BBHQ: The Election 2004 Quiz

This week’s story: The Ted Koppel Commencement Speech

The BBHQ Election 2004 Quiz

A Very Special Feature of Baby Boomer HeadQuarters: WWW.BBHQ.COM

WARNING: This essay is rated P - for Political content. Some material may be too intense for some readers. Discretion is advised. If you are not up for a serious discussion on the issues of the day, there are over 300 other pages at BBHQ with nothing but fun and nostalgia; please wander around elsewhere at BBHQ. Our recommended alternative essay this week is "Just Shoot Me."

Whew! We have been following presidential elections since 1960. Never in our recollection has there been so much disinformation, distortion and misrepresentation. Oh, it has been there before, but not perpetuated and enouraged and instigated by the mainstream press.

According to polls taken in 2004, nearly 65 percent of the public is not aware that Congress passed a low banning partial-birth abortion. Seventy percent is unaware that a massive drug benefit has been added to the Medicare program. At least 58 percent say they have heard "nothing" or "not much" about the Patriot Act, notwithstanding the enormous amount of coverage the controversial law has drawn. In 1996, The Washington Post reported that 67 percent of Americans could not name their congressman, and 94 percent had no idea that William Rehnquist was the chief justice of the Supreme Court. Only 26 percent knew the length of a term of a U.S. senator, and 73 percent didn't know that the federal government spends more on Medicare than on foreign aid. In January 2000 the Gallup organization found that while 66 percent of the public could name the host of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire?" only six percent knew the name of the speaker of the House. In 2003, a survey found that 58 percent of Americans could not name a single federal cabinet department.

Appalling, isn't it?

So, we prepared the BBHQ Election 2004 Quiz to spurn curiosity and clear the air about many of the muddy issues related to the presidential election. This quiz addresses important issues that the mainstream press has, for the most part, chosen to ignore.

OK, the 2004 election is now over, so you might consider the issues raised here to be irrelevant. Perhaps so; or perhaps there is something significant to be gained by looking at these issues knowing the result of the election.

If, on the other hand, you are looking for a less timely, more general civics-related quiz, you might prefer to take the BBHQ Great American Civics Quiz.

However, you may not copy this and post it on your site or send it to any other other site. This quiz is copyrighted; it is not in the public domain! Do not attempt to e-mail this to your friends; send them to WWW.BBHQ.COM.

Answer as many questions as you can. Then click the "Grade me" button, and we'll tell you how you did, show you the answers, and compare your score to others.

We'll give you a chance, when you're done, to send this quiz to anyone with an e-mail address.

OK, roll up your sleeves; let's go to work:

1. Vietnam, Vietnam, Vietnam.... gees, I thought we were over that. Which presidential candidate brought up the Vietnam war as an issue for the campaign? Bush Kerry Nader

2. Who said, "We do not need to divide America over who served and how. I have personally always believed that many served in many different ways." Bush Kerry Nader

3. Which political party challenged the other party's candidate's patriotism? Democratic Republican

4. Which party challenged the other party's candidate's military service? Democratic Republican

5. Which candidate said, of his opponents, "These guys are the most crooked, lying group I've ever seen." (campaign appearance, March 10, 2004). Bush Kerry Nader

6. Which candidate said, of his opponent's organization, "I didn't know they'd f*** it up so badly"? Bush Kerry Nader

7. Which candidate claimed that thousands of American soldiers had committed atrocities in Vietnam? Bush Kerry Nader

8. A member of which political party called the VP candidate of the other party a "coward." Democratic Republican

9. Opponents of George Bush produced "Fahrenheit 911." Opponents of John Kerry produced a series of TV ads and a book claiming that John Kerry is "unfit for command." Which candidate's campaign took steps to stop the distribution of the material? Bush Kerry Nader

10. A. Karl Rove, President Bush's political guru, suggested that we should investigate Michael Moore (creator of "Fahrenheit 911").
B. Democratic strategist Donna Brazile said that the Swift boat veterans against John Kerry should be examined.
Only one of those statements is true. Which one is it, A B ?

11. What politician said, of an opponent on the other side, "He betrayed the country! He played on our fears!" (last name only)

12. Which candidate promised to have U.S. troops out of Iraq in 6 months... and then changed his estimate to 4 years? Bush Kerry Nader

13. Which candidate said, "I'd see myself first of all as a jobs president, as a health care president, as an education president and also an environmental president. And add them all together, you can't be safe at home today unless you are also safe abroad." Bush Kerry Nader

14. Which candidate said, on "Meet the Press," that he had released all of his military records and that they were available on his web site, when in fact he has not signed the standard form that would allow the military to release his complete records? Bush Kerry Nader

15. Which candidate has called for U.S. energy independence, ("I want an America that relies on its own ingenuity and innovation") yet opposes drilling for oil and gas in northern Alaska, opposes off-shore drilling, and opposes nuclear power? Bush Kerry Nader

16. Which candidate admitted to having committed war crimes? Bush Kerry Nader

17. Which candidate said he is "fascinated by rap and hip-hop"? Bush Kerry Nader

18. There has been a lot of attention on "527" groups - special interest political groups not officially associated with any party or candidate. Essentially, these have become anti-Bush and anti-Kerry groups. Which side has spent more money than the other, the Anti-Bush or the Anti-Kerry ?

19. Which candidate, when given a semi-automatic rifle as a gift, said, "I thank you for the gift, but I can't take it to the debate with me." (Racine, West Virginia, Labor Day.) Bush Kerry Nader

20. Which party is working hard to keep Ralph Nader's name OFF of the ballot in as many states as possible? Democratic Republican

21. Unemployment: The current unemployment rate is higher than it was in 1996, when Bill Clinton was re-elected. True or False

22. Education spending: Is the federal government now spending more or less on education that it was in 2000?

23. Stem cell research: There is currently a federal ban on stem cell research. True or False

24. The draft: Suddenly, a resumption of the military draft is an issue. Members of which party have sponsored legislation to re-institute the military draft? Democratic Republican

25. Which candidate called Israel's erection of a wall between Israeli and Palestinian areas "another barrier to peace," and yet claimed that he supported "Israel's security fence to stop terrorists from entering Israel," saying that, the security fence is a "legitimate act of self-defense"? Bush Kerry Nader

26. Halliburton, Halliburton, Halliburton!! The president of which party set a precedent by awarding Halliburton a "no bid" contract? Democratic Republican

27. Which candidate said, of his country, "We are more guilty than any other body of violations of the Geneva Conventions"? Bush Kerry Nader

Finally.... any comments for the good of the order? Tell us what you think of our election quiz. (Include your e-mail address if you want a response from us.)