When Sarah Palin was plucked from (blessed) obscurity up there in Alaska, her bio was confusing as to her educational background. She had a bachelor's degree in journalism, but it took her five different colleges to do it, some of which she attended only briefly. Anyway, it was less than a stellar educational record. But did it hurt or help her image? Probably for the groups she appeals to, it helped. You betcha! No pointy headed, academic, liberals in her orbit.
Now comes Christine O'Donnell, who seems even more challenged in providing her college background -- as well as more challenged with telling the simple truth. As of today, four colleges have disputed her claims to have studied in their programs.
First she claimed she graduated from Fairleigh Dickenson University in 1993. Seems she went through the graduation ceremony but did not get a diploma -- she says because of a dispute over tuition payments. The university later sued her for unpaid bills. She was subsequently allowed to take one additional required course and was awarded her bachelor's degree in the summer of 2010, well after her claims. OK -- maybe that's a gray area.
Then she claimed to have studied at Oxford University. Turns out that she took a summer course sponsored by the Phoenix Institute that merely rented space at Oxford, which had no educational connection with the course.
Then she claimed to have taken graduate courses at Princeton. Seems she once audited one undergraduate course there. And now the latest: Clairemont Graduate School? Not so. They have no record of her ever being a student. It was actually the conservative think tank Clairemont Institute, which has no connection with Clairemont University.
The big question: The group that Palin and O'Donnell most excite couldn't care less about formal education (or, if at all, it's a negative factor). So why go to these lengths to appear more educated than she obviously is?
Beyond that, there is the basic question of lying. Don't bet the farm on her defeat, though.
Ralph
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Unfortunately, you're right. Nothing matters to her base. No truth, lies, idiotic positions. We are in for a long dangerous haul in this country. Perhaps it's inevitable. These people are going to drive us all the way off the cliff.
ReplyDeleteHeck, I may have to get out there and campaign for Obama again.
richard