Is Palin stupider than GWB?

[Resume]

Notice that the politicians we elect are "leading" us, unless you believe CFR/Bilderbergers/whomever are doing that job.

I don't know if what we have now, and I mean on either side of the aisle, can be referred to as leadership.

 

[applecorped]

I agree, sheesh applecorped, don't sell yourself short.

I know, I'm an incredible slouch.

 

[eeyore1954]

I would say both have above average intelligence. Maybe higher than a lot of people who like to say how stupid Bush and Palin are.

 

[funk de fino]

I would say both have above average intelligence. Maybe higher than a lot of people who like to say how stupid Bush and Palin are.

That says more about where your average comes from, I fear. Bush came across as dumb which is different than actually being dumb. Palin is dumb and also a nutcase.

Maybe it's the ones who don't see that we need to worry about on the dumb-o-meter score?

 

[Tricky]

I would say both have above average intelligence. Maybe higher than a lot of people who like to say how stupid Bush and Palin are.

Well, you're right. People forget how many truly stupid people there are out there. Anybody who makes it to a position of power is probably significantly smarter than the average.

What we're really comparing them against is other influential people. These kinds of people are measurably above average on most scales. As little as I love either Bush or Palin, I am pretty sure I'd be doing much worse if I were on the stage 24-12. I'd make gaffes that Samuel Goldwyn would find embarrassing.

But it is not unfair to guage political figures against other political figures, and on that guage, both Bush and Palin fall far below the median bar. Not againt the population in general, though.

 

[thaiboxerken]

She's stupid. For those who think she's not just becaus she was elected and still is making money as a political speaker, I say that's not evidence of intelligence. There are plenty of stupid people that have reached political and financial success.

 

[leftysergeant]

Both the Shrub and the MILF are fools. They may have the brain cells to process some learning, but they learn too slowly and process the new knowledge in a way that renders it useless.

And they do not try to learn. When someone tries to correct them, they just confabulate some evil intent or disloyalty on that person's part.

You are with them or against them and it means, to their little shriveled minds, that you are against America.

Being anti-intellectual is just as bad as being stupid, and I think the MILFy takes the roses on that one.

 

[AlBell]

She's stupid. For those who think she's not just becaus she was elected and still is making money as a political speaker, I say that's not evidence of intelligence. There are plenty of stupid people that have reached political and financial success.

As we say around here, evidence? Plenty? Nope.

Are there a few? Cynthia McKinney(sp) comes to mind, and in her case the "financial" isn't obvious.

 

[ponderingturtle]

I am with Meadmaker and Resume on this one. Calling either of them stupid requires a redefining of the word stupid.

"Stupid" Bush somehow outmaneuvered Democrats for eight years. When their grades finally came out, Bush had a higher GPA than the Dems intellectual candidate Kerry.

Yep, he successfully maneuvered his party right into the toilet. That takes true skill and inteligence to get people to hate you that much.

 

[GreNME]

I have no doubt you and most here are more intelligent than Palin or GWB. Yet, there they are, effecting reality, and here you (and I) are, effecting nothing.

Laugh a bit more.

Ok:


I'm not dead yet, but I think you're selling yourself short. You a "works before faith" type of person as well?

ETA: If we're going by who's "effecting[sic]" things more than myself right now, you could also say that David Duke, Rosie O'Donnell, and Prince Harry in Britain (not listed together for any reason) must be worthwhile as well. I mean, nevermind that one's a raging racist scumbag, one's a loudmouthed cling-on who got famous riding coat-tails of others, and one is notable only for the uncontrollable stroke of luck that was being born to British royalty.

 

[easycruise]

Meanwhile, GWB has a Harvard MBA. I'm confident that he wouldn't have gotten into that program without his father and grandfather's influence. However, I'm fairly confident that that wouldn't be enough to get him a diploma. He can't be as dumb as we sometimes make him out to be.

"Stupid" Bush somehow outmaneuvered Democrats for eight years. When their grades finally came out, Bush had a higher GPA than the Dems intellectual candidate Kerry. "Stupid" Palin continues to know how to manage the media better than most Dems. Sure, she is the exact opposite of worldly but she is canny and canny is a component of intelligence.

Thank you for inserting some facts and logic into the constant Bush-bashing woo-woo that is regularly seen on the JREF forums. Isn't it ironic that a website that purports to be a bastion of critical thinking is actually infested with anti-conservative woo-woo in the political forums? I find it hilarious that this is the case. I could make it a full time job correcting the errors I see about Bush, Limbaugh, etc.

Meanwhile, you guys forgot about Bush's bachelor's degree at Yale, that he learned how to fly the F-102 fighter jet and that he is still the only President with an MBA.

 

[Regnad Kcin]

Georgette W. Palin

 

[BenBurch]

Sarah Palin's spouse never accidentally killed someone.

But National Enquirer says he laid somebody low...

 

[AlBell]

If we're going by who's "effecting[sic]" things ...

They sure affect you, but to little positive effect.

 

[carlitos]

ETA: If we're going by who's "effecting[sic]" things more than myself right now, you could also say that David Duke, Rosie O'Donnell, and Prince Harry in Britain (not listed together for any reason) must be worthwhile as well. I mean, nevermind that one's a raging racist scumbag, one's a loudmouthed cling-on who got famous riding coat-tails of others, and one is notable only for the uncontrollable stroke of luck that was being born to British royalty.

Only because you are laughing and calling people stupid, I am going to point out that the use of "effect" here, while it looks odd, is perfectly acceptable. In particular, one can effect change. Something the current White House occupant was elected to do. As a verb, it generally means "to bring about" or "to accomplish."

 

[GreNME]

How does one "effect reality" in some way more significant that anyone else? Sorry, guys, but the wrong word was used unless the meaning was to imply that Palin and Bush somehow were "more real" than I am. Go back and read the post I was quoting and parse the words more carefully-- the second use of effect could be acceptable only without the context of the first use's mistake.

And to clarify: I wasn't calling anyone stupid. I don't consider Palin or Bush very bright, but I also don't consider them stupid in any general sense. I also wasn't laughing at any poster's use of grammar here, I was quoting it and using the actual quoted word while responding to it in the way it was obviously meant. So before you try to play some kind of "gotcha" game with my response I would instead urge you to reply to the content of what I said instead of fighting a useless battle over grammar that was indeed not correct to begin with.

 

[carlitos]

Sorry - my bad. No offense intended.

And I get your point - sadly, Oprah Winfrey is probably affecting the world more than most politicians.

 

[GreNME]

Indeed, and I think we can all agree that Oprah isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

 

[AlBell]

Indeed, and I think we can all agree that Oprah isn't exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer.

I don't believe you recognize intelligence when you see it. What do you suggest Oprah uses to effect things, or to keep you happy, affect people to great effect?

 

[Howie Felterbush]

And they do not try to learn. When someone tries to correct them, they just confabulate some evil intent or disloyalty on that person's part.

Sounds exactly like...well...you.

Tricky's doing his level best to school you in the oil leak thread, but you just soldier stridently on.

I'm apathetic about Bush and Palin. They could both live forever, or die tomorrow and I wouldn't care one iota. You, on the other hand could see Bush walk across a body of water without getting his feet wet and the first thing you'd say is "HA! The Shrub can't swim!!"

You're going to give yourself an ulcer, dude.