There was an interesting article by Kate Phillips in Saturday’s New York Times, in which she reports on a recent comment by Sarah Palin about Barack Obama. “This is not a man,” said Governor Palin, “who sees America as you see it and how I see America. We see America as the greatest force for good in this world.”

I’ve been reading George Herring’s magnificent history, From Colony to Superpower. In his introduction, Professor Herring writes the following: “Americans think of themselves as peace-loving, but few nations have had as much experience at war as the United States. Indeed, beginning with the American Revolution, each generation has had its war. Armed conflict has helped to forge the bounds of nationhood, nurtured national pride, and fostered myths about the nation’s singular virtue and indomitableness.”

So I don’t see the same America as the governor of Alaska. That doesn’t make her any less of an American, of course. But I don’t disagree with her that America is an exceptional place. America is indeed special.

When I listen to Louis Armstrong, I hear the voice of America. It is a different voice, perhaps, than Ms. Palin hears. Louis Armstrong represents, to me, the vital heart of America, a place of gin and electricity. Eighty years ago in Chicago, Armstrong was kicking ass, while his fellow Americans roared and raised hell. And that is what makes our country so goddamn special.

Sarah Silverman is the funniest hot lady we know. Also the hottest funny lady we know. Certainly one of the funnier humans to grace our culture in a good while. If there is a place where fearless, dangerous and adorable overlap, you'll find her there giving you the finger in a gingham dress. None of which matters right now (we just wanted to get that on record). What matters now is that you force, guilt, brainwash or otherwise convince your aging grandparents to vote Obama. We'll let Sarah take it from here...

The scene leading up to and during the Republican convention in St. Paul, Minnesota, was ugly for protesters and journalists. Perhaps the most troubling incident was the preemptive arrest of a protest group called the RNC Welcoming Committee. Eight of its members were arrested and charged with a felony, “conspiracy to commit riot in the second degree in furtherance of terrorism,” all before the convention even started.

The video here shows the arrest of Democracy Now journalist Amy Goodman.

It should come as little surprise that none of this made the mainstream coverage of the convention. Draconian police actions don’t jibe very well with the ra-ra message TV news corporations want to propagate about our robust democracy in action.

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Historian Rick Shenkman’s latest book is Just How Stupid Are We? Facing the Truth About the American Voter. With campaign season in full swing, we thought it would be a good time to hear Rick’s thoughts.

PLAYBOY: Okay, Rick, we’ll bite—just how stupid are we?
SHENKMAN: I don't actually believe Americans are stupid.  You can't generalize about 300 million people that glibly.  Saying people are stupid would be as silly as saying they're smart (which politicians, alas, do all the time). But I do argue in the book that a majority of Americans are grossly ignorant about politics and how our government works. Only two in five can name the three branches of government. Only one in five know we have 100 US senators though the number has remained constant for half a century. Only one in seven young people can find Iraq on a map though we have been bombing that country since 1991.

On the eve of the Iraq War some 60 percent of Americans believed Saddam was behind 9-11, though there was no evidence he was. A year later, after the 9-11 Commission came flat out and said he had nothing to do with 9-11, 50 percent thought he did. Ignorance on this scale amounts to a 10 alarm fire. Eighty percent of the people who supported the Iraq War cited Saddam's alleged involvement in 9-11 as a key reason for their position. If a majority cannot get the basic facts right about the most important event of our time something is seriously wrong.
 
I used the word stupid in the title (with a question mark) to draw attention to the problem. A less inflammatory word didn't seem to capture the dire threat we face from ourselves. We love to blame others for our problems: Bush, Cheney, the media. But we need to take a long hard look in the mirror. If you get the government you deserve we have to ask ourselves why did we deserve George W. Bush. Bush obviously manipulated people. But so do all politicians. Since politicians aren't angels we need smart voters. Ignorant voters are sitting ducks.
 

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