Partisan War, Partisan Positions
Last week General Patraeus gave his report before Congress, and Thursday night Bush gave his speech on prime time television to generate public support for the surge and forward the notion that it was so successful we can now start rotating troops home on a scale that was pretty much already going to happen anyway.A Pew Foundation report illustrating public reaction to the events of the week should surprise no one.
Regarding the Patraeus report, did it make one more optimistic about the war?
------------------------------All--------Republican---------Democrat--------Independent
More optimistic----------16 %-----------31 %---------------7 %-------------------11 %
Less optimistic-----------12 %-----------7 %----------------17 %------------------11 %
No change-----------------67 %----------57 %---------------71 %------------------74 %
Don't know------------------5 %-----------5 %------------------3 %-------------------4 %
When participants were asked if they had heard or read about the Patraeus report:
Patraeus--------Everyone-------Republican------Democrat---------Independent
A lot-------------------24--------------27-----------------24----------------------23
A Little----------------44--------------45-----------------45----------------------43
Nothing At All-------29--------------27-----------------29----------------------32
Don't Know-------------2--------------1--------------------2-----------------------2
When asked if they had heard or read about Bush's speech:
Bush--------------Everyone---------Republican-------Democrat-------Independent
A lot----------------------16---------------20------------------13----------------------18
A Little-------------------28---------------34------------------26----------------------36
Nothing At All----------55---------------49------------------59----------------------56
Don't Know----------------1----------------1--------------------2-----------------------*
The CBS Poll shows the results of the week causing more harm than good, with approval of Bush's handling of the war slipping from 26% to 25%, i.e. as before, the one fourth with him, the three fourths against, a number I posted weeks ago. Regarding the surge, do people think it is making the situation in Iraq better? Before the speech, 35%. After the speech, 31%.
Now, given that over half the country has neither heard nor read a thing about Bush's speech, I doubt the speech itself mattered. Most have stopped listening.
The people of the United States are annoyed with the Democrats in Congress. With the Republicans in Congress, they smell blood.
posted by x4mr at 12:13 AM
3 Comments:
It really is that simple. Bush does not listen to us, so to hell with what he has to say. This administration has zero credibility, along with anyone even remotely associated with it.
I agree with Dustin on the administration's credibility. Looking at the independent numbers should have the republicans trembling. You just know the independents are going to vote democrat in 2008.
x4mr has it nailed. 25% are like the spell bound kids blindly following the pied piper off the cliff. Another 25% (or more) and adamant and livid and despise Bush. Those in the middle are just sick of it, sick of him, and want it to be over.
They are the 55% that didn't hear about it or even read about it. Wow. He has lost everyone he can possibly lose.
pretty much doc. He might have had better support if he weren't prancing about acting like he has a mandate. I just wish we had better democrats, I feel like I'm forced to choose the lesser of two evils. Nobody in the running at the moment is very inspiring to me.
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