Teeth gnashing talk with a "liberal" friend...

[Surya Gayatri]

I live abroad, which has its advantages as far as avoiding the worst of the Corp. Media excesses. I can't afford cable and get most of my news through the Web, notably DU, the foreign press, and streaming of US radio stations (AAR, Head On, etc.)

Just spent the afternoon with another American expatriot friend who, according to external criteria, appears to be a dyed-in-the-wool lib (born & bred in Mass., lived in NYC, voted straight Dem in 2000 & 2004, used to teach American cultural issues, etc.

BUT, you guessed it--she rarely goes on the Web and gets the bulk of her news from CNN (cable) and the International Herald Tribune (which, if you know it, is mostly rehashed stuff from the NYTimes & WaPost.

Would you believe she'd never heard of FISA, didn't know or understand why this November is so crucial or what's at stake (House & Senate), had little or no idea of the parlous state of the elections in Ohio, didn't know of the recent Federal Court ruling on NSA spying, etc. etc. etc.

But, the real kicker came when, after I'd mentioned Judge Taylor's ruling, she raised her voice to a fairly petulant pitch and practically screamed at me: "But didn't you see the recent catastrophe "they" managed to avert thanks to wiretapping?"

My jaw dropped down to waist level; I tried to tune her in on the 72-hour provision, etc. but to little avail. I could see her eyes clouding over as I spoke, so I just gave up.

Seems to me she is a template for the "New England" liberal who'll be the deciding factor in the Connecticut senate contest. Fortunately, she doesn't vote there, but in NY, because she's not interested in exercising her franchise in Nov.

What does this portend? Yikes, I knew she was a bit apolitical, but today I was really taken aback by her ignorance & indifference. Very disappointing & disturbing...SG
:banghead: