When I finally stumbled upon Washington Journal a few years ago, I was happy to have something of substance to watch/listen to while I was getting ready for work. While there are times that I have almost no interest in what’s being discussed, I still listen for the viewers who call in. I often learn new things or something gets me curious enough to look deeper into an issue. This morning was no different.
I was happy to see Ron Suskind on the Journal and hoping to get more insights into his book. Just by virtue of the amount of time spent, I was bound to learn something I hadn’t heard elsewhere. I had no idea that what I would learn has almost nothing to do with the subject of the day.
As the callers came and went, Suskind replied and elaborated on various points. Most calls were reasonable no matter the caller’s political bent. Then a Republican from Knoxville, Tennessee called in and my jaw dropped, then dropped some more. I don’t do well at dialect and I fell kind of creepy and dismissive using it but this is what she said and, as much as is possible, the way she said it:
"Yes. (clears throat) I wan’ tell exactly what happened up thar and it’s nothin’ the way they’re describin’ it. When the president got pair (power) he said he's getting’ rid of Saddam and that’s uhzakly (exactly) what he done and he said it. Mission accomplished. But David Obey and Jim Moran was standin’ out under the shade tree watchin’ and they wouldn’t have it. So they had already met with Saddam and told him get rid of all the weapons so they would have somthin’ theirselfs to growl about and that’s all they been growlin’ about. And that Sandy Berger, he’s one of ‘em. Why he took all the papers out of the White House and hid ‘em under a lowg (log) – that’s all on tape! So they wanted to growl about Bush but it’s these dern Democrats wants to start all this war. Whether they like or whether they don’t, they started it. Thank you."
Now, it’s always a crap shoot when taking live calls but Suskind did an admirable job of dealing with something that is just obviously off the wall. My point in writing this diary has to do with what we’ve been discussing recently.
Many of us have been engaged in conversations about whether McCain’s "The One" ad was just silly or was more subtly aimed at religious zealots. Several people have given us ample illustrations of how and why this can be interpreted as Obama being the Antichrist. Others have pooh-poohed it as something less sinister. I don’t know who may be correct, but the lady from Knoxville made it clear to me that I have no idea of the kind of crazy we may be dealing with. There really are people out there who will believe and repeat almost anything. Maybe some of us who are quick to think (or say) that no one is crazy enough to believe (fill in the blank) need to remember that someone probably is that crazy.
I know this isn’t that much of a diary but I hope it will lead some of us to at least listen to those who know a geographic area or a religious mindset a little better than we do to listen and understand. (I’m still just astounded at this woman’s rant and I had to listen to it many times to get the transcription.)