Geographical literacy

[Amy Z]

 B, Kentucky native, where we have
> Layfette (La FAY et)
> Versailles (Ver SAILS)
> Cairo, IL (CAY roe)
> Venna, IL (Vie ANN a)

Two years ago a Senate candidate in Vermont, who was viewed very 
suspiciously as a carpetbagger (he mostly lived in Massachusetts), was 
asked by a caller to an on-air interview to pronounce Vermont towns 
like Calais (callous--I know, that's how the English say it too)
and Charlotte (shar-LOT).  He lost the primary to an 80+ year old 
dairy farmer who'd become famous as the star of a locally-made movie 
about an 80+ year old dairy farmer who runs for Congress so as to get 
health insurance.  I'm not sure if the pronunciation quiz was the 
turning point, but it probably swayed a few voters.

;-)
Amy Z