Still Another Poll.

From the NYT's, screw the rest, let's focus on this:

Only 26 percent approved of Mr. Bush’s handling of Iraq and of foreign policy generally, while only one in four Americans think the country is generally on the right track.

Politically speaking, the poll indicated that Americans favored a flexible approach to Iraq as opposed to unbending positions.

That could prove significant in this month’s debate in Washington and in next year’s presidential election. A vast majority, 94 percent, said that sharing a candidate’s view on the war was important or very important.

And 71 percent said that flexibility in deciding on a withdrawal was more important than demanding either an unqualified victory (Mr. Bush’s position) or an immediate withdrawal (that of much of the antiwar Democratic base).

Over the summer, perhaps with such sentiment in mind, Democratic candidates and lawmakers in Congress have softened their demands for a hard and fast schedule for pulling out.



Er, what is there to do here but call bullshit? No one I know sat around this summer saying that they wished that the Dem congress they worked hard to get elected/re-elected to office would lighen up on the occupation of Iraq, and be more flexible in working with the repub warmongers. No one I know said "Gee, we've got the majority in congress, but there's just nothing we can do about Bush and his war, so what's the big deal with a firm date for troop withdrawal. Afterall, it's just another number..."

Was the group in this poll spirited away to Guantanamo in preparation for these questions? Injected with several IV's worth of 'Teh Surge is Awesome' Kool-Aid? Forced to watch Michelle Malkin and Pamela-what's-her-name on youtube videos for hours on end? Strapped into armchairs next to Bill Kristol whilst he prattled on, and on, and on...or horror of horrors -- dinners with Tucker Carlson? Any of these alone could push the sanest of persons over the edge, but in combination with any number of things, perhaps forced photo-ops with the confused POTUS?

Or, did congress spend vacation with the media? They came out talking all 'flexible' from the get-go. Curious, that.

-Diane