# Is Sarah Palin dumber than Ronald Reagan? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 21, 2010, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453 "2010-11-21T17:10:52Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 11
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/201 "2010-11-22T21:47:40Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > Yeah! It was just last night that I saw her miss a couple of clay pigeons at the gun range. We finally got to see her fail at something. Whatyaknow? > > What a coincidence that the very next day!!! you ask such a question! Ms. Palin, et tu? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/202 "2010-11-22T21:48:41Z")
> [@mangeorge](#): > > If I’m going to fantasize about an unobtainable sex object, it sure as hell isn’t going to be Sarah Palin. I just don’t understand her appeal to some men. She’s not ugly, she’s simply not fantasy stuff. I’d prefer my neighbor who lives across the street. > Or Paris Hilton, washing my car. 😉 > [Bad car, all dirty.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aENknVAt22I&playnext=1&list=PL287A1676903391A1&index=15) I’d **go** with Sarah Palin, but I’d be thinking of Tina Fey. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/203 "2010-11-22T22:05:29Z")
> [@irae](#): > > Well done, Ralph. Did Glenn order you to say anything else? I’ll revise my rank order: Reagan\>Bush\>Palin\>Quayle\>fencepost\>ralph124c ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/204 "2010-11-22T22:07:26Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > No. Not even close. > > Sarah Palin was quite prominent long before the liberal press/media, who was deathly afraid of Palin, began to try to slander her and make fun of her. I’m quite the political junkie myself and prior to the summer of 2008 I’d never heard of her. I do recall buzz about her as the campaign wore on, but she was seen as something of a longshot, one of many names thrown out as possibilities for the VP slot. And prior to the week McCain made his pick, I don’t think she was on any serious political watcher’s shortlist of VP candidates. > [@Susanann](#): > > \*Sarah Palin " for most of her term was very popular with Alaska voters. Polls taken in 2007 showed her with **93% and 89% popularity among all voters** , ,[92] which led some media outlets to call her “ **the most popular governor in America.** ”[84][92]" \* As has been mentioned, Alaska’s a fairly small state. And a lot of people don’t pay much attention to state politics. So long as the state is in decent financial shape and the governor’s not involved in any major scandals, going out of their way to piss people off or otherwise acting nutty (and by all indications Palin seemed to have governed in a fairly lowkey style prior to getting the VP nod), most people are going to be fine with the job they’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/205 "2010-11-22T22:12:45Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Cite? I mean, since you were one of the people so urging, surely you can provide us with a cite, eh? > > Cite? Because that’s not how I remember it happening. Also, please provide a cite that Palin was “the most popular” politician, the “most liked” politician, and another cite that shows she was the “most successful politician in the entire country in the summer of 2008”. I mean, you wouldn’t just go around making shit up, right? You wouldn’t state your own opinion as if it was an objective fact, would you? So show us some cites to back up those claims. > > And no, your wiki cite from 2007 doesn’t qualify. You specifically said 2008. Gawrsh, if I didn’t know better I’d guess that the GOPtards were just desperately praying for a Messiah, and look who shows up? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![irae](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f0a364/32.png) [@irae](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/irae)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/206 "2010-11-22T22:14:37Z")
> [@Clothahump](#): > > the collective anus of the left Ah… The Orifice colloquially known as ‘The Right’. ---
**Author:** ![Merijeek](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f05b48/32.png) [@Merijeek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Merijeek)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/207 "2010-11-22T22:21:08Z")
> [@BrainGlutton](#): > > I’d **go** with Sarah Palin, but I’d be thinking of Tina Fey. Thanks, Cat. Quick thread poll - who is more reality-challenged, Ralph or Susan? -Joe ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/208 "2010-11-22T22:36:25Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I’ll revise my rank order: > > Reagan\>Bush\>Palin\>Quayle\>fencepost\>ralph124c You think Palin’s smarter than Quale? At least he didn’t insist on the “e” after he was told better. That shows the ability to learn. ---
**Author:** ![Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e47c2d/32.png) [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biffy_the_Elephant_Shrew)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/209 "2010-11-22T22:42:04Z")
> [@pravnik](#): > > Whoa, hold on. You think she’s better known than Dwight Eisenhower or Ulysses S. Grant were? Did Ulysses S. Grant have his own TV show? Huh? Did he? ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/210 "2010-11-22T22:43:07Z")
