Interview excerpts referencing oil self‑sufficiency and vague support for a 2012 presidential candidate

Defining Intelligence 143 Interviewer: Some of the viewers think there’s not enough oil. Man with cap: We got us self-sufficient energy gas oil right under our feet. Why aren’t we exploring more for it and drilling here instead of sending all that money overseas and exporting, I mean importing, all that oil back to America? Interviewer: Do you hope she runs for president in 2012? Man with cap: Yes, I do. Interviewer: You will support her? Man with cap: I sure would. Interviewer: Do you think there will be any problems supporting her, knowing that you’re unfamiliar with her foreign policy issues? Man with cap: That wouldn’t keep me from not voting for her. There is a difference between ignorance and stupidity, just as there is a difference between knowledge and intelligence. It is a good guess that the “man with cap” above is both stupid and ignorant. The question is why? One reason is that it is now acceptable in our society to be ignorant and stupid. Here is some of the famous ABC/Charles Gibson interview with Sarah Palin during the 2008 presidential campaign: Gibson: Do you agree with the Bush doctrine? Palin: In what respect, Charlie? Gibson: The Bush—well, what do you—what do you interpret it to be? Palin: His worldview. Gibson: No, the Bush doctrine, enunciated September 2002, before the Iraq war. Palin: I believe that what President Bush has attempted to do is rid this world of Islamic extremism, terrorists who are hellbent on destroying our nation. There have been blunders along the way, though. There have been mistakes made. And with new leadership, and that’s the beauty of American elections, of course, and democracy, is with new leadership comes opportunity to do things better. Gibson: The Bush doctrine, as I understand it, is that we have the right of anticipatory self-defense, that we have the right to a preemptive strike against any other country that we think is going to attack us. Do you agree with that? HOUSE_OVERSIGHT_023889