comment #1

pm123 says ...

What an arrogant ass. Why doesn't he save all of us the trouble of actually voting by just filling in our ballots for us? The reason people are undecided is not because they're idiots, as the over-educated, smug, arrogant types like Sedaris think, but because they (horrors!) don't read useless blogs on the internet, don't read newspapers, don't watch the "Daily Show," or the news, and don't read magazines. The smug cognoscenti call these people "ignorant," but most of them are too busy working three jobs to waste time reading people like David Sedaris, or for that matter, "Hollywood Elsewhere." The majority of Americans have no idea what ACORN is, or who exactly Sarah Palin is...

comment #2

scooterzz says ...

yes, pm---..damn those people who actually read...how dare they!

comment #3

Monument says ...

PM, you're inserting your assumptions of Sedaris' politics. I think the point he's making is that the two candidates are nothing alike, there is a clear distinction. If you are still undecided at this point, you are likely just as dimwitted as Sedaris' metaphorical airplane passenger.

comment #4

Bocephus says ...

Huh? The very definition of ignorance is not knowing things. Not watching the news or attempting to keep yourself informed of the world around you is willful ignorance, which is a symptom of stupidity. A person who doesn't keep up on the issues during an election cycle is a bad citizen and a wortheless person.

I'm a hard-working blue collar guy, and I still find the time to read the news every day.

comment #5

nakedmanatee says ...

So do people with three jobs just lack time to read in general or just lack time to read David Sedaris or Hollywood Elsewhere? (And how is David Sedaris over-educated?)
I mean, at some point, some reading would be good, yes? The undecideds playing coy in nationally televised focus groups obviously had a little free time to show up and watch the debates for Fox or CNN or whoever had the best snacks. Doing a little prep work and finding out out the candidates and issues isn't asking too much, I think.

comment #6

Teacher's Pets says ...

I'm just guessing, here, but I infer from pm123's comment -- and others' similar reactions to anti-undecided sentiments -- that he thinks Sedaris is saying Obama is the chicken while McCain is the glass-strewn shit.

I think he's saying that the candidates are for once different enough that if you have any opinion or interest in government, society, and/or policy, one should jump out as appealing or unappealing. If you don't have that interest -- and people who work three jobs usually do -- then you shouldn't be involved in the process. It doesn't matter if people read blogs or know about ACORN or Palin; if they've even caught campaign ads during So You Think You Can Dance or accidentally watched half a debate, then they should have at least some idea what to do in the booth.

comment #7

JaySmire says ...

The only undecided argument I can buy is from those who are undecided if they are going to bother to actually vote or not. Do they like one of these candidates enough to go out and pull a lever. For the many who choose to stay on the sidelines and let their futures reside in the hands of others I can see where they aren't sure who would be better for the country. Because these are people who don't bother to "check in" with what's been going on. My sister the other day said she wished she had a cheat sheet to figure out which guy stands for what. Are you kidding me? I was shocked. All she had to do was watch any of the debates or bother to spend five minutes reading something to figure this out. It's crazy, and sad, but very true. And my sister is someone society would think of as white collar and smart. I had to work on her pretty hard to make her understand why, with her beliefs, she wants to cast a ballot for Barack Obama and not John McCain.

comment #8

dgunz says ...

PM123, is there such a thing as "over-educated?" I can't wait to hit my peak of intellect! Awesome!

comment #9

pm123 says ...

People who comment on this blog are a HIGHLY selected group. I know it's hard to fathom, but most people do NOT cruise the internet for their news! They rely on their family members, their church, their co-workers for information. As for the differences between McCain and Obama, I would argue that they are very small. The differences are between McCain and Obama's pundits and supporters and hangers-on. McCain is, by all measures, a centrist Republican. Obama is, by all measures, a centrist Democrat. The rest is just noise. Loud noise, contributed mostly by the internet, but noise nonetheless. Most people will go into the voting booth and vote for either the "Republican" if they like what Bush has done and where the economy is, or "Democrat" if they don't. The last year of campaigning, I wold argue, has changed very few people's minds. Most statistical models predicted a Democratic victory a year ago.

comment #10

raygo says ...

Hmmm ... suddenly find myself embarrassed to be seen on this blog with pm123.

comment #11

Josh Massey says ...

"...one should jump out as appealing or unappealing."

How about if both jump out as unappealing?

I love Sedaris, but his latest book - save for the last piece - was a huge disappointment.

comment #12

Monument says ...

I agree Josh, I haven't really loved any of his books since Me Talk Pretty...

comment #13

Sabina E says ...

