If you think that because Bush got a higher percentage of the popular vote that the people like him more than Clinton I would have to say you are dead wrong.
In the 1996 election there was an actual decent independent who trhew down a lot of money to get his name out there.
No the population in general is ignorant. Both sides got a ton of votes from people who didn't know why they were voting for their candidate. I am at college, and I can't tell you how many people I have talked to and asked why they chose to vote for who they did and they tell me because their parents told them to. I then ask them if they know where either candidate stands on various issues and they don't.
I do wonder what percent of the population is ignorant though. It has to be pretty damn high, becuase all we get from the media are 20 second soundbytes, and you know we can't believe either campaigns ads.