Donna Hughes, a/k/a . . .

[elleng]

'Well folks, we had Joe at the Ames Public Library today at noon and auditorium was so packed that you couldn’t wedga another person in there. they had to take down all of the tables with hand-outs and anything else they could find to make room. People were up around Joe in the front and sitting on the floor. Media people and cameras everywhere. It got so warm that we were all stewing in our juices, and Joe’s microphone refused to work so he had to speak loudly, but everyone was highly interested in those questions and answers. Nobody complained that ol’ Joe was talking too much either!

His mother even showed up, and Jill, and Ashley, and Naomi, so that there were four generations of “strong Biden women” standing behind him. When they finally forced him to get moving people wouldn’t let him out of the building. It must have taken at least half an hour before he could actually leave the building.'

http://blog.joebiden.com/?p=1639#comment-45509

[WheelWalker]

1. ellen,

that's just a super post. I am unable to grok the a/k/a, however.

You know, I've been thinking about your "quick question" as to the choices given pollees. I'm reminded of a class I took back in 1967, "Mass Manipulation." It occurs to me that not only do the media pollsters expect to shape the race by the choices offered and the questions phrased; but, unquestionably, the campaigns' pollsters intend to shape voters' opinions, not count them.

"The ability to predict is the ability to control." - Yodananda Samadhi

[elleng]

2. Idiot, you are correct, of course.

ARG for one explains how they do it, properly IMO:

'Question Wording:

If the 2008 Democratic presidential caucus were being held today between (names rotated) Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton, Christopher Dodd, John Edwards, Mike Gravel, Dennis Kucinich, Barack Obama, and Bill Richardson, for whom would you vote?

Would you say that you definitely plan to participate in the 2008 Democratic presidential caucus, that you might participate in the 2008 Democratic presidential caucus, or that you will probably not participate in the 2008 Democratic presidential caucus?'

As to mass manipulation, this has been cited:

'Here is why the major media, including the daily newspapers, has lost such credibility with the American people and in the case of insider print media, so many subscribers who moved their business to internet sites, including this one.

It is not only Biden. The insider political media is now embedded with, and morphed into, the insider political classes to the point where they part of the same beast.'

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/brent-budowsky/media-insiders-shaft-bide_b_78823.html

We could study P.R. and its origins if we'd like, but its MUCH TOO DEPRESSING!

As to a/k/a, I can't find her blog name; will let you know when I do. She's a regular.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

[WheelWalker]

3. Thank you, ellen,

for these insights.

As for studies, it is productive to remain academic. My life teaches that depression can be prevented by rejecting attachment, and that depression may be relieved by letting go. That having been learned, detached passion remains a generally unstable state which must be cultivated and nurtured.

May you, too, have a very happy year ahead, and may we make progress by doing no harm.