And You Can Quote Me On That

Last night, members of the Media Research Center met in Washington D.C. to hand out their annual DisHonors Awards. They are given to members of our media (probably always in absentia) for some of the kooky things they say. Quote of the year went to Ted Turner for what he said about North Korea during an exchange with CNN's Wolf Blitzer. I won't even set up the quote - here it is:

Ted Turner: "I am absolutely convinced that the North Koreans are absolutely sincere. There’s really no reason for them to cheat [on nukes]....I looked them right in the eyes. And they looked like they meant the truth. I mean, you know, just because somebody’s done something wrong in the past doesn’t mean they can’t do right in the future or the present. That happens all the, all the time."
Wolf Blitzer: "But this is one of the most despotic regimes and Kim Jong-Il is one of the worst men on Earth. Isn’t that a fair assessment?"
Turner: "Well, I didn’t get to meet him, but he didn’t look — in the pictures that I’ve seen of him on CNN, he didn’t look too much different than most other people I’ve met."
Blitzer: "But, look at the way, look at the way he’s, look at the way he’s treating his own people."
Turner: "Well, hey, listen. I saw a lot of people over there. They were thin and they were riding bicycles instead of driving in cars, but–"
Blitzer: "A lot of those people are starving."
Turner: "I didn’t see any, I didn’t see any brutality...."

— Exchange on CNN’s The Situation Room, September 19, 2005

How could a man that stupid have actually created the business fortunes he did? I guess there really are different kinds of smarts, because when it comes to foreign affairs and policy, Ted Turner is quite the dim bulb.

Good Day to You, Sir