september the eleventh, two thousand and one

* longtime readers will remember that i've oft-wondered why the egadministration talking heads always say "september the eleventh, two thousand and one" - rather than some shorter-hand that everyone else uses (like 911) - and i've always presumed that it was a luntzian propaganda talking-point, although i couldnt for the life of me comprehend the reptilian-brain purpose.

Billmon has the answer - apparently it is an education campaign!

A Date That Will Not Live in Infamy

The bad news:

Some 30 percent of Americans cannot say in what year the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks against New York's World Trade Center and the Pentagon in Washington took place, according to a poll published in the Washington Post newspaper.

The good news:

While the country is preparing to commemorate the fifth anniversary of the attacks that claimed nearly 3,000 lives and shocked the world, 95 percent of Americans questioned in the poll were able to remember the month and the day of the attacks. (emphasis added)

So only 5% of all Americans (one in 20) were unable to remember that the 9/11 attacks happened on 9/11. Whew. That's a relief.

I dont really have much more to say on the matter (what could possibly be said?) - other than to ask:

1. who on earth thought of polling the americans about whether they knew when 91101 was?

2. will scooter libby's defense team be all of this with their memory defense.

3. (does number 2 answer number 1?)