July 7, 2009

"Real Americans"


On yesterday's Morning Joe Brewed by Starbucks, Mika Brzezinski explained how soon-to-be-former Gov. Sarah Palin connected with "real Americans."


[P]eople were coming to those rallies because they agreed with her. Look at the polls out there. Look where people stand on life. Look where real Americans think and you will find that in the, you know -- God, I hate to say it -- but in the cites where there's a little more liberal elite populations you're not going to find what is representative of America.
First Mika, urban America is not just real America, it is the vast majority of America as far as where Americans actually live (from the 2000 Census):
U.S. Population Living in Urban vs. Rural Areas

Population living in Urban Areas: 79.219%
Population living in Rural Areas: 20.781

Urbanized Areas over 200,000 population = 58.274%
Second Mika, that Gallup poll that made the news back in May which supposedly showed more people are now anti abortion than pro choice had respondents identifying as Republicans by 32% and as Democrats by 32%. However nationwide, less than a quarter of the population actually identifiy themselves as Republicans while 35% identify as Democrats (this means the Gallup poll was crap as it was unrepresentative of the population).


(from FiveThirtyEight)

Third Mika, obviously enough "real" Americans did not connect with Palin's views:



Adjusted to reflect population:

So naner, naner, naner!
.

3 comments:

Political Organizing said...

Damn, I reckon I need to knock off the "American" when I self-identify as "African-American."

Thanks, Mika, for setting me straight!

Social Justice NPC Anti-Paladin™ said...

I did not vote for Obama and live in PA.
Why are you including me with your "real" Americans in figure 3?
You are citing the Electoral college which was declared undemocratic in 2000 by Democrats.

Barack Obama 69,456,897
John McCain 59,934,814

Dave said...

Heir, you're missing the point. Mika B's stupid crack about "real" Americans is a standard right-wing talking point going back to the McCarthy era. It's a bullshit "us vs. them" canard implying anyone who is not a member of specific sub-group (in this case white, Christian conservatives living in the south or midwest) is not a "real" American.

The truth is all of us are real Americans--no matter your ethnic background, religious beliefs (or lack thereof), where you live, or who you voted for.