What must be the most ridiculous claim of the night's Iowa caucus coverage came on CNN when political analyst Bill Schneider argued that because only 16 percent of Democrats who showed up to caucus call themselves "very liberal," that these Democrats are "pretty moderate voters," but that Republican voters are "very conservative." Schneider based his claims simply on how voters chose to identify themselves for CNN's entrance poll of those who arrived to caucus: "The Democrats are moderate. Only about 16 percent of them call themselves 'very liberal.' There's a cliche that only liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans show up. That's half true. Republicans are very conservative. Almost half of them say they are 'very conservative.' But Democrats are pretty moderate voters." (Transcript follows)
At 8:55 p.m., anchor Wolf Blitzer turned to Schneider and correspondent Soledad O'Brien, as they presented some of the findings of CNN's entrance poll. O'Brien asked Schneider whether these voters are "very liberal" or "very conservative." While Schneider described Republican voters as "very conservative," he ignored the tendency by many liberals to shun calling themselves "liberal" as he seemed to accept that Democratic voters are "pretty moderate" because only 16 percent described themselves as "very liberal."
Below is a transcript of the relevant exchange from the January 3 CNN coverage of the Iowa caucuses:
SOLEDAD O'BRIEN: The ideology of the people that we've seen so far in these entrance poll numbers, are they very liberal? Are they very conservative?
BILL SCHNEIDER: They're different. The Democrats are moderate. Only about 16 percent of them call themselves "very liberal." There's a cliche that only liberal Democrats and conservative Republicans show up. That's half true. Republicans are very conservative. Almost half of them say they are "very conservative." But Democrats are pretty moderate voters.
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Did you see...
January 3, 2008 - 23:27 ET by obxrayDid you see where SOLEDAD O'BRIEN said to Bill S. "need to look in to see why a black man won" around 9:35 pm
Well
January 3, 2008 - 23:23 ET by well99Only 16% of the KKK call themselves racist.
Well for me, you can call
January 3, 2008 - 23:48 ET by USA4freedomWell for me, you can call me: pretty dam conservative and pretty dam proud of it. Unlike the liberals or Progressive, or moderate, or what ever the latest term they use.
C-O-N-S-E-R-V-A-T-I-V-E. say it loud and say it proud!!
So screw you Billy Schneider, cnn, Wolf Blitzer and all the others!
These are the boys of Pointe du Hoc. Ronald Reagan- 40th Anniversary of D-Day
Centralist
January 4, 2008 - 00:11 ET by well99Centralist is the flavor of the month.I am a Centralist and they damn sure aint.I know I am one because I took a test on the internet.We all know the internet cant be wrong.
Liberals have to keep
January 4, 2008 - 07:52 ET by motherbeltLiberals have to keep reinventing what they call themselves, in order to hide what they really think.
Is "centralist" the latest incarnation ? Interesting; since most liberal believe in the power of government: i.e. "central" planning....
Can't decide....
January 3, 2008 - 23:48 ET by neighbCan't decide if Bill Schneider is, "pretty" stupid or "very" stupid.
neighb
BILL SCHNEIDER: They're
January 3, 2008 - 23:56 ET by MidAmericaBILL SCHNEIDER: They're different. The Democrats are moderate. Only about 16 percent of them call themselves "very liberal."
That's probably true. These are Iowans after all, not Californians. They are not the hardcore socialists. I would describe them as remnants of the FDR democrats.
ya but lets be serious, when
January 4, 2008 - 00:25 ET by MrSnugglesya but lets be serious, when have liberals ever been honest about their beliefs?
Well keep in mind a lot
January 4, 2008 - 00:35 ET by MidAmericaWell keep in mind a lot of democrats don't 'think' their beliefs. They 'feel' them. They look to the government to be a kindly parent that will step in and help them when times are tough or to divide up the candy 'fairly' when somebody has more.
I am a Republican. And damn
January 4, 2008 - 00:38 ET by clarkfkI am a Republican. And damn right I'm Very Conservative. If the liberals want to call themselves "moderate" then let them. Anyone who stands in the middle of the road for too long is bound to get hit by a truck or a car at some point. Unless Al Bore has his way and the roads are empty so he (and other "moderates") can drive their gas-guzzling SUVs while the rest of us wave from the shoulders and resign ourselves to our places in the cast system.
