I guess in the Bush White House, one is never too ignorant to be considered for a top position.
We have seen her blunder, stutter and generally stumble around the truth when trying to defend Bush and his blundering, stuttering and stumbling.
Today, Dana's ignorance regarding United States history was on full display. She appeared on NPR's "Wait, wait, Don't Tell Me" and she blundered when asked about the Cuban Missile Crisis.
I never like to judge people on their looks alone, but it has become patently obvious that she was chosen for her looks, not her brains, and certainly not her education.
The segment was called: Not My Job, which I guess shows that it is not her job to know basic United States history, even though she earned a Masters Degree in Public Affairs Reporting: (who knew there even was such a degree?)
From there, Perino attended graduate school at the University of Illinois at Springfield (UIS). Perino obtained her masters at UIS in Public Affairs Reporting while also working as a daily reporter covering the Illinois Capitol for WCIA-TV, a CBS affiliate.
Transcript of NPR's "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me"
Part of the exchange was as follows:
MS. PERINO: I had a situation the other day when they said President
Putin thought that our missile defense program was like the Cuban
Missile Crisis, and so I got asked about the Cuban Missile Crisis, and I
was - panicked a bit because I really know about nothing - (chuckles) -
about the Cuban Missile Crisis.
MR. BLOUNT: It was just last week.
MS. PERINO: It had to do with Cuba and missile, I'm pretty sure.
MR. SAGAL: Yeah, it had to do - it did in fact have to do with Cuba and
missiles, Dana.
MS. PERINO: Yeah, so I'll have to get back to you on that.
MR. SAGAL: Really? Like, "I have to go Google this..."
MR. ROCCA : It's a tropical drink. You should try it on spring break.
MS. PERINO: Well, I came home and I asked my husband -
MR. SAGAL: Yeah?
MS. PERINO: I said, wasn't that like the Bay of Pigs thing?
MR. SAGAL: (Gasps.)
MS. PERINO: And he said, "Oh, Dana."
MR. ROCCA: Were you alive when those hostages were in Iran?
MR. SAGAL: I think she was.
MR. BLOUNT: She's young.
MS. PERINO: That's my first memory - my first memory of politics was
the day that they were released.
So this chucklehead not only did not know what the Cuban Missile Crisis was about, she also did not know about the Bay of Pigs. Chuckling prettily can now be substituted for knowledge of U.S. history, and the sad thing is, she is proud of her ignorance.
Can they have chosen a more incompetent and ignorant idiot to be Press Secretary? I am surprised by my feeling of yearning for the good old days of Tony Snow, when at least you knew when he was lying through his teeth, he knew what he was lying about.
As Bush would say: "Heck of a job, Blondie!"
Please post below your favorite Dana Perino quotes!
Update: Here is the link to the show where you can listen to the program.Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me! (with Dana Perino)