Note to all those media members claiming how much more intelligent Joe Biden is than Sarah Palin: the pompous, holier-than-thou Senator from Delaware spoke at about an eighth-grade level during Thursday's vice presidential debate while Gov. Palin communicated her thoughts at almost a tenth-grade level.
Say it isn't so, Joe!
As deliciously reported by CNN.com Friday (photo courtesy AP):
An analysis carried out by a language monitoring service said Friday that Gov. Sarah Palin spoke at a more than ninth-grade level and Sen. Joseph Biden spoke at a nearly eighth-grade level in Thursday night's debate between the vice presidential candidates.
The analysis by the Austin, Texas-based Global Language Monitor said Palin, governor of Alaska and the GOP vice presidential nominee, used the passive voice in 8 percent of her sentences, far more than the 5 percent used by the Democratic senator from Delaware. [...]
The two candidates were nearly even in total number of words spoken. The normally voluble Biden restrained his tendency to ramble by uttering just 5,492 words during the 90-minute debate, versus 5,235 for Palin, Payack said. [...]
Here's the breakdown:
Grade level: Biden, 7.8; Palin, 9.5 (Newspapers are typically written to a sixth-grade reading level.)
Sentences per paragraph: statistically tied at 2.7 for Biden and 2.6 for Palin.
Letters per word: tied at 4.4.
Ease of reading: Biden, 66.7 (with 100 being the easiest to read or hear), versus 62.4 for Palin.
Hehehehehe.
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Comments Policy
Ease of reading:
October 4, 2008 - 01:16 ET by general companyEase of reading:
Oh my, have we really gotten this bad? Good grief , my confidence is shaken
"Television is a freak show" Bernie Goldberg
Exactly...
October 4, 2008 - 08:34 ET by ontheright...so why are we even analyzing "ease of reading" criteria when it was a TELEVISED debate???
An enjoyable statistic...
October 4, 2008 - 01:24 ET by MexNobama...but it isn't going to get McCain back on track I am afraid.
MexNobama,
October 4, 2008 - 01:51 ET by R D HelmHonestly, I don't think Sen. McPork was ever on the track to begin with.
What a depressingly weak campaign!
-Dave
If this nation is to be saved, it will be libertarian principles that save it.
But it's an "honorable" and
October 4, 2008 - 06:31 ET by motherbeltBut it's an "honorable" and "respectful" campaign, RD!
Even the most obvious thing, like the fact that Obama went back on his word to take public funding (and blamed McCain for it!) is beyond criticizing for McCain!
Talk about hypocrisy! he raises and spends more money than anyone ever has, (buys his own TV channel for crying out loud!) all while talking about the "same old politics" and this "broken system."
And with only a few weeks left, Sen. McCain takes the weekend off while Palin continues to campaign!
mb, McCain might as well be invisible.
October 5, 2008 - 19:05 ET by R D HelmWhat an idiot!
-Dave
If this nation is to be saved, it will be libertarian principles that save it.
The Olbermann / Matthews ticket
October 4, 2008 - 10:14 ET by needleCan anyone imagine where the Obama campaign would be without the media so thoroughly propping him up and covering up for him?
Impunitas semper ad deteriora invitat.
My mother always told me...
October 5, 2008 - 01:45 ET by jawebster1that you are known best by the company you keep. If the "Main Stream Media", which includes sewage tributaries like Olbermann and Matthews is for you, then you are a loser. Jim Webster
Maybe Next Time . . .
October 4, 2008 - 02:43 ET by Junk Science SkepticMaybe in 2012 we won't let the media pick our candidate or factionalize the right with pseudo-issues.
Or maybe...
October 4, 2008 - 08:38 ET by ontheright...after the Repubs get taken to the proverbial woodshed this election cycle, they will finally realize that the liberals/Dimocrat fringe is NOT their friend and grow some stones and fight back, finally.
Nah, probably won't happen - I think the Repubs enjoy getting their teeth kicked in - but I don't think the general populiaton does...and therein lies the problem.
And perhaps they will learn
October 4, 2008 - 10:09 ET by BDAnd perhaps they will learn that being "Senator from the great state of MSM" is not an advantage. But McCain is too egocentric to change his outlook on that.
My state should have replaced him in the last election- now we will be forced to keep him. I wish we could trade him for Palin or Thompson.
Or better yet, a ticket of...
