Pew Poll: 42% of Americans Clinically Braindead

The good news from this poll is the Democrats are in deep trouble come November, as anti-incumbent sentiment is nearing record levels. That should be read as anti-Democrat since they control the entire federal government. But what strikes me in this story is they claim that 42% of those polled have not heard of the tea party movement.

Part of the anti-incumbent sentiment is reflected in the so-called "tea party" movement that has called for reduced government, lower taxes and generally libertarian or conservative principles. While it's a rallying cry for those frustrated Americans, a large plurality - 42 percent - said they have not heard of the movement or lack an opinion about it.

Now if you're that tiny fraction of the country that gets your news from CNN and MSNBC you surely have heard the thousands of childish references to "teabaggers" and other assorted snide insults. If you're part of the majority of folks that watch Fox News, you've probably seen fair and balanced coverage of the tea parties.

So how exactly is it that 42% of the public is so entirely clueless to current events? Are these the same people so completely out of touch that they make up for the most part the supposed 45% or so of the public that still approves of Obama?