80% of Americans Think Bush’s New Iraq Language is Just Spin

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Via Political Wire (an excellent poll and politics site; if you haven’t checked it out, you should):

“A substantial majority of Americans expect Democrats to reduce or end American military involvement in Iraq if they seize control of Congress next Tuesday, and say that Republicans would maintain — or increase — troop levels to try to win the war,” according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

“The poll found that just 29% of Americans approve of the way President Bush is managing the war in Iraq, matching the lowest mark of his presidency. Nearly 70% of Americans said Mr. Bush did not have a plan to end the war, and 80% said Mr. Bush’s latest offensive to rally public support for the conflict amounted to a change in language but not policy.

“The poll underlined the extent to which the war in Iraq has framed the midterm elections. It comes at a time when Democratic challengers across the country are running a final sweep of television advertisements attacking Mr. Bush’s handling of the war and as even some Republican incumbents — fearful of being swept out of office because of public opposition to the war — have become critical of it.”

In the generic congressional ballot, Democrats lead Republicans by a stunning 19 points, 53% to 33%.

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