No, this isn’t a headline from a supermarket tabloid, though I wish that it were. Last weekend a preliminary Harris Poll of 2,230 Americans found that the majority of Republicans are crazy and potentially a danger to themselves or others. Okay, I speculated the latter part of that sentence – but base it upon excellent evidence. Obama’s opponents have literally
demonized the president, with 24 percent of Republicans, and 14 percent of freelance kooks in agreement that Obama "may be the antiChrist."
Next, onward to demonizing an entire religion: a majority of Republicans believe that President Obama is a Muslim, while 45 percent agree with the so-called "Birthers" that the president was "not born in the United States." This is an arcane idea that even Bill O’Reilly of right wing Fox News has admitted lacks merit.
Further demonstrating the power of wingnut jingoism, 38 percent of Republicans, and 20 percent of Americans overall, agree that Obama is "doing many things Hitler did." Perhaps it’s the cheering crowds?
Think what you will, the appeal of Palin comes to mind. The poll found that voters lacking a college education are much more likely to agree with more extreme myths and rumors about the
44th president.
A whopping 67 percent of Republicans believe Obama is a socialist, an opinion held by 40 percent of those surveyed, demonstrating that Glenn Beck and his ilk are more influential than books or newspapers in America.