Miss America/USA... Getting Dumber Over Time?

When I saw Miss California discuss gay marriage, I was not struck so much by her opinions as by how her answer lacked any sense of composition. She seemed to double back on herself: "The greatest thing about America is choice, especially when that choice is not being gay." What?

It seems like just the other day Miss Teen USA gave an eloquent discussion of the pressing educational need for maps.

This made me start to wonder, are we all getting dumber?

I looked at one or two question rounds from years past. It wasn't long until I found 1995's Miss Minnesota discuss Affirmative Action. (It's at 2:50).

Dr. Joyce Brothers: Do you think your career prospects would be affected if Affirmative Action were dismantled?
Miss Minnesota: Huh. ... Could you repeat the question?
Dr. Joyce: ...
Minnesota: (Confused look). Um... I think that if you stand strong in what you believe, you should use that in all aspects of your life, including your career. I know I do. Thank you.

Yeah, when Dr. Joyce says "Affirmative Action", I'm pretty sure she is not talking about the power of positive thinking.

Verdict: Pageant contestants aren't always the brightest diamonds in the tiara. I know, shocking.
--OR--
We are not getting dumber over time. We have always been this way, but now there's YouTube.