PM123 is VERY right. Again, as I've said before, I live in the midwest. Most people here don't know that Sarah Palin was found GUILTY by the state of Alaska for abusing her power in office, or that McCain is vehemently against women's reproductive rights. oh, and many people still think Obama is a secret Muslim commie terrorist! *rolls eyes*

People here just dont read the news at all. They're more busy reading Perez Hilton and one-liner headlines on CNN without bothering to read the whole articles. I have to remind my friends that they should at least read the news every once in a while sometimes. It's annoying as hell.

comment #14

storymark says ...

Anyone that uniformed at this point, is ignorant, plain and simple. I don't care how much you work, this has been going on for friggin months and months. If all the info a person has comes from what the neighbors are saying, then that person is an idiot. that is willfull ignorance, simle intellectual laziness. Fuck them.

comment #15

Wiggumx says ...

I liked his new book, but it was sometimes a little.... schmaltzy? I did enjoy the extended stuff on quitting smoking at the end, however.

comment #16

mtgilchrist says ...

The point is that the two candidates in contention ARE different, and that if you're still undecided at this point it's legitimate to wonder what it is that you expect to hear from one or the other - much less any media outlet - that will sway you. i think it's important also to note that he's somewhat specifically referring to folks who are conspicuously on tv, which means they must at least keep track of things on tv and in the news well enough to know when and where they need to be to get on air. that said, i don't think it's an overstatement to call anyone ignorant who according to pm123 doesn't read newspapers, magazines, watch tv, or check any media sites online. no matter how many jobs you have, you do have a responsibility as a voter to pursue information about candidates, especially if you're savvy enough to get yourself on tv to admit that you're still undecided despite some nine months of nonstop election coverage.

comment #17

nemo says ...

"The reason people are undecided is not because they're idiots . . ."

Wrong.

"The very definition of ignorance is not knowing things. . . ."

"The undecideds playing coy in nationally televised focus groups . . ."

"The only undecided argument I can buy is from those who are undecided if they are going to bother to actually vote or not. . . ."

"Anyone that uniformed at this point, is ignorant, plain and simple. I don't care how much you work, this has been going on for friggin months and months. . . ."

"The point is that the two candidates in contention ARE different, and that if you're still undecided at this point it's legitimate to wonder what it is that you expect to hear from one or the other - much less any media outlet - that will sway you. . . ."

Right. Right. Right. Right.

comment #18

pm123 says ...

Okay - let me ask this - how many people reading this have had their vote influenced by all the blog reading and TV watching and reading they've done in the last year? In other words, how many people really didn't know whether they would vote Democratic or Republican a year ago, but have decided based on all the media coverage of the last year? I bet I could count them on one hand. Having your opinions CONFIRMED by what you read on the internet and in newspapers and magazines and by what you watch on TV doesn't count!

comment #19

rr3333 says ...

Doesn't Jeff know that Airlines cant afford to serve free Shit or free Chicken anymore?

Even the putrid coffee isnt free anymore.

comment #20

WinslowLeachtheComposer says ...

I understand why pm123 would be sensitive to the charge of "ignorance" - only someone who's ignored the last year or so (or spent it in a locked room with Ralph Nader) would believe there's no difference between the candidates, or still call McCain a centrist Republican. McCain may BE a centrist, but he doesn't play one on TV.

comment #21

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

If you read Sedaris' piece and your first reaction was "Oh, I suppose McCain is the plate of shit" - boy does that say A LOT about how you view the choices in this election if you consider yourself a McCain supporter.

If we were having this discussion even a month ago, pm123 might have a point. But 5 days out? That's a sign of willful ignorance.

No hyperbole, this will likely be the most important election most of us will ever cast a ballot in. An entire political party could very well come to an end next Tuesday.

Hey, sorry, but tough shit if all of sudden for some folks they discovered they needed to do homework for the first time in 20 or so years because their very way of life might hinge on it.

comment #22

pm123 says ...

That's my point: He is a centrist Republican, but doesn't play one on TV - because he's surrounded by image makers and pundits and spokespeople who have their own agendas. It's not McCain people are reacting to, it's the reaction that they're reacting to! It's the parties BEHIND the candidates that are polarized, not the candidates, and not the voters! The American people are pretty sensible, moderate thinkers, but we're being subjected to extremist ideologies by the groups with agendas in the background - like the Democratic and Republican parties themselves! These days candidates seem to be required to belong to one or the other extreme position - you have to HATE someone or some position, when leaders in the past were able to govern from the middle - to take EVERYONE'S opinion into account - not to dismiss the half of the country that are ignoramuses, as so many people (especially, ahem, on "blogs") seem to do today...

comment #23

Luke Y. Thompson says ...

Everyone I know who's undecided has already ruled out one of the major candidates, and is just trying to decide if they'll vote for the other or cast a protest vote for a third-party candidate.

comment #24

Deathtongue_Groupie says ...

pm123 - at this point the "ignoramuses" are about 6 - 10 % of the voting population, not "half of the country" according to every single poll.

