Mar 28 2007
Polls Moving On Iraq, Dems In Trouble
I am seeing some major changes in polls on Iraq, and one huge disaster looming for the Dems. First some poll numbers:
“In view of the developments since we first sent our troops to Iraq, do you think the United States made a mistake in sending troops to Iraq, or not?”
3/23-25/07
Mistake: 56
Not Mistake:43
Difference: 133/2-4/07
Mistake: 59
Not Mistake: 39
Difference: 20…
“Do you think the U.S. made the right decision or the wrong decision in using military force against Iraq?”
3/21-25/07
Right: 43
Wrong: 49
Difference: 62/7-11/07
Right: 40
Wrong: 54
Difference: 14
Now for the Democrats’ looming PR disaster with Bush:
“Denying the funding needed to send any additional U.S. troops to Iraq”
3/23-25/07
Favor: 36
Oppose: 61
Difference: 272/9-11/07
Favor: 40
Oppose: 58
Difference: 18
America’s patience with Democrats is clearly waning fast. And as the public’s view of Congress sinks, its view of the military is growing:
“How well is the U.S. military effort in Iraq going . . . ?”
3/21-25/07
Well – Fairly Well: 10 + 30 = 40
Not too Well – Not Well: 32 + 24 = 56
Difference: 16
2/7-11/07
Well – Fairly Well: 5 + 25 = 30
Not too Well – Not Well: : 38 + 29 = 68
Difference: 38
All the polls are showing a change where about half the gap between the positive and the negative views has been erased. The only topic to oppose this trend is support for defunding the troops, which is collapsing. The Dems are out on a limb and Bush let them climb out there and is sawing it off. This is just a snapshot, but the trend looks bad for the left. It could get much worse if the Dems keep misplaying their “mandate”.
When the American Public see that the surge is working as a positive change, then they will vote in favor of it. The changing of these poll numbers show that they WANT us to stand up tall and push back those Democrats. They want to win this war, too.
In general, a politician who bets against America’s troops is in deep trouble. Betting against them when the tide is turning in their favor is disaster … unless you are from Berkeley.
CP, think too many Americans still remember what’s happened post-Vietnam War and feel that their own country lost respect and credibility with the rest of the world. And they don’t want a repeat with the war against Global Jihadism.
Excuse me, sir, you see MAJOR CHANGES???:
Since the margin of error is +- 3, the results over the last three periods above are for practical purposes identical.
I realize as a blogger you have no journalistic ethic to uphold – but please – could you at least have a little resepct for the meaning of words – changes over three months that are within the margin of error are NOT major changes and in fact may not even be changes period.
http://blogs.dailymail.com/donsurber/2007/03/28/561/ – Iran makes Bush look good.
GOOD!!
And a great post following Don Surber’s article by Robert:
“So politicians going on vacation when their nation is being threatened ISN’T REALLY a great idea.
After the August 6, 2001 PDB, this is news to me.
We’ve come a long way baby. ”
Remember how the Democrats gave Condi a hard time about that August PDB?
You have to remember that the Congressional Democrats’ opposition to troops in Iraq is based on political calculation, not on principle. So changes in poll numbers will make them “go wobbly”.
Sooth:
In one month that is a big change. If the present trend continues think where those polls might be in another 6 months.
Sooth, here is the way I see it.
America went to the polls in November and delivered a message. The Democrats, nearly EVERY SINGLE ONE was saying we didn’t have enough troops in Iraq. We went to the polls and the American people delivered a new Congress. Like it or not the people voted for change. President Bush heard that loud and clear … and listened.
He fired Rumsfeld and conferenced with his military leadership to come up with a new direction. He settled on General P and his plan. Keep in mind that all this time the Democrats were still arguing for more troops. So the President goes with a plan that requires more troops but is more agressive in going after the bad guys. The INSTANT he puts forward the plan, the Democrats do an about face and start saying that more troops won’t work and we need to just cut and run.
We wanted change, Bush gave us change. We wanted a change that could ensure VICTORY, not the stagnation we had for the past several months and Bush delivered.
The polls show that the people are realizing they got the change they wanted. They also show that the people don’t want the change the Democrats are trying to shove down our throats. We (as a nation) didn’t vote for defeat. We voted for a change in the route to victory and we are getting it. It is working.
The more success we get out of this, the more pushback we are going to see from the public on the Democrats plan for defeat. At the same time the Democrats are going to get more cynical and more desperate to ensure defeat because they will not be able to survive a success in Iraq. They have already passed the point of no return on defeat.
American doesn’t like losers and the Democrats appear to be trying to make losers out of America.
THE SENATE has now joined the House of Representatives in setting a deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. combat troops in Iraq. Its date is a year from now — March 31, 2008. The House’s deadline is Aug. 31, 2008.
What is so important about Aug 31, 2008 ?
I know it’s just before the election, but why not Nov. 31, 2008 ? Think about for a second .. if there is a withdrawal of troops by Aug, just what kind of mess will there be in Iraq on election day, some 2 months later ?
A big mess. A huge mess.
I got this feeling that somebody was so intent on the impact a withdrawal would have on the election, they forgot to factor in the “blowback” that would also affect the election.
A smarter move would be to make sure the withdrawal is ongoing and nearly complete by the election, thus the image of troops returning could be exploited politically. Instead, under the Aug scenario, the scenes we will see just days before the election will be general strife and most likely a full civil war in Baghdad and parts south. A virtual repeat of the Viet Nam experience when Congressional Democrats cut off funding and were blamed for the bad ending. And just in time for the elections.
As Gen. George Patton said Americans love a winner and will not tolerate a loser. Americans play to win all the time. I wouldn’t give a hoot in Hell for a man who lost and laughed. That’s why Americans have never lost and will never lose a war. Because the very thought of losing is hateful to Americans.
“What is so important about Aug 31, 2008 ”
It is the last day of the government fiscal year. It is a symbolic date that is designed to telegraph that there will be no funding in the following fiscal year.