If you presume that there is a correlation between intelligence and rejection of conservative values you can't limit your sample to academia and the media. If you limit the poll to a certain level of intelligence you would find that the media and academia are horribly skewed. So, something is wrong.

What is wrong, IMO, is the ivory tower mentality that permeates both of those establishments. They are both supremely elitist and they see the message and dogma of the liberal/left/Democratic party as a better way to control the rabble. On the other hand the conservative/right/Republicans favor educating or limiting the electorate.

As you can see, I believe elitism is pervasive and is not necessarily a bad thing as long as there is upward mobility.

I see individuals have pet issues regardless of their politics, (I would spend far too much money on space), if you exclude blind idealism all the rest is just a matter of how you maintain control and what kind of world will result from that control. Personally, I fear that the liberal method of manipulating special interest groups will lead to an unpleasant and dangerous future.