the answer should be "it doesn't matter." this is similar to an example I give my research students of what I call the WGAS ("who-gives-a-shit") issue about the questions media outlets often use to fill up space, as if people's opinions about them mattered. cnn asked back in 2003 "is osama bin laden hiding in afghanistan?" is this how the cia does intel? if enough people say "yes" and he isn't, does that mean he has to go there?
it's usually a funny thing but it can get ugly. one question one of the twin cities' fox tv affiliates asked before dru sjodin's body was found was "do you think dru sjodin is alive or dead?" that's just plain thoughtless. what's sadder than the large number of self-professed republicans who claim obama is muslim is that someone at the pew forum thought the question needed to be asked.
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