(long)In Spite of Media, Widespread Belief in WMD and Iraqi Links to Al Qaeda Unchanged

In Spite of Media Coverage, Widespread Belief in Weapons of Mass Destruction and Iraqi Links to Al Qaeda Remain Virtually Unchanged Wednesday April 21, 11:44 am ET

ROCHESTER, N.Y., April 21 /PRNewswire/ -- A new Harris Poll finds that public perceptions of the facts that led up to the invasion of Iraq remain almost unchanged in spite of a barrage of media reports that might have changed them. For example: -- A 51% to 38% majority continues to believe that "Iraq actually had weapons of mass destruction," virtually unchanged since February.

-- A 49% to 36% plurality of all adults continues to believe that "clear evidence that Iraq was supporting Al Qaeda has been found." These numbers have scarcely changed since June 2003.

-- A 51% to 43% plurality continues to believe that "intelligence given before the war to President Bush by the CIA and others about Iraqi's weapons of mass destruction" was "completely" or "somewhat" accurate. In February a 50% to 45% plurality believed this.

-- While a 43% plurality believes that the "U.S. government deliberately exaggerated the reports of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq to increase support for war," a 50% plurality (also virtually unchanged over the last eight months) continues to believe that the government "tried to present the information accurately."

These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 979 adults surveyed by telephone by Harris Interactive® between April 8 and 15, 2004.

Only one of the eight questions asked in this survey on Iraq found any significant change over the last two months. Those who believe that it is "very likely" that the U.S. will get "bogged down for a long time in Iraq and not be able to create a stable government there" have increased from 37% in February to 45% now. However this has had no significant impact on the number of people who "favor keeping a large number of U.S. troops there until there is a stable government " (42%) or those who favor "bringing most of our troops home in the next year" (51%).

The remarkable stability of these numbers suggest that people have made up their minds on many of the key issues relating to weapons of mass destruction and links to Al Qaeda, and that it would take something very big to change them. It seems that people believe media reports which fit with their opinions and reject those which do not. The balance on several of the key questions is tilted roughly 50% to 40% in favor of the administration.

If President Bush continues to enjoy this modest but significant advantage between now and November, it will be difficult for Senator Kerry and the Democrats to use these issues against him in the election campaign. If, on the other hand, a substantial majority of the public comes to believe that there were no weapons of mass destruction, or links to Al Qaeda, or that President Bush exaggerated the evidence to increase support for the invasion, the result could be disastrous for him.

BRINGING MOST HOME IN NEXT YEAR "Do you favor keeping a large number of U.S. troops in Iraq until there is a stable government there OR bringing most of our troops home in the next year?"

2003 2004 Oct. Feb. April % % % Favor keeping a large number of U.S. troops in Iraq until there is a stable government there 46 45 42 Favor bringing most of our troops home in the next year 47 51 51 Not sure/Refused 7 4 8

TABLE 2 HOW LIKELY U.S. WILL GET BOGGED DOWN FOR A LONG TIME "How likely do you think it is that the U.S. will get bogged down for a long time in Iraq and not be able to create a stable government there? Would you say that is ...?" Base: All Adults

2003 2004 October December February April % % % % Very likely 42 39 37 45 Somewhat likely 32 30 36 29 Not very likely 14 22 16 13 Not at all likely 7 5 7 8 Not sure/Refused 5 4 5 5

TABLE 3 WERE U.S. GOVERNMENT'S STATEMENTS ABOUT IRAQ, TERRORISTS AND WEAPONS ACCURATE OR INACCURATE? "Do you believe that what we were told by the government before the Iraq war about Iraq's weapons of mass destruction and Iraq's links to Al Qaeda, the terrorist organization, was generally accurate or misleading?" Base: All Adults

2003 2004 June August October December February April % % % % % % Generally accurate 55 47 44 45 40 40 Misleading 36 45 50 47 53 51 Not sure/Refused 10 8 6 8 6 9

TABLE 4 BELIEVE CLEAR EVIDENCE OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION FOUND IN IRAQ OR NOT? "Do you believe that clear evidence of weapons of mass destruction has been found in Iraq, or not? Base: All Adults

