Scary poll results on Iraqi WMD, al Queda connections

[fsbooks]

These are excepted from this website:

http://pollingreport.com/iraq.htm

Newsweek Poll conducted by Princeton Survey Research Associates. July 24-25, 2003. N=1,002 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.




"Do you believe the Bush Administration purposely misled the public about evidence that Iraq had banned weapons in order to build support for war"
yes no Don't Know
7/24-25/03 39 56 5
7/10-11/03 38 53 9
5/29-30/03 36 57 7

"Do you think Iraq actually had banned chemical or biological weapons right before the Iraq War started in March, or not?"
Yes No Don'tKnow
% % %
7/24-25/03 71 20 9
7/10-11/03 69 18 13
5/29-30/03 72 17 11

"From what you've seen or heard in the news, do you believe that Saddam Hussein's regime in Iraq was harboring al Qaeda terrorists and helping them to develop chemical weapons, or not?"

7/24-25/03 72 17 11


Is this bizarre or what. Scary to me. This seems to indicate that all the news about the distortion of intelligence (to put things mildly) in mainstream media basically has had no effect on public misconception. No WMD? Do people believe in teleportation, or what? The 9/11 report ignoring Iraq as a factor had the same nil effect.

Other questions on the poll also seem to support this apparent (?! --forgive me, I am a scientist) massive ignorance at least on the part of the polling sample.

[antineocon1]

1. People do not want to feel they've been duped.

They'll vent at the polls by voting his sad ass out.

[Poiuyt]

5. Just ignorant

I don't think many people read the newspapers or watch the evening news, much less try to analyze it. The voters in this country are people who don't know or care about the facts.

[drdigi420]

2. media induced

ignorance as a religion

[Skip Intro]

7. This poll reflects the failure (success?) of the US "news" media

Its not about docile sheep - not entirely. The media has trumpeted the assertions of the lying, sniveling war party, completely blaspheming the honor and responsibility they have to question, and question again those thugs. What the hell is the point of having a free press if they exist in servitude to the massas in the WH?

This is the result of their, the media's, failure to protect the public interest - hell, to protect the human race, by acting as stenographers instead of reporters.

The public is not informed because the media sucks,

OR

The public is purposely misinformed.

[Wwagsthedog]

3. Iraq

The polls reflect a national sickness. What are Americans thinking?

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/3102823.stm

[ameriphile]

4. They're not. n/t

[jiacinto]

6. The Revenge Aspect

I hate to say this and I hope that I am very wrong, but I think a lot of people really could care less about the facts regarding Iraq. They see nothing but 9/11 and want raw revenge. I don't want to believe that that is the major reason but part of me thinks that way sometimes.

In times like these, as we have seen throughout the 2,000+ years of human civilization, issues like fact and truth often take the backseat to revenge.

[never cry wolf]

8. unfortunately

i think that you are on to something.

[diplomats]

10. I do think you make an excellent point

Maybe I'm looking at a silver lining here, but the second question about WMDs may not be as bad as it appears. Four in 10 of those polled do believe the Bush WH misled the nation about WMDs, so some of those who think Saddam had WMDS before the war probably don't believe he had that many. BTW, I still maintain that *'s primary weakness on Iraq is the quagmire we appear to be in now.

[avtho]

9. Facts and debate points wil never win it for us?

We must Ginrich them openly, folks like tough guys, they want winners I think we must hammer on them constantly. You know the "Cheap Labor Conservatives" constantly.

I think we must not telegraph all our moves, we must out guerilla them, hit them when they're not looking. Not have media pundits or out advisers telling everyone what the Dems should do. We don't have the same advantage in money, but we can maybe by chance fire up the real base and use the manpower on the phone banks. But not till close to the elections. SURPRISE is the element of winning.

And must all the Dems on tv always look so damn wimpy or so hippie. We have lots of tough guys, vets (probably way more than repubs) Even on this board the sympathy shows. Liberals are more touchy feely by nature and it shows and probably doesn't help us.

Coming from a red state where football is king, these folks cheer as loud when the score is 60 to 7, in our favor of course , when we are going for another. There is some bloodthirstyness, in them.

They respect POWER and mostly we don't give it to them. Win the damn election by hook or by crook, make them respect us. To hell with this politeness, etc.

[whoYaCallinAlib]

11. Middle America isn't paying attention . . . its summer!

Everybody is wrapped up in summer stuff. Wait till fall and winter. Their attention will be more sharply focused on Bush's dishonesty, etc.