http://electioncentral.tpmcafe.com/blog/electioncentral/2007/apr/03/bush_asserts_again_that_public_opinion_is_with_him_on_iraqBush Asserts -- Again! -- That Public Opinion Is With Him On Iraq
By Greg Sargent | bio
Check out this line from President Bush's presser today:
He said:
The bottom line is this: Congress's failure to fund our troops on the front lines will mean that some of our military families could wait longer for their loved ones to return to the front lines. And others could see their loved ones headed back to the war earlier than they need to. That is unacceptable to me, and I believe it is unacceptable to the American people.
Let's put aside for a sec the more transparent ruse here -- that the Dems are failing to fund the troops, when in fact they passed a bill doing just that. Note that Bush is still asserting that the approach being used by the Congressional leadership -- that is, tying troop readiness standards and a withdrawal deadline to funding -- is "unacceptable" to the American people. Or at least that he "believes" (weasel word) that it's unacceptable to them.
The reality, however, is that if Bush vetoes Congress' bill, it will be Bush who is failing to fund the troops in line with what the American people want -- because the American people strongly support the Dem Congress' efforts to tie a withdrawal deadline to troop funding.
Gallup poll, March 26:
Would you favor or oppose Congress taking each of the following actions in regards to the war in Iraq? Requiring U.S. troops to meet strict readiness criteria before being deployed to Iraq: Favor 80%, Oppose 15% Setting a time-table for withdrawing all U.S. troops from Iraq no later than the fall of 2008: Favor 60%, Oppose 38%
Polls also show strong public support for the House and Senate bills, both of which tie such conditions to funding. Pew poll, March 26:
A solid majority of Americans say they want their congressional representative to support a bill calling for a withdrawal of U.S. forces from Iraq by August 2008. Nearly six-in-ten (59%) say they would like to see their representative vote for such legislation, compared with just 33% who want their representative to oppose it.
Newsweek poll, March 31:
This week the Senate joined the U.S. House of Representatives in passing legislation along party lines that included a "goal" for troop withdrawal by next March. A majority (57 percent) of Americans support the legislation.
This is the second time in under a week that Bush has suggested that public opinion is with him on Iraq. No one asked him at today's press conference why he keeps asserting this when it's entirely false -- which perhaps explains why he feels free to keep repeating it. Of course, he's also completely lost the argument with the American people on this point already. So maybe it doesn't matter if he keeps telling the same lie again...
...and again...
...and again...
...and...
...again...
...and...
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Pfft.