What Do Americans Know?

Newsweek Web Exclusive

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  • Posted By: okie3 @ 06/30/2008 7:18:54 AM

    Don't blame me - I voted for John Kerry.

    • Posted By: sjbrock80 @ 07/01/2008 4:14:52 PM

      John Kerry would've made things much worse than they are now.

  • Posted By: Italian Revolutionary @ 06/30/2008 7:06:57 AM

    This isn't knowledge, it's trivia. Trivia that everyone should know, but trivial nonetheless. Knowledge: "Why was there so much controversy over the Nixon White house? Why is it that Former Secretary of State Henry Kissinger has been mentioned as a defendant in a war crimes trial?

    GP

    • Posted By: befair @ 06/30/2008 4:19:51 PM

      Why is it that the religious question was about Obama and not McCain.

      • Posted By: jath123 @ 07/01/2008 2:55:29 PM

        Yeah, but would the Evangelicals identify the Irish Catholic McCain as actually "Christian"? You know, with him belonging to that Ho' of Babylon cult, and all.

      • Posted By: TheBroker @ 06/30/2008 5:29:52 PM

        Because he's the one who has the religion controversy and the Muslim name, Einstein. (No need to retort, I know he's a Christian)

  • Posted By: jath123 @ 07/01/2008 2:40:38 PM

    The results don't answer the question posed in the headline of how smart (or informed) Americans are. Why? Because it doesn't state how well people did OVERALL on the questions. It just looks at the isolated results of each individual question. Nobody is going to know all the answers.

    Oh, and to the 35% who believe Saddam Hussein was directly behind 9/11, please call me. I have the old stage set for the faked moon landing I'd like to sell you. Idiots.

  • Posted By: rainbow68 @ 07/01/2008 12:21:34 PM

    This is not a question of how "smart" people are, but how informed. I guess I'm just tired of hearing Americans are stupid, fat, lazy, intolerant and however else the media chooses to label us. By and large, we're good people. I'm so over this.

  • Posted By: joesix @ 06/29/2008 10:04:29 PM

    morans polling morans

    • Posted By: Soul_Story @ 06/30/2008 4:30:27 AM

      You spelled morons wrong. O_o

      • Posted By: EveryoneHasBias @ 06/30/2008 12:43:56 PM

        You never know, it could have been an in-house poll conducted by the Moran family on Newsweek's behalf...

        • Posted By: Factarereal @ 07/01/2008 12:44:05 AM

          It is not true...............this is a genuine poll. I can understand the results from even the insane things that the media waste time on to debate instead of talking about sensible things that can improve lives. Shame on shame.

  • Posted By: TheBroker @ 06/30/2008 5:18:26 PM

    The problem is that people generally believe what they want to believe. If they are die hard Republicans, they're going to believe that Obama is a Muslim (He's Christian). If they're die hard Democrats, they're going to believe that McCain wants to wage war on Iraq for 100 years (He was talking about having embassies and more of a political presence). What we need is honesty at the top, enough of the misdirection and quotes taken out of context already. Apparently they do it because the American people are too stupid to think for themselves. Educate yourself and come to conclusions based on the reality of the data. Don't let someone spoon feed you your beliefs.

    • Posted By: notroubleatall1963 @ 06/30/2008 10:54:58 PM

      Why on earth do we need 50 to 100 "posts" such as embassies, army bases and the like if we're not planning to "take over" someone's country - in this case, Iraq? I think it's flawed judgment, it's too expensive, and it's damn near impossible if not outright foolish - the Brits tried to do something similar in the last century (while Churchill was in power, early days) and failed utterly - the public would not support it as it was exhorbitantly expensive.

      Does nobody in the Bush Administration read history, or study policy, strategy or diplomacy? It sure doesn't seem like it.

  • Posted By: CalexanderJ @ 06/30/2008 2:55:43 PM

    I think these questions more accurately reflects how aware Americans are, not how smart they are.

  • Posted By: yellerjacket @ 06/30/2008 2:12:21 PM

    Dear Phaz, Thank you for proving your point about dumb people with your glaring grammatical errors, poorly worded "sentences", and ignorant pigeonholing of conservatives. Please keep on posting, buddy. Practice makes perfect.

  • Posted By: techresmgt @ 06/30/2008 1:56:37 PM

    What is Judge Joe Brown's middle initial?

  • Posted By: PHAZ @ 06/30/2008 12:26:34 PM

    Dumb people need to leave this planet for the strong to survive. I think the weak can destroy or bring the strong down with them as a drowning person could sink there rescuer. If I see another poll about anything the people are asked about i cringe, thinking they voted for Bush. Pushing us all down with the sinking ship for the rich.

  • Posted By: PHAZ @ 06/30/2008 12:21:11 PM

    Dumb people are in need of leaving this planet for the strong to survive. I think the weak can destroy or bring the strong down with them as a drowning person could sink there rescuer.

  • Posted By: Factarereal @ 06/29/2008 3:17:42 AM

    Look at this............and these people are ruling the world.............The world is doomed.........LOL

  • Posted By: loriw @ 06/29/2008 2:02:07 AM

    I was surprised we did so "well".
    Ever watch Jay Leno's Jay Walking? There's some really scary dumb people walking around the streets of America.

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