Senator McCain was all set to win the election based solely on the fact that his opponent is a visible minority. Hell, that fact was one of the principal reasons I did not support Senator Obama in the primaries.
However, we got lucky. The economic collapse was inevitable after years of GOP mismanagement. What was not inevitable was when the collapse was going to happen. Had it occurred in two months time, we would have said hello to President McCain (and, within about two years, possible President Palin).
Oh, yes, they certainly are. Which is why I hesitate to draw attention to this. Jon Stewart's Daily Show leans liberally (and I'm damn glad of it; he does a good job in proving sane counterpoint and makes politics tolerable for this 37 year-old) BUT...stupid is as stupid does, and stupid votes as stupid watches. Long story short, Mr. & Mrs. Ijit are indeed proud of their undecided status, they revel in it, wanting to exude every last drop of power they get from it. Jon Stewart- that damn lefty, obviously "in the tank" for Obama- calls them stupid.
Here comes the math, folks.
"Jon Stewart thinks I'm stupid. Jon Stewart = Barack Obama.
Barack thinks I'm stupid. I will not vote for him."
Disgusting, yes- yet very possible.
P.S. If I answer the question
"Please calculate: 2+2=:________"
with any number other than 4,
will I be labelled as a Rebublican?
"Rebublican"? - Well I guess not only math, but spelling is a challenge to Democrats. Intelligent thought is way beyond them!
Anyone who hadn't made up their mind by at least 3 months ago is a complete moron, or, someone just seeking attention.
btw, a friend just sent this link for a hilarious Palin T-shirt.
http://www.cafepress.com/dopalin
Undecideds totally burn my bacon. You're telling me that they don't know if they're being screwed or not? You're telling me that after all that has gone on, they don't know if they want to vote for someone who wants to fix the mess or someone who wants to make the mess bigger?
Undecideds are the same ones who vote EVERY SINGLE WEEK during American Idol.
BTW, screw Nader. Stay out of this one ya jerk.
All of these undecided (if truly undecided) just want attention. Beg me into voting for your candidate losers. I just don't believe anybody can be undecided. The choice is so decidedly different from one another that an idiot cannot say they can't decide. They have decided. And they are idiots. Stir clear it might rub off.
people who vote early? Do they get extra points?
Haven't you ever heard, "Vote early, vote often?"
me-oww!
There are only two reasons for still being undecided.
Stupidity or Racism.
Or both.
ROFLMFAO!
Don't try to confuse the issue with half-truths and gorilla dust.
Crazy funny. Too bad for us it is so true. And how about the stupids that voted for Bush TWICE. And they are considering voting for the old fool McCain, which is only an elderly Bush in baggy suits.
As an ex-cubs fan (I gave up in 1989) I especially appreciated the cub fan comment. The rest was very funny as well. John Oliver at his best.
I'm glad to hear that you gave up being a Cubs fan. It shows that there is still hope for humanity.
"If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention".
Its true... at this point in the game if you are still undecided you are not paying attetion.
I'm all for there being a Test before you vote. Just a few simple basic questions about what each man stands for. If you pass, you get to vote, fail - you are not an informed voter and you do not have the right.
We would have a much better chance of getting the correct leader, as opposed to the man who "Toby Keith" thinks is cool.
Funny & Smart Political T's and Such -
http://www.showyourthoughts.com
I never thought I could like the daily show more, but as a Cardinal fan I am now deeply in love with it.
that so many are still undecided. Maybe they aren't stupid, but maybe they are the ones who don't read, don't follow the news, and haven't heard about the past eight years.
I was bored the other day and wanted to see if there was any coorelation between education and voting preferences--so I made some maps of educational level obtained, educational quality, and the most recent electoral maps. Turned out semi-interesting.
http://plaidlemur.wordpress.com/2008/10/06/ed...
I'd like to remind the ridiculously judgmental folks here on this forum, who are apparently a vast majority, that labeling an undecided as racist or stupid may have the effect of moving them to vote for someone other than Obama. I am an undecided for this reason: I don't like McCain because I don't like the Republican Party, I don't like Obama because he lacks the will to stand up for my rights (ala, the recent telecom immunity vote), and I don't want to "waste" my vote by casting it for an independent who hasn't got a chance of winning. Naturally, you might assume that in this case I would vote for Obama as my least offensive potentially winning candidate. However, I don't want to lend any more credence (i.e., my vote) to a candidate and a party that do NOT have the interests of the public at heart and do not represent my true choice for president. Why should we all continue to perpetuate a system that is designed to blunt the will of the people? Were these two men honestly the ones that we would have picked if there had been more than two viable parties in contention? Would we have picked these men if the parties hadn't whittled our choices down to the lesser of two evils?
Last, I think its fair to mention that smearing peoples voting preferences the way many of you have, smacks of the same hypocrisy and arrogance that Republicans have been charged with for the last eight years. Grow up and mind your own business.
The Stupids - Cubs fans - wait 'til next year. 'Nuf said!
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