2003 2004 June August October February April % % % % % Clear evidence found 35 27 30 18 19 No clear evidence found 55 63 63 75 74 Not sure/Refused 10 10 7 6 7

TABLE 5 BELIEVE IRAQ HAD WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION WHEN WAR BEGAN? "Do you believe Iraq actually had weapons of mass destruction when the war began or not?" Base: All Adults

2003 2004 June August October February April % % % % % Believe Iraq had them 69 67 60 51 51 Do not believe 21 23 29 40 38 Not sure/Refused 10 10 11 9 11

TABLE 6 BELIEVE CLEAR EVIDENCE OF IRAQI SUPPORT OF AL QAEDA HAS BEEN FOUND OR NOT? "Do you believe clear evidence that Iraq was supporting Al Qaeda has been found in Iraq or not?" Base: All Adults

2003 2004 June August October February April % % % % % Clear evidence found 48 50 49 47 49 No clear evidence 33 35 38 38 36 Not sure/Refused 19 14 12 15 15

TABLE 7 BELIEVE CIA INTELLIGENCE GIVEN BEFORE WAR ACCURATE/MISLEADING? "Do you believe that intelligence given before the war to President Bush by the CIA and others about Iraqi's weapons of mass destruction was completely accurate, somewhat accurate, somewhat misleading, or very misleading?" Base: All Adults

February April Total Total % % Completely accurate 6 5 Somewhat accurate 44 46 Somewhat misleading 29 28 Very misleading 16 15 Not sure 5 5 Refused 1 *

TABLE 8 BELIEVE U.S. GOVERNMENT DELIBERATELY EXAGGERATED/ACCURATELY PRESENTED REPORTS

OF WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION? "Do you believe that the U.S. government deliberately exaggerated the reports of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq in order to increase support for war,

2003 2004 June August October December February April % % % % % % Tried to present accurately 56 53 49 50 51 50 Deliberately exaggerated 37 40 41 45 43 43 Not sure/Refused 8 7 9 5 5 7

The Harris Poll® was conducted by telephone within the United States between April 8 and 15, 2004 among a nationwide cross section of 979 adults (ages 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults, number of voice/telephone lines in the household, region and size of place were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.

In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95 percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of 13 percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these factors.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

Harris Interactive (www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide market research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll®, and for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, Harris Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international research from its U.S. offices and through wholly owned subsidiaries-London-based HI Europe (www.hieurope.com), Paris-based Novatris and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan-as well as through the Harris Interactive Global Network of independent market- and opinion-research firms. EOE M/F/D/V

To become a member of the Harris Poll Online(SM) and be invited to participate in future online surveys, visit www.harrispollonline.com.

Press Contact: Nancy Wong Harris Interactive 585-214-7316 nwong@harrisinteractive.com

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Source: Harris Interactive

As even my liberal fiends (friends) have admitted - Saddam had WMD. Everyone - including Clinton, Kofi, Chirac, Carter, and Bozo the Clown knew that. Blix knew. The UN demanded that they be destroyed with proof. Saddam gave the UN the finger. Whether he secretly destroyed them or buried them like the Migs or trucked them to Syria it matters not.

He did not give proof of their destruction - this in a country where you can get 100% participation in elections and detailed accounting of every torture and murder in political prisons. Like the nazi's they were creepily detailed in their documentation. The UN balked and would not enforce it's own dictates, relegating itself to history as a failed organization at least as far as helping to protect the world from danger. The U.S. and a handful of good nations enforced the UN demands. Most people understand this. And if WMD are ever found it will just reinforce this. And if not, thugs like Saddam will at least think twice about bluffing.

OR maybe they believe the President and access the internet to find the story behind the Dimrat propaganda show that some call media reports.

We understand that the big newsmedia outlets ared owned by corporations; they are no longer a "free press". But through the internet we are finally able to access unfiltered news - through radio and tv, we get confirmation that unfiltered news. The rest we can research and evaluate amongst ourselves.

We have met the new newspundits - and they are us...

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.