> [@joebuck20](#): > > I’m quite the political junkie myself and prior to the summer of 2008 I’d never heard of her. I do recall buzz about her as the campaign wore on, but she was seen as something of a longshot, one of many names thrown out as possibilities for the VP slot. And prior to the week McCain made his pick, I don’t think she was on any serious political watcher’s shortlist of VP candidates. > > As has been mentioned, Alaska’s a fairly small state. And a lot of people don’t pay much attention to state politics. So long as the state is in decent financial shape and the governor’s not involved in any major scandals, going out of their way to piss people off or otherwise acting nutty (and by all indications Palin seemed to have governed in a fairly lowkey style prior to getting the VP nod), most people are going to be fine with the job they’re doing. Everything has to be viewed in context. It’s easy to point at her popularity early in her term, before people suddenly became aware of the fact that she had no clue as to how to govern. She followed Frank Murkowski into office, a man who, after 26 years in the U.S. Senate, decided he would like “governor” on his resume. He failed miserably at it, and by the time his first term ended he had managed to achieve the dubious distinction of not only being the most despised governor in Alaska history, but also ranked 49th of 50 as worst governor in America. After that debacle (during which he appointed his daughter to his vacated seat), almost anybody would be a shining beacon of hope. It didn’t take long for the shine to tarnish, as we have seen. Palin was elected largely because she didn’t look like Janet Reno, and because she had handlers who played up her “maverick” nonsense. Otherwise, we would have seen a Democrat as governor. If she hadn’t quit to chase the gold, I’m quite certain that she either would not have run for a second term or would have been defeated in the primary because of the growing scandals and mismanagement of her office. McCain was her savior in that regard: she would have faded into obscurity almost immediately, otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/211 "2010-11-22T22:51:10Z")
> [@Merijeek](#): > > Thanks, Cat. > > Quick thread poll - who is more reality-challenged, Ralph or Susan? > > -Joe Me. To be honest, I must nominate myself. When they were first talking about Palin for VP, I thought “No way”. Then after she was actually picked, and failed, and the fiasco was over, I thought the republicans would surely push her aside to avoid any further embarassment. Wrong again, old man. Talk about reality challenged, eh **Joe**. Anyone who hasn’t delved into the T.E.A’s websight should. It’s unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![Ravenman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ravenman/32/2929_2.png) [@Ravenman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ravenman)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/212 "2010-11-22T22:55:26Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > Rank order: > > Reagan\>Palin\>Quayle\>fencepost You left off a couple things: Reagan\>Palin\> **StarvingArtist** \>fencepost\> **Susanann** I regret any offense that this list may cause to the fencepost ---
**Author:** ![Jas09](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d07c76/32.png) [@Jas09](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jas09)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 10:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/213 "2010-11-22T22:57:55Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Did Ulysses S. Grant have his own TV show? Huh? Did he? I dunno, but I’m pretty sure Mamie could have won Dancing with the Stars if not for that inner-ear problem. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 22, 2010, 11:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/214 "2010-11-22T23:05:12Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Did Ulysses S. Grant have his own TV show? Huh? Did he? Sure, he did. It was a detective show. _Appomannix_. ---
**Author:** ![Shayna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shayna/32/17976_2.png) [@Shayna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shayna)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/215 "2010-11-23T01:53:25Z")
> [@Susanann](#): > > I think you meant to say that “obama” was, is, a virtual unknown…didnt you? > [@Voyager](#): > > Not after the 2004 keynote, no. > > Better known than Richard Nixon in 1968? :rolleyes: You took the words right off my keyboard. > [@mangeorge](#): > > Why do you insist on spelling Obama’s name with a “little o”?😕 Oh that’s nothing. Surf around the web to other political forums and you’ll find his name spelled 0bama, Nobama, Obambi and Obamao amongst other insulting variations. ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/216 "2010-11-23T02:12:45Z")
> [@Shayna](#): > > You took the words right off my keyboard. Oh that’s nothing. Surf around the web to other political forums and you’ll find his name spelled 0bama, Nobama, Obambi and Obamao amongst other insulting variations. I know. I’m just calling her out on it. It gets tiresome after a while. Reminds me of those “little g” for God people. I’m an old school athiest, but I know better than that. Your posts are refreshing. Thank you. ---
**Author:** ![El\_Kabong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/el_kabong/32/496_2.png) [@El\_Kabong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/El_Kabong)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/217 "2010-11-23T02:33:33Z")
> [@Biffy\_the\_Elephant\_Shrew](#): > > Did Ulysses S. Grant have his own TV show? Huh? Did he? Well, no starring roles admittedly, but there were quite a few walk-ons on _Wild Wild West_… ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/218 "2010-11-23T02:46:57Z")
> [@El\_Kabong](#): > > Well, no starring roles admittedly, but there were quite a few walk-ons on _Wild Wild West_… There was an old weekly tv series where actors (accuratly) re-enacted historical events, such as debating over the Bill of Rights. My memory isn’t what it once was, but I do remember enjoying the show. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/219 "2010-11-23T02:52:21Z")
_The Simpsons_? ---
**Author:** ![mangeorge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d78d45/32.png) [@mangeorge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mangeorge)\ **Post date:** [November 23, 2010, 3:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453/220 "2010-11-23T03:04:43Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > _The Simpsons_? Nah, that’s not it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453.md?page=10) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-sarah-palin-dumber-than-ronald-reagan/561453.md?page=12)