[Bokababe]

The reason that Posner was so effective was that the American people equated "communism" with "Russian". We were equally Russophobic at the same time we were Communophobic. So it was easy for Posner to exploit that weakness, because once we let our guard down to his "just like us" manner as a Russian, the other defense against his communist propaganda dropped at the same time. If we had known the difference between the two, I don't think that Americans would have been vulnerable to someone like him.

I can recall Posner making some snide remark to Donahue about "the inequalities in the American system" and "the US not getting rid of slavery until 1865". Phil Donahue was nodding in agreement like some stupid bobblehead with no response. I was screaming at the TV-- "Hey Donahue, don't you bring up the fact that it wasn't until 1861 that Russia freed 50 million serfs? The US never had THAT many slaves, but Russia did!" Of course, Donahue didn't hear me -- and ignorance is bliss.

[Borges]

Not to mention the fact that the U.S. banned the slave trade in 1808 and it would have been earlier had not the Constitution forbidden any such ban till 1808.