They might spend most of their energy trying to disprove his reports but they's then have to work at it. They would have to rebut specific stories rather than just plop out, like their daily BM, whatever negative video they have on hand .
Yep, you are right.
The point is, Bush didn't really try nor his team. My close relative says the upper and lower brass in the military just don't get it. Why would you not try to salvage the war, why would you not tell the American public regularily what you are doing and why. It's not Rumsfeld who they are shaking their heads about but Bush and Rove.
We have to bring them along and to do that we have to realize that they are basically retards. You can't badger a retard into following you or preach to them with high-minded complex arguments. You need to show them your heart is good and then persuade them with basic common sense.
It's only after they come to see for themselves that "hey, dose liberals are mean and stupid" that you can start laying on the hard logic.