Buried in the crosstabs of a recent poll in Ohio is the interesting tidbit that when asked the question “Who do you think deserves more credit for the killing of Osama bin Laden: Barack Obama or Mitt Romney?” only 38% of Republicans responded “Barack Obama”. Almost half — 47% — were not sure, and unbelievably 15% said “Mitt Romney”.
Republicans think we should protect democracy with onerous voter ID laws (and other rules designed to suppress the vote from groups that traditionally vote Democratic), even though there are extremely few documented cases of actual voter fraud. This poll provides direct evidence that there is a sizable group that shouldn’t be allowed anywhere near a voting booth. Don’t you think it would be only fair to pass a law that requires voters to answer this question before they are allowed to vote?
UPDATE: I guess this shouldn’t be surprising, since conservatives have been trying to give George W Bush credit for killing Osama bin Laden for a long time.
10 Comments
I don’t think anyone deserves “credit” for the home invasion and murder of Osama bin Laden. When even progressives believe that it is OK to murder our enemies, it’s time to move to another country.
Unfortunately we have to let everyone vote. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, religion – or ABILITY.
And I can understand PTG’s sentiment above, although I would point out that there is a difference between murdering someone you disagree with, and mounting a military operation against the leader of a “country” that is currently at war with us.
IK – maybe what we need is a “this way to the Egress” approach instead 🙂
I can’t really understand it. OBL wasn’t some random guy sitting around minding his own business. He’d been at war with the United States for decades. Would a trial have been more in line with the ideals of democracy? Perhaps, but you have to consider that as an enemy combatant he would have gone before a military tribunal and, him being OBL, would have gotten what amounts to a show trial even if it were carried out correctly. If he went through the U.S. justice system he would have had no shot at a fair trial either, and I doubt any judge would declare a mistrial on the basis of all the justifiably negative media coverage of the man over the preceding 10 years.
Even calling it a home invasion is ridiculous. When police raid the home of a criminal in the US is it a home invasion? I think as a terrorist leader you waive your rights to not be hunted and/or shot.
These sentiments aren’t even contrary to progressive beliefs. I would say FDR was a pretty solid progressive, but he sold weapons to the British and the Soviets, and ordered the beginning of the Manhattan Project. What do you suppose he intended those weapons and atomic bombs to be used for? Coaxing Hitler and the Emperor of Japan to just give up and attend a court date?
Point of clarification: 63% named Obama as more responsible, 31% unsure and only 6% were complete dimwitted morons.
It’s a real shame that they couldn’t put Sarah Palin in as a 3rd option…
These are the same people who don’t believe in things like the water cycle, evolution, global warming, or public education. They believe America was founded as a Christian nation (as they get ready to vote for a Mormon; try to figure that one out), they believe in Creationism, trickle-down economics, Rush Limbaugh, Ronald Reagan, and the Laffer Curve (which has no numbers; again, can someone explain that?). Given this context, I’m not the least bit surprised those polled can’t wrap their head around who should get credit for kill bin Laden.
Jeff only two types of people rely on your so-called “numbers”. Liberals, and the Devil.
I did taxes for years for the uninformed. They don’t know, they don’t care. They want their television, beer. Voting and elections is for others. These are the “huddled masses”. Having finished Rise and Fall this morning, I learned that the Germans were not at all grateful for Eisenhower rescuing them from the dead tyrant Hitler. Those are the huddled masses or what I’ve tried tactfully to call the “uninformed”
In Afghanistan under the Taliban, there was 20 years of no education. 9/11 means nothing to them in the country where the Taliban and bin Laden dominated.
PTG – have a nice trip. You are welcome to not defend yourself and die like a sheep, but until someone figures out how to curb greed, power mongering and sociopaths I’ll keep my weapon at the ready.
I think there is a whole other more plausible explanation to the poll results. Because the question asked Obama or Romney, it wasn’t even a real question and obviously aimed at bolstering the president for the local population in that battle ground state. I’d have probably voted the same just to piss somebody off for asking such a stupid question.
Why would anyone ask that question? I think this may be a first, but I agree with Pat-riot-SGT.