Values, or ignorance?

Bob Herbert makes a good point in his column in today's NY Times. He asserts that ignorance played at least as big a role in the election's outcome as values. As evidence he cites the survey by the Program on International Policy Attitudes (University of Maryland) that found that 70 percent of Bush's supporters still believe Saddam Hussein was working closely with Al Qaeda, and 33 percent believe WMDs were found in Iraq. Herbert asks, "How do you make a rational political pitch to people who have put that part of their brain on hold?"

To prepare for 2008, Herbert suggests that Democrats add "teach-ins" to their outreach efforts. "Anything that shrinks the ranks of the clueless would be helpful." He also think Demos need to "get a clear message and a bold and compelling candidate." He says the message has to "convince Americans that they would be better off following a progressive Democratic vision of the future" and the candidate has to be "a person of integrity capable of earning the respect and the affection of the American people."

What the Democrats don't need, Herbert says, is "a candidate who is willing to shape his or her values to fit the pundits' probably incorrect analysis of the last election. Values that pivot on a dime were not really values to begin with."

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/11/08/opinion/08herbert.html?th