Wow
January 4, 2008 - 00:48 ET by well99Actually I am a Independent and centralist and havent been hit by a car or truck.I did have my thermos run over by a tank.I go by the issue.Always have and always will.
Dem's. 40% moderate. 67% vote "very liberal"?????
January 4, 2008 - 00:48 ET by Gary HallBrad. I think that the larger picture here is the honesty (or the intellect - understanding black & white) of the Dem voters.
We've got 40% of the Democrats saying that they are moderate (with only 16% calling themselves very liberal), and yet 67% of their vote went to to "very liberal" candidates: 1-2, Obama - Edwards.
Naturally, the very liberally biased Schneider did not find this curious.
I know this for sure........
January 4, 2008 - 00:56 ET by Scout FinchI don't know what a Democrat "moderate" is, but I know what a Conservative is, and I am a Conservative. Loud and proud. Say it with me now...............
Need less pics of the bald guy and more of Soledad
January 4, 2008 - 02:05 ET by Lame CherryIf CNN is going to continue to Professor Bunson Honeydew as an expert at least let the Muppets dress up Soledad like they did Elke Sommer and have her dance around as that at least would be something to watch.
CNN to Soledad from Newsbusters...........Obama won because he embraced a passion for "religion". How you Godless creatures will deal with that only Oprah's couch knows.
*HIC IACET ARTORIVS REX QVONDAM REXQVE FVTVRVS
If this crop of democrat
January 4, 2008 - 02:56 ET by wiwfIf this crop of democrat presidential candidates is considered "fairly moderate," I don't want to know what a "very liberal" candidate is!
The Rocky Mountain Collegian: Illustrating Idiocy
You have to understand,
January 4, 2008 - 07:54 ET by motherbeltYou have to understand, wiwf, that there are no liberals or leftists. There are only two kinds of political stands in this country...the "moderates" and the "right-wing extremists."
<sarc off>
Anyone who says they
January 4, 2008 - 10:26 ET by kathleenirishAnyone who says they support the troops but not the mission is a liar.
You win the "post that made me laugh the quickest award"! Prof. Honeydew, exactly!!! hahahahaha! Thanks for the pick me up.
Democrats are afraid
January 4, 2008 - 04:28 ET by richb313Why are democrats afraid of calling themselves liberal? Are they ashamed? I want to know. Or perhaps they are trying to fool someone, such as themselves. When a person or group who knows they are one thing but identify as another it shows a true disconnect with reality. This reason alone is enough to never trust a modern Democrat (LIBERAL).
}}---> Afraid of "Liberal"
January 4, 2008 - 04:33 ET by Cool ArrowAnd "Fiscal Conservatives" are afraid to call themselves "Social Liberals", but by making the distinction between Social and Liberal Conservatism, they are Social Liberals by default.
I ♣ My Seal
They just think they're "normal"
January 4, 2008 - 10:57 ET by seldumondeLiberals don't think of themselves as liberal. They just think they are "normal" and that anyone who is different must be a right-wing extremist. I mean hell, they think George W. Bush is an extreme conservative.
Especially with these media types they are totally convinced that the whole country thinks like them. They think everyone is totally against the war, so they can't understand why anyone would still support it. They think everyone hates Bush. It's because they live in an isolated world with tons of groupthink.
Fuzzy Math...
January 4, 2008 - 08:49 ET by Mr. TerryRemember that statement by Bush in the debates? They don't like to be called what they are. Its the "L" word stupid...not the economy.
Bill S. is a snarky leftist.
2 words for CNN
January 4, 2008 - 09:24 ET by sarcasmo"Not fiscally."
JMR
Rally online with fans of Dr. Ron Paul. (All purpose anti-slander-link, sadly-needed these days...)
Anyone who says they
January 4, 2008 - 10:23 ET by kathleenirishAnyone who says they support the troops but not the mission is a liar.
I only saw CNN for 2 minutes, unfortunately for my stomach and head aches last night, and this is exactly the point at which I "tuned in" (still trying to get my eyes down from rolling so far back, though)! I cracked up when he seemed to repeat, REPEAT: "Very conservative" vs. "mostly moderate". Communists think they are moderate, gobshite!!!! CNN is beyond a joke.
Most Republicans aren't
January 4, 2008 - 11:34 ET by mattmMost Republicans aren't ashamed of the conservative label, but most Democrats run away from the Liberal tag faster than Bill Clinton after a busload of ho's.