I don't need semi-talented addict to tell me who she thinks is dumb. Was Whoopie dumb when Ted Danson showed up in black face at the Friars Club while he was sleeping with her? That's not racist? I guess when a liberal puts on black face and is dating a black woman, it's funny and not dumb.

Wasn't Campbell Brown the one who was complaining that MSNBC and Fox were biased and that she and CNN were the only ones practicing journalism. Hmm..calling Sarah Palin dumb is not practicing journalism...it is called showing your bias . A journalist would have asked Whoopie for examples.

I think Whoopi is really right about playing dumb.

I think it is a common form bullying, that people play dumb when they are setting up barriers, taking over a person's space, pretending that they don't see them, or pretending for example Obama is not really American, or Professor Gates was not really in his home, and then his tone justified his arrest, that kind of thing, or that SEC didn't have some kind of duty to the public to verify that accountants that are auditing are registered. It goes on and on. I think in small town/rural areas, that playing dumb, keeps people out of the in crowd and jobs, I think whoopi hit the nail right on the right. Because the refusal to give basic directions to people, or name streets, or respecting people's basic right to privacy while being served all these are part of playing dumb. Or blocking the driveway of a shop so the other shop selling similar product has an open driveway, they play dumb and bring suck into a silly argument. I find it hard to believe that anyone who is governor of any State, could be as stupid Palin makes out to be. It is like she is talking down to children or she holding back information. Obama talks to people as if they are adults but I don't totally trust him either.

I meant: they play dumb and suck you into a silly argument as you clarify. It is really draining. That playing dumb is used when assessing a person's content of character too cause pretend they can't see beyond the skin colour, so they stare and glare. People who have that happened to them, know exactly what Whoopy is talking about.

I think playing dumb happens to people with accents. I really think that playing dumb feels like you are being bullied, made fun of, and then you are drawn into having to explain.

And then Palin quiting. It was really lucky she didn't win vice president. Cause we really don't know her, and I think that playing dumb creates a barrier. I think Bush did the same thing. Just sitting there looking dumb during 9/11.

That is the first thing I liked about Obama, when the economic crisis was showing itself to the mainstream media, McCain appeared to make a decision to cancel the debate, at a time when people really need to debate and discuss options, and what ifs. I think that is when he started to lose public favour, and then Palin appeared to play even more dumb, with the clothes shopping, price tags, I think it is the passive, aggressive thing. I don't think it is just her looks. She is nice looking, a lot of people are, but they are nice about it.

I think Whoopi has got it totally wrong. Palin IS dumb. No one imitating dumbness could be that consistent. Moreover, Palin's word-salad speeches leave us breathless, waiting for meaning.

No way is she smart, playing dumb. You only have to see how she looks like a deer in the headlights when trying to bluff Charlie Gibson on the Bush Doctrine. That is one scared maverick. And her governance record leaves one convinced that she doesn't understand finance, economics or hiring!

This is the nicest way to actually call Palin dumb. It's almost brilliant.

Look at Sarah Palin, she may have had a good reason for quitting, but she could have shown more respect for her position, and to the public. Her position was given to her in trust, the public trust gave her that power to represent them.

What protects the public from any public figure if there isn't some kind of fiduciary duty obligation to the public, and a way of detecting and preventing unethical behaviour, beyond just complaining about it.

How many people complained about Madoff and nothing was done, until he told his sons, as the story goes. How can you trust a word Madoff says now, and sadly any Madoff.

The same thing with politicians. How many politicians do you really trust?

In Palin's case people can say, people are mean to her cause she is cute, instead of looking at the process, and the outcome, and the seriousness of her position, and the duty to give the public enough information not just to know what was going on, but to feel confident in the process, instead of playing dumb the way she appeared to do.

She couldn't have been that dumb to get that far. And probably SEC is not that stupid either.

People have the right to fear people who have power over them, if there is nothing that protects them from the abuse of that power.

The real question is, do we have the voice to protect ourselves from abusive government? In Alaska's case, they in a way have lost their representative which they had elected, in good faith. Without much of a reason. Is this going to be a new trend?

I think anybody who deals with rural politics knows exactly what Whoopy is talking about.

