In last month’s Post-ABC poll, 71 percent of voters chose McCain as the candidate with “better experience to be president” while 18 percent chose Obama. The poll showed McCain with a 41-percentage-point advantage on “knowledge of foreign affairs.”
This signifies the ignorance of a large section of the American populace. We all know the running joke that is the average American’s grasp of geography outside their homeland, but apparently even issues within their nation are not seen clearly. For progressives across the world, hoping for an Obama blowout in November, these figures are dismaying. Sure, when you look at the facts, it’s easy to see that McCain really is a lot more of the Bush years, and coupled with Bush’s excruciatingly low approval ratings, that spells disaster. But few voters are actually paying very close attention to the daily political news, and many never watch or read anything about the candidates and are educated through ads.
So it would be little wonder that people think a war veteran would be a great Commander-in-Chief, right? I mean, a GM line-worker would be ideal to be the next CEO of GM as compared to Obama. Obama has no auto manufacturing experience whatsoever! That’s how ridiculous it sounds to suppose John McCain — for having been shot down, captured, and tortured — would make a great military leader. Everyone is so worried about somehow disrespecting his military service that no one is stating the obvious: his military experience is not useful in today’s complex world of modern terrorism and global community.
Knowledgeable?
Laughable more like it. So, how can so many think he is knowledgeable on foreign affairs?
If this is any indication of electorate ignorance, we can begin to understand. Misinformation is pawned off as facts, and no one is able to dislodge those ridiculous notions. Even when faced with the reality, the misinformation is still retained out of skepticism.
McCain, therefore, is a symbol of ignorance: not only his, but also a swath of the electorate who may very well inexplicably make the November contest closer than it ever should be.
Tags: elections, foreign affairs, McCain, Obama
