Mayor Michael Nutter apparently does not know what “anecdotal” means.  How does someone this ignorant get elected to govern a major northeastern city?  Draw your own conclusions.

The issue at hand was whether ObamaCare is proving beneficial to enrollees, provoking a lively (if exasperating) debate on "Meet the Press".  Mayor Nutter recounts some conversations he had with his constituents in Philadelphia who previously did not have insurance (and were therefore about to freeload on taxpayers by enrolling in heavily subsidized plans). 

National Review’s Richard Lowry, who is satisfyingly feisty on these shows, made a point to refer to Nutter’s account as “anecdotal,” which it obviously was. 

Nutter, apparently believing “anecdotal” to mean false, vigorously defended the veracity of his account, even though the veracity was not in question.  It was quite a pathetic spectacle.

Nutter explained: “Richard, I wished you’d been there with me yesterday… I walked up to people [who were about to enroll in ObamaCare] and asked them, ‘do you have insurance?’ And the answer was ‘no’ in many, many, many cases.  And these are individuals who are now getting affordable health insurance.”

“That’s a wonderful anecdote,” Lowry began.

A vexed Nutter shot back, “It’s not an anecdote, it’s real. It was yesterday afternoon…. I’m out there talking to real people on real streets in Philadelphia.”

Lord, what a fool.  How can Lowry have a debate with someone who doesn’t even have the vocabulary to engage in political discourse? The guy does not seem to understand the difference between his own personal experience and actual data.  So my sympathy goes out to Lowry for not losing it on air, as I almost did watching on television.  

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