Radio Show Pranks Governor Palin

[atRax]

6 minutes talk with Palin pretending to be Nicolas Sarkozy.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XU7Mo8UJm-Y

[gerbick]

wow. cannot be real.

[hanratty21]

Evidently, it is...but I have to say, as dumb as she and her staff is for this, the 'pranksters' are classless for even attempting it. I am not a Sarah Palin fan by any means, but the woman very well could be the next VP of the United States. It's one thing to attempt political humor, it's another to completely embarrass and abash someone who could be the second highest ranking official of the US. Truly classless and disrespectful.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/...08/7704673.stm

[Napalm]

Perhaps.... but isn't it the media's job to point out to voters that potentially the second highest ranking official in the US is as dumb as a post?

[hanratty21]

Actually, the media's job has turned into something else. They need to get ratings, regardless of the methods used, in order to keep people tuned in to get more ad sales.

I see you're from South Africa. Should the "media" be leaving a flaming bag of poop on the door front of Nelson Mandela just to show that they can do it? I think not.

[gerbick]

The media has gone from responsible behavior and coverage to propaganda machine from JFK to Dubya. I don't even trust the rank sensationalism that goes on now.

[Napalm]

That's different. Mandela isn't involved with politics anymore. If they did pulled a prank on him when he was active to show his competence / incompetence, I would have no problem with it. America of all countries should see the value of having incompetence exposed early, and not through 8 years of corrupt and mindnumbingly stupid governance.

[FlashLackey]

There's a difference between press and comedians. Although it has become clear that some people get their political leanings from comedians, I disagree that it should be their job or that people should look to them for that duty.

Getting your political leanings from the proverbial Cheerios box is probably a better approach.

[Napalm]

Politicians doesn't need comedians to look like idiots.

[jAQUAN]

That's why it's hard to take poll numbers reported on the news networks seriously. Who'd watch if there was a clear lead? Even the nfl switches broadcasts in the event of a blowout.
What's the answer though? We can't very well pass ethics laws or oversight. Not only would that be yet another another uselss govt. program but it would lead to pure corruption faster than could say hand-job-Hannity.

[FlashLackey]

A lot of people don't realize how many polls are calculated either. Most of them include a lot of editorial decision-making where they weight different groups according to what "they expect" the voter turn-out to be like. If they are wrong about their subjective decisions, they could end up being way off.

Pollsters can also have bias like any other organization. All they have to do to save face after reporting a land-slide for a month is to change their numbers to a closer race once it gets close to election day.

[jAQUAN]

Yeah that's the feeling I get. Too many variables and agendas. So what's with these Zogby guys? How did they get to be purported as some sort of authority?

[kortex]

People like anything that gives the illusion of simplicity (polls).

[Genesis F5]

I knew CNN was going to wait until just before election day to report on it.

[FlashLackey]

So what's with these Zogby guys? How did they get to be purported as some sort of authority?

Not sure. These days, a lot of people stick to RealClearPolitics for polling. But, to me, averaging all the major polls is a way to practically guarantee that you are including a flawed methodology in the number.

Most of the polls are weighting the "young vote" heavier than in previous elections. It does seem like the young vote is going to turn out more this time. But, I remember this exact theory proving to be wrong on election day in the past. I remember the media being all surprised that young people didn't show up to vote as much as they "thought they would this time." I call it the old-fogeys-forgetting-what-it's-like-to-be-young effect.

[jAQUAN]

not to mention people with cell-phones only don't get polled.