Another game of gotcha! targeting one of those out-of-touch, fat-cat Republicans who don't know how ordinary people have to live:
But when asked about more mundane matters — like the price of some basic staples — Giuliani had trouble with a reporter's question.
"A gallon of milk is probably about a $1.50, a loaf of bread about a $1.25, $1.30," he said.
A check of the Web site for D'Agostino supermarket on Manhattan's Upper East Side showed a gallon of milk priced at $4.19 and a loaf of white bread at $2.99 to $3.39. In Montgomery, Ala., a gallon of milk goes for about $3.39 and bread is about $2.
Giuliani was closer to the mark on the price of a gallon of gasoline.
"Gas, I think, is $2.89," he said
I don't know what a loaf of bread or a gallon of milk costs, either, so there goes my political career, I guess. It's not because I'm rich or care so little about getting value. I shop about once a week and buy mostly the same things -- the tab is always about the same, except that it creeps predictably upward. I know what some individual items cost, but not others, and it seems pointless to pay attention any more than that. I do have a better grasp of the cost of gas, because it's the only thing I buy when I buy it, and that makes the price stand out -- same for books, shirts and so on.
The notion that presidential candidates should exhibit an understanding of the afflictions and challenges of ordinary life is preposterous. These people have been in the profession of politics all their lives, which means they left the common experience behind a long time ago, and now they're going for the hghest rung on the ladder. Ask them about national security and their understanding of federalism and whom they might appoint to the Supreme Court. If they did exhibit an uncommon knowledge of the price of groceries, I'd worry about them, and it's extremely frivolous to even ask the question.
Comments
I for one think the question is very appropriate and is just a small example of how out of touch these guy (and gals) are - both republican and democratic. They have absolutely no idea what the general public has to put up with in their daily lives. They might worry more about our retirement issues if they had to worry about their own - they might fix the health care system if they actually had to use it - and they might do something about the absolutely absurd tax system if they had to struggle to file their own taxes. As long as we hold them on a higher pedestal, they will continue to look down on us and not really give a damn about things that matter, ...
But I'm not bitter about it, ...
In Fort Wayne:
Bread at Scotts: 2/$1
(hamb. & hotdog rolls - $.89 per pkg.)
Milk: anywhere from $2.68 -$2.99 depending on which "percent" (watch for $1.99 /gal. or $.99 1/2 gal. sales at Walgreens)
Gas: Whenever I eat chili.....strike that... about $2.79 a gal for regular (+ or - $.10)
Ok Politicos...move aside...I'm taking over, 'cause I DO give a damn...!
;)
B.G.
Amen, Larry--the vast majority of us ARE part of the common experience and we are getting less important every day. If poiticos were more in touch with the needs of ordinary citizens, maybe our schools would be in better shape, maybe crime rates would be down, maybe we would have more secure jobs and futures. I guess climing higher on the political ladder is more important than those issues.
I keep saying the biggest problem with our politicians is that they are "professional" politicians. Term limits would be the best thing we could do - some say "but they wouldn't understand this or wouldn't understand that, ..." and I say they would adapt, we're all pretty smart people - at least they would be "closer" to the people they are supposed to represent, ...