October 5, 2008 - 01:54 ET by jawebster1Romney/Palin. Palin is starting to go after Obama's shady associations. Let's see if McCain can follow suit and have someone besides talk radio telling the truth and the full truth about the guy. Come on McCain, fight, fight, fight. Expose the guy. Force the media to talk about Ayers, Wright, Rezco, Chicago Politics and ACORN! Jim Webster
So, given the long-term
October 4, 2008 - 01:32 ET by R D HelmSo, given the long-term deterioration of our wonderful government educational system, and applying the appropriate descending scale, while simultaneously assuming that the aforementioned decline in standards of same has been progressing at a constant rate for the last 40 years, this leads to only one conclusion:
Jethro Bodine, who graduated the 6th grade on two occasions, spoke at a higher level than did Sen. Obiden.
Dayem!
-Dave
If this nation is to be saved, it will be libertarian principles that save it.
CNN = A Far Left Lame Ass Media
October 4, 2008 - 01:30 ET by XfreeXStrange coming from CNN being they have became one of the most bias left wing media swingers with a hint of sexist in their reporting throughout this entire election. If this grade scaling is what CNN really thinks about the candidate i mean if infact Joe Biden preformed on a 8th grade scale and Sarah Palin more on a 10th grade scale, that must mean that Barack Obama lies somewhere between preschool and 1st grade???????
CNN with their constant exagarations of facts and fabrication of the truth make them one of the most disgusting media outlets in this country.
10 graders and debate
October 4, 2008 - 02:05 ET by donsalimanIn my life,I have heard some 10's graders on debate teams and believe me,I think that is complement to Palin.
Content Sophistication Aside (see post further down)
October 4, 2008 - 02:34 ET by Junk Science SkepticLooking specifically at debate skills, Palin should have done better. A 10th-grade level competitive debater would have butchered Biden with citations and sources refuting the 14 whoppers he let loose.
Of course Biden didn't provide any support for any of his claims or challenges, so she didn't give away any points here either.
Let see if Jacon C will pick up on this
October 4, 2008 - 02:19 ET by well99That ought to be good.
CNN Confirms - Dem Positions Are Most Childish
October 4, 2008 - 02:20 ET by Junk Science SkepticLet's see, 3 decades in office and the best he can do to make his party's case is 8th grade jabber (repeating the words Bush and Exxon was most of his script, I'd have scored it closer to 2nd grade).
Meanwhile, the so-called neophyte in the race, with less than a decade in office, comes in nearly two years his senior.
I'd suggest the score says as much about the relative sophistication of the two parties' messages as it does about the messengers.
Found a Couple of Interesting Links Pertaining to Gov. Palin
October 4, 2008 - 03:47 ET by Rush FanAlthough they are not related to Noel's post, I came across two interesting web sites I wanted to share:
(1) This site with the heading Sarah Palin administers an old fashioned Caribou Whoop-ass on Joe Biden has a picture of Sarah Palin and Joe Biden in hockey suits with the caption: Debating Joe Biden...So easy, a Hockey Mom can do it.
(2) This site is titled Palin Fights Corruption.
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The most important change we can make is to vote out the Democrats and RINOs in Congress!
If the analysis was true--a
October 4, 2008 - 04:19 ET by Andrew H.If the analysis was true--a big "if"--then Sarah spoke to within two grade levels of CNN reporters. Still too high but closer.
Liberalism is a convenient lie.
She's Got MOJO!
October 4, 2008 - 08:00 ET by ChasvsHey, Joe what do ya know?
Sarah's got the MOJO and you got squat!
Despite the media's continued attempts to destroy this charming and talented leader, she's shredding them at every opportunity!
It would be great to see the raw video of the Couric interview to see how many good responses were cut to make her look bad!
Sarah, you go Girl!
8th Grade, 10th Grade
October 4, 2008 - 13:15 ET by wrinkledmanRead the report. Read the criteria for grade analysis. Read that BOTH complex AND confusing sentence structure are equated with higher grade levels. Read that simpler is better. I wonder how Reagan's speeches would have parsed? He was the great communicator and I'll bet his sentences were clearer, sharper, shorter and hence better than those of either of our illustrious VP candidates. And one of his best attributes: he answered the questions.
And he answered the
October 4, 2008 - 14:35 ET by BDAnd he answered the questions completely - incorrectly 14 times that I noted.
I loved the Pakistani missiles hitting Israel - HA!
Also, the statement that NATO had taken the Hezzies out of Lebanon - what Hollywood movie did THAT come out of?
I did not notice but one inaccuracy in Palins presentation - that being to misname a general (Which I do ALL the time - including the one I work for).
Huh? Who? What are you
October 4, 2008 - 15:29 ET by wrinkledmanHuh? Who? What are you talking about?
His Lies, Her Lies, Here Lies the Truth
October 4, 2008 - 15:38 ET by wrinkledmanI'm all for calling out the lies. Read this.
http://www.factcheck...