Easily Swayed 
How hard is it to sway opinion? For Republicans, apparently not that hard. All you have to do is say this:
This time last year, there was only a handful of Iraqi battalions ready for combat. Now there are more than 125 Iraqi army and police combat battalions in the fight against the terrorists. Of these, more than 70 Iraqi battalions are fighting side-by-side with coalition forces, and more than 50 others are taking the lead in the fight.and this:
Our military will continue to hunt down the terrorists in Iraq -- and to prepare the Iraqi security forces to take over more of the fight and control more of the territory on their own.and this:
We will never back down. We will never give in. And we will never accept anything less than complete victory.
and then, this happens:
Bush's overall approval rating rose to 47 percent, up from 39 percent in early November, with 52 percent saying they disapprove of how he is handling his job. His approval rating on Iraq jumped 10 percentage points since early November to 46 percent, while his rating on the economy rose 11 percentage points to 47 percent. A clear majority, 56 percent, said they approve of the way Bush is handling the fight against terrorismSo why the change?
...the proportion of Republicans approving of the president's performance increased by nine percentage points to 87 percent. And among conservatives, three in four said Bush was doing a good job, up 12 points from November. Among Democrats, independents and moderates, Bush's support remained unchanged or increased only modestly.Republicans are so desperate for something -- anything -- from this President, that a charm offensive is all it takes.
Never mind that in the first quote, Bush contradicts previous training figures. Or in the second quote, he misrepresents who we are fighting. Or, in the third quote, he refers to a "victory" that's never been defined.
As long as George Bush says it, it's OK for Republicans. We Democrats are always accused of partisanship. Well, I'd rather be a partisan than a follower with blind faith.
"Trust me," George says.
For many, that's simply enough.
KEYWORDS: Republicans, George W. Bush, polls
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Easily Swayed | 2 comments (2 topical, editorial, 0 hidden)
Easily Swayed | 2 comments (2 topical, 0 editorial, 0 hidden)
