While reading this piece, I was alarmed by the ignorance and apathy of the American electorate.

Reading the comments, I'm starting to be alarmed by the ignorance of some Salon readers.

Scotswoman and others: it may be take a class in basic statistics! If you're completely lost while reading a simple article like this, you aren't able to follow the news in a meaningful way. (Until you become statistically literate, it might be a good idea to curb the "new new math" snark.)

As Larry Craig would say: "jiminy gosh!"

Most Americans don't even know what GOP (Grand Old Party) means any more little less who be in it runnin' for Prez. What about the new CRAP (Christian Republican American Party) movement and what they stand for? The GOP needs a new logo/acronym, ala Black Water.

"If you're that uninformed about politics, you have no business casting a vote."

Your post reminded me that I have often been troubled by the fact that many people I know are able to name entire sports league team rosters but probably couldn't name five members of Congress. In fact, it wouldn't surprise me to discover that the percentage of Americans who only get interested in politics when it's the Presidential election was roughly equal to that of people who couldn't care less about football until Superbowl time comes around (or those who only consider buying a lottery ticket when the payoff is 100 million dollars or greater). Having said that, I wonder if some of that 41% includes people who are thrown off because the campaign season has begun so much sooner than it has in the past.

If we as radicals proclaim the earth is flat and the sky is green, then that's that.

The party breakdowns are here: http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=364.

As for the individual numbers not matching the totals -- they're not supposed to. To take one example: Fifty-nine percent of the Americans polled could name at least one Republican candidate, but lots of those people could apparently name more than one Republican candidate. But just because some people can name several Republican candidates, that doesn't change the fact that 41 percent of Americans couldn't name even one.

Oh, and Tom Tancredo? He hasn't dropped out, but only two percent of the poll's respondents were able to volunteer his name. Other seldom-mentioned contenders: Bill Richardson (7 percent), Joseph Biden (5 percent), Chris Dodd (2 percent), Mike Gravel (1 percent) and Duncan Hunter (1 percent). Sam Brownback was still in the race at the time the poll was taken; he was mentioned by 4 percent of the Americans surveyed.

but I think we Salon readers need to take a step back, take a deep breath, and think about the lifestyle of the average American. My mother, for example, has no idea what is going on in politics. Really - NONE. She doesn't know who Valerie Plame is, has vague name recognition if you say Karl Rove, and votes Republican because she is against abortion due to a mystical experience she had after a miscarriage. Oh yeah - also, she works three minimum-wage jobs so that she can pay her bills. I know this isn't the case for everyone, but how many of you are checking War Room at work? You think Wal-Mart greeters get to do that? You think when they come home from their shitty jobs they want to 'relax' with metapolitical bullshit? Heck, I do! But not everyone is like me. Not everyone is like you either. A lot of people don't have internet access except at the public library. If you want to represent regular folks, you need to know a little bit more about their lives first. The only politician who even comes close this time is Edwards. Too bad he is being ignored, even by many of the people he wants to protect.

Wow, this is something. Remember the Republican talking point that "Democrats are the party of negativity," but Republicans are "about something?" Turns out they're wrong! It seems the only thing the Republican Party is about right now is being against Hillary Clinton.

Republican voters know one thing: Hillary Clinton is running for president. And it's no wonder because she's all the Republican candidates can talk about it.

These numbers suggest to me that a lot of people in this country don't have the stomach for primary season and the endless, boring "talking points" and political posturing that has nothing to do, really, with the real issues we will face in the actual presidential election. Primaries put candidates in the unenviable position of appealing to the extremes of both parties sufficiently to get to the nomination, when they can refine their positions to run a national race, and they're all just trying to do that without creating totally wacko sound bites that will haunt them in the national race. The primary system brings out the worst in all candidates, and I think that a lot of people just tune out and don't pay attention.

If, after the primaries are over, and we have two candidates and their running mates identified, these same numbers hold, then God help us. But I believe by that time, the vast majority of Americans will know who is running. What is more interesting to me is whether the vast majority of Americans will know WHY they are voting for one or the other, aside from the habit of voting one's party.

Sadly, I think this has more to do with the American public than the lack of color in the Republican candidates. Remember, almost half of this country voted for Bush in the first place - and honey, just one look at THAT and I knew it wasn't a nice picture. There's really something deeply wrong with the American people; I just know in my heart Finland would never do this.

Recently I braved a political discussion with one of my totally non-political friends. She is a secretary, her husband is a cop. She told me she doesn't vote, because she doesn't get involved in "stuff like that", as though it's only about politics and just too icky to take up space in her life.

She said her husband always votes Republican. I asked why, and she said "because that's what he is, that's the way his father raised him." Did it matter who the candidate was? Nope. He just knew he was a Republican, the way you are a Baptist or a Methodist, and by golly, that's the way he was supposed to vote.

I have had two kids on three tours in Iraq. I am deeply involved in the horrors that are unfolding in this country as a result of this administration. And my friends really care about me. And yet, they don't care about who is perpetrating this train wreck. They just know what they know.

And that is...you vote Republican, boy. That's how so many people can't name a GOP candidate, and yet will surely vote for one. The ballot will help...after all, it's a multiple choice question. And no matter which one they choose...what's the difference. They're all their daddies Republicans.

Do the math all you want. We're dealing with people who don't do math, or any other kind of thought process. And they watch Fox because it does their thinking for them.