Playing dumb is everywhere. You can be a member of a credit union for twenty odd years, and if they don't like the look of you, they will say they don't know you, instead of looking in the computer or asking for ID or something. Or they will private information out loud, like bank balances. It is just an incredible lack of respect. Another one is blocking driveways of shops.

You think it is just professor Gates who has to convince someone who appears to be playing dumb who he is, that it his home, and he has rights to privacy. This kind of stuff happens all the time.

Here there was a video of three white men physically attacking one lone black man. The men said they were just doing it to get him mad. Exactly why they probably do it. Anyway thank God put that video on utube.

If a person puts no effort in gathering information, or retrieving information, or connecting, they will be dumb, but by choice. They have intellectual capital, because they did not build it. By choice.

It is a very rural tactic, I think, that separates insiders from outsiders.

Sort of like the secretive service clubs that seem to run so many things.

Palin does not share information in her speeches, and in the end you feel stupid. I think that is the way she might actually get elected, in rural areas maybe, as vice president, of a country like the USA, an industrial society, I think people were really alarmed and should have been.

In my town the ex mayor that lost the election, was going on about homelessness, and then it appeared she didn't realize that tenants in an old hotels where not having their tenancy rights respected they were going to become homeless next. They gave no information, she didn't ask for any. The venture company went by a number.

The lack of respect correlates with effort. Palin quit just like that, no real reason given.

People might think there is nothing wrong with that, if they don't believe public figures have any fiduciary duty, or any special duty at all, to the public.

They might see themselves as just decoration. You just wave in a parade when you go by and look beautiful. That seems to be fine in small towns.

I bet in the case of the three men, that physically attacked the lone black man, playing dumb may get them off from comitting a hate crime.

But what is hate. These men wanted him to get mad, so he would get himself into trouble. It is manipulative.

In Palin's case, people were mad at her, because she acted like a small town hick, but I would think it is part of an act, or she wouldn't have gotten that far. If there was ever an oil spill, or something, Palin could go oh golly gee, I didn't know that was going to happen, instead of have intelligent discussion on controls to manage the risk of having oil spills.

I think it is the new trend, selfish dumbed down people, making decisions behind closed doors, creating a huge gap between poor and wealthy.

People are not mad at Palin cause she is cute. That might be the only real reason they have to like her.

Whoopi poopi....

the perfect scenario would be for paula abdul and sarah palin to exchange seats.

"And then Palin quiting."

She quit because frivolous ethics complaints (for all of which she was acquitted) and FOIA requests, waged by partisan activists, put her half a million dollars in debt and made it impossible to do her job. Everyone in the Alaskan government administration backs this position and applauded her decision. So the more you repeat it, the dumber you look.

"It was really lucky she didn't win vice president. Cause we really don't know her"

Yeah, it was much better to trash her without knowing her, and elect a guy about whom you knew even less, who had even fewer qualifications, to the office of the President.

Every time one of you left-wing jackals tries to justify your irrational Palinophobia you just make yourselves look ridiculous.

I kept on waiting to hear something about Palin's policies that cause Whoppi to dislike her. This is my problem with the left! If you're going to scrutinize a politician, have your facts! Not personal stabs at her personality, looks or family. When you ask people on the right why they don't like Obama, you best believe we have a laundry list of his political history. I have yet to hear one of Palin's opposers to define their distate with political issues. And I'm sorry but the fatc that Obama was brought to us as the first African American President was CONDESCENDING to me as a black woman. They presented this inexperienced man with my shade of skin color and told me he was THE ONE. The left chose a man who has LESS experience that Sarah Palin and told me that he was somehow above her because he went to Harvard. He was a filithy Community Organizer, equivalent to a shady boy scout and that's who the left told me I should worship because he's black. I don't want to hear the Russia joke anymore, I don't want to hear about how cute she is. If you hate her-back it up! Otherwise, she'll be back in your face in 2012. Now's your shot. Want to be rid of Palin? Articulate REAL reasons why you oppose her. I do find it hilarious that so many of you call her stupid but yet she WARNED YOU AND THE OBAMA ADMINISTRATION that his economic policies would kill jobs and drive us in a ditch. She said this in October 2008. Yeah she's the stupid one. Enjoy your middle class tax hike, which Palin also warned you of.