And, AHEM, no - after 2004 no one can make a statement like "The American people are pretty sensible, moderate thinkers." In that case, half were ignoramuses who voted for most intellectually incurious of the modern era to ever sit in the Oval Office.

comment #25

robbiefantastic says ...

as a canadian i find the american political process to be a big washington version of american idol run by the 24 hr. news channels in order to give them something to have processions of talking heads come on and argue with wolf and anderson, etc. about. that being said i've paid close attention to it since i'm a small business owner and the result of this election will effect my business, but i can't understand how anyone in the states can say they're undecided because they haven't been given enough information. hell, walk by any newsstand or corner store and every publication is shouting election headlines at you. i was in ohio (go buckeyes) 2 weeks ago and every other commercial was endorsed by sen. obama or mccain so if you were to say to me you knew nothing of either candidates platform i would call you an idiot. but that's just me.....

oh and if i were american my ballet would be cast for sen. obama. i say this as a man who has voted conservative (canadian for republican) for 12 years. then again there is a large gap between a canadian conservative and an american republican.......

comment #26

Meegosh says ...

"Others claim that they're with A on defense and health care but are leaning toward B when it comes to the economy."

What exactly is wrong with this stance? I agree that some undecideds are ignorant but that doesn't mean that they all are. The two candidates put themselves so far to the left and right that its very hard for someone who usually steers towards the middle be completly happy with either of them, thus making it a hard desicion. I am in the Obama or Protest vote undecideds. I normally go Republican but can't bring myself to do it this time, they need to pull their heads out of their asses before I'll give them another shot.

comment #27

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

It's kind of getting lost in the mob mentality here, but I think PM actually makes some pretty valid points here.

The people who come here or post here *are* a select group. Listen, if you work more than one job and it's hard manual labor or you're on your feet all day plus have to deal with kids (and all that goes along with that), I think it's forgivable not to come home and want to rush onto someone's blog and see what the hell McCain or Obama said every day. In the grand scheme of things, keeping your own life in check is *much* more important than going away to some la-la land (which admittedly is something *I* have the luxury of enjoying) where you sit and analyze every one of Obama's phrases, McCain's uncomfortable gestures, Palin's new style, etc. I notice a lot of you are posting here from work (no doubt while surfing to get your online news fix so you can become informed). That's great for you, but simply put, not everyone has that luxury. Understand that.

Jay - Your sister sounds like a pretty smart woman to me. What's wrong with a cheat sheet that clearly states where the candidates stand on the issues? I actually think it would be *great* if it was mandatory that everyone running for President had to draw one up to clarify their official positions on issues. I think it would also lead to more concise debating. Let's be honest, you can watch these debates and not be exactly sure what the hell these guys are proposing. Not necessarily this year, but I know damn well that was the case in 2004.

Nemo - That's a lame attitude, and quite undemocratic to boot. There are legitimate reasons for being undecided. If a candidate (or his policies) doesn't speak to you, I actually think it's *wrong* to cast a vote. I believe in voting *for* someone, and not just simply against the other. I wasn't inspired enough by either Bush or Kerry in 2004. That's definitely not the case this year, I am really loving Obama, but that doesn't mean I expect *everyone* to feel the same way I do. I know it was just an offhand comment, but implying that someone who is undecided is an idiot is egocentric at best, and fascist at worst.

comment #28

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

That's the case here, too, LYT. And I wouldn't call any of them ignorant, by any stretch. The people I know that are considering third-party candidates are probably the most intelligent and measured people I know. Far from idiots, that's for sure.

comment #29

theultimatebiu says ...

I really can't understand how you can still be undecided. The campaigns and candidates are completely different. Try coming to the UK where we have the choice of two parties who are completely identical in nearly every policy.

If I was a US citizen my vote would go for Obama. There is much more efficiency in his court and a interest to shake things up. His financial plans are much more future proof and his stance on helathcare and education reform is very appealing.

McCain is a bit stronger on defence, but his choices so far have been extremely weak and the Republican party have become to complacent and lazy. They are talking like neo conservatives but walking like ultra liberals

comment #30

Edward Havens says ...

Who is Barack Obama?

comment #31

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

I think there's a bit more to it than that, biu.

I agree that if it was a strictly two party race, the choice would seem to be obvious, although again, not for everyone!

Personally, I would like to see the country break out of the two-party system. It's very stagnant, and if I'm not overly inspired by either candidate (like in 2000 or 2004), I'll take the opportunity to cast a ballot for an outside party. Call it a protest vote, call it a whim for shaking things up 30 years down the road, just count it!

Wasted vote? I certainly hear that a lot, but it truly depends on how you look at it....

comment #32

pm123 says ...

