Bush's Speech Fuels Support for War

Washington Post ^ | February 2, 2003 | Richard Morin and Claudia Dean

[DrDeb]

President Bush has reversed the downward drift in public support for war with Iraq despite widespread fears that the conflict would continue for many months and produce large numbers of U.S. casualties, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll.

After the president's State of the Union speech on Tuesday in which he laid out the case for a U.S.-led invasion, the survey found that 66 percent of Americans favor taking military action against Iraq, up from 57 percent two weeks ago and the most support for war since mid-September.

Slightly more than six in 10 Americans also approve of the way Bush is handling the situation in Iraq; two weeks ago, half the country endorsed the job that the president was doing. Bush's overall job approval rating stands at 62 percent, up slightly from mid-January.

And for the first time in Post-ABC News surveys, about half of all Americans say the United States should take military action even without the endorsement of the United Nations.

[DrDeb]

Great news!!

[NOTE: It will be interesting to see how Peter Jennings manages to spin this polling data!]

[NeonKnight]

Easy...PJ won't mention it.

[Servant of the Nine]

The Washington Post is getting on board.

They did this in Afghanistan and in the Gulf War. Once they decide that they can't arange our surrender they join the Americans. Sort of like the Axis of Weasel. Even the NY Times has laid the basis for turning their coats and will probably begin to cautiously support the war once the latest polling data is in and Colin Powell has spoken Wednesday.

So9

[areafiftyone]

widespread fears that the conflict would continue for many months and produce large numbers of U.S. casualties

And who gave fodder to these stupid fears - the liberal media, Hollywierd and the Peaceniks.

[Cicero]

Well, maybe they'll get on board, but they aren't there yet. Notice the way they subtly play on their readers' worst fears and undermine their own poll right in the middle of that lead sentence:

"President Bush has reversed the downward drift in public support for war with Iraq despite widespread fears that the conflict would continue for many months and produce large numbers of U.S. casualties, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll."

Still up to their old tricks.

[rogue yam]

despite widespread fears that the conflict would continue for many months and produce large numbers of U.S. casualties

What are they talking about? Is there really a "widespread" fear that a war with Iraq would last for "many" months? No way!

[Wphile]

Sure there is, just like the quagmire we were definitely going to end up in Afghanistan. It's all media driven and it's all ridiculous.

[TheExploited]

Petuh will be so unhappy