Haven't you seen the polls that say people think the media only points out the negative coming out of Iraq? I believe its something like 70 percent or other... Bush is gonna be just fine...
I agree, just like with Abu Graib - after 20+ days of constant "torture" spin - a backlash was ready to be had.
But while your point is true, the missing link here is that it takes acknowledgement of that fact from the president himself at the bully pulpit to translate some of that 70% you quote - into votes. Unless he himself makes the point, it doesn't gel. Bush almost went too far appeasing the media on the prison scandal - he stopped just short of dumping Rumsfeld (which would have been a disaster for him). Have you ever seen Bush mention the Berg beheading, even once? Just a simple statement like the one made by Zell Miller would be fine. This white house just expects these politcal victories to magically appear - they don't reach out and try to make it happen.
Bush is weak politically. Imagine for a moment if this Wilson grand jury case burst open and there was a criminal charge directly against Bush (this is all hypothetical of course, before anyone starts flaming me as a DUer). Do you think Bush is politically strong enough in the House and Senate to survive an impeachment scandal? Or would they march up to the WH like they did with Nixon and ask him to leave? Think about it, I think I know the answer, and I don't like it.