Well, thanks for the debate everyone. Personally, I have great respect for the undecided voter. The more open the mind, the healthier the citizen. Throwing your enthusiasm recklessly for or against any particular candidate is a dangerous thing, it seems to me. Healthy skepticism and constant vigilance would serve us all better. If you're going to read all the crap out there, you have to scan the Drudge Report, the Huffington Post, the Daily Kos and Rush LImbaugh equally...

comment #33

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Cheers, pm....and kudos for hanging in there while you were (very unfairly, I thought) getting the shit kicked out of you up there.

comment #34

pm123 says ...

Are you kidding? I have a 15 year-old son. This is kids stuff (pun intended) compared to the abuse I get from him.

comment #35

Jay T. says ...

It is funny how someone would immediately assume that McCain was the steaming pile of shit... lol... when Sedaris really implied no such thing.

comment #36

Nate West says ...

As pm123 asserts, the reason people are undecided is not because they're idiots, it's because they're ignoramuses. And they're ignoramuses because they're too tired to inform themselves after working three jobs.

If we can just keep them in this exhausted condition, we should be able to hide the economic truth from them long enough to renew the establishment's license on power. Hey, look, over there! A loud noise! Something colorful! He's palling around with terrorists! It's worked before.

comment #37

nemo says ...

We are not talking here about being unclear about the differences between your two local no-name candidates for the state legislature. We're talking about not knowing the difference between two candidates for President of the United States.

There is an onslaught, an avalanche, a tidal wave of information washing over every sentient American adult from every media source for a full year leading up to the election. The JFK-Nixon election, almost 50 years ago, was the last time the two candidates and parties were even reasonably close together. For every election since then the choice has been utterly stark.

There is no excuse for anyone over 18 to not know enough about the differences between the Presidential candidates to have decided a month ago or more. Anybody claiming to be undecided at this point is either terminally ignorant or lying. Lying is more likely.

comment #38

buster says ...

Jay T, the article is from the New Yorker ... no need to assume anything.

Give me the choice between a country full of undecided voters and a country full of people who chose their candidate two years ago and bully anyone who disagrees with them, and I'll choose the undecided group EVERY time. Sure, plenty of them are just plain ignorant, but just as many are thoughtful, intelligent people truly torn over a few issues or other concerns. Someone on the right may be fed up with the disastrous Republican party and want to vote for the change candidate while being repelled by the smug, condescending element of the left, while someone on the left may be drawn to McCain not so much because they believe in him but because they feel compelled to vote against the prospect of a ruling party aided by a complacent and collaborative media. These are just two very simple, easily relatable reasons out of hundreds, thousands of more complex ones that might seem reasonable to anyone who doesn't confine themselves to an msnbc/nyt/cnn/huffpost world

comment #39

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

You know what's ignorant, Nemo?

The assertion that everyone has to have a clear-cut, Democrat or Republican candidate choice.

Wake up and smell the real world. Not everyone is going to come to the same conclusions you have (or indeed any conclusion at all), even if they have the exact same campaign/political information. It's not a technical or mechanical mathematical process where raw data always leads directly to one clear-cut decision. It's fundamentally a personal choice.

And aside with some minor flaws with the electoral college, that's the beauty of this democratic system. Right.....right?

comment #40

theultimatebiu says ...

Oh please stop.
If you are undecided at this point you are completely ignorant. There is no excuse. All the information is at your fingertips and anyone making a excuse for a undecided 5 days before the election are really defending ignorance and laziness.

comment #41

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

You can choose a ready guide
In some celestial voice.
If you choose not to decide
You still have made a choice

Rush, "Freewill"...from the album Permanent Waves (1980).

I'll let that act as my last word on the subject.

comment #42

Meegosh says ...

I hear you Citizen, these idiots aren't worth arguing with. They only feel this way because they have had their minds made up on one candidate for son long they can't fathom anything else. Being undecided isn't any worse or better to them than voting for McCain. One of the unfortuante reasons I am having a hard time voting for Obama is all the smug assholes that don't actually realize how the process is supossed to work that are voting for him. A very bad reason not to vote for him I admit, but its still there.

comment #43

CitizenKanedforChewingGum says ...

Amen to that. Given the current state of our country, I'm just not sure I really relate to this gung-ho, "if you vote for so-and-so you're wrong" enthusiasm for *anyone*. The fact of the matter is, even if we had the best candidate in political history right now, I think the problems that lie ahead would still pose one hell of a challenge for the commander-in-chief.

Sure, I will personally be happy if Obama wins, but I think it's important to at least temper that enthusiasm with the fact that whoever wins the Presidency, we all still have a hell of a long haul through the next four, eight years (and beyond).

comment #44

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