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Americans' knowledge of national and international affairs has changed little in two decades despite the emergence of 24-hour cable news and the Internet as major news sources.
We've all talked extensively about how CNN and other news outlets talk more but say less each and every year. If you ask yourself what is the number one 'covered' story of the year so far, your answer has to be 'Anna Nicole Smith'. Today's non-story is Imus.
I was only a little child during Vietnam but I'm guessing they had much fewer stories on about 'fluff' then actuall 'hard news'.
Of the 1,502 adults survey in February, 69 percent correctly answered Dick Cheney when asked who was the vice president, compared with 74 percent who correctly responded Dan Quayle when the same question was asked in 1989. Two-thirds correctly named their state's governor in February compared with three-fourths who got that right in 1989.
However, nearly half - 49 percent - correctly answered that Nancy Pelosi was speaker of the House now, compared with 14 percent who in 1989 correctly named Tom Foley as speaker. Three-fourths - 76 percent - knew that Democrats control the House compared with 68 percent who answered that correctly in 1989.
In the latest survey, 93 percent correctly identified Arnold Schwarzenegger either as California's governor or an actor and Hillary Clinton either as a senator, presidential candidate or former first lady. Nearly two-thirds, 65 percent, correctly identified Condoleezza Rice as secretary of state, 62 percent identified Indianapolis Colts quarterback Peyton Manning and 61 percent identified Sen. Barack Obama correctly. Only 15 percent correctly identified Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. (emphasis added by me)
Harry Reid is either doing a good job lying low or not getting his message and therefore his credentials out to the American People.
More than half of those in the most knowledgeable category listed as news sources cable TV shows such as the "Daily Show," the "Colbert Report" and the "O'Reilly Factor," major newspaper Web sites, the "PBS NewsHour with Jim Lehrer," Rush Limbaugh's radio show and National Public Radio.
I think that the Republican plan to make sheep out of American's isn't working any better than it was 20 years ago. Unfortunately, getting the word out hasn't been any more effective either.