As 9/11 Hearings Progress, Americans More Critical of Administration

[kskiska]

Americans believe that the White House is cooperating with the 9/11 commission but they also say that members of the Bush administration are hiding something about what they knew before the terror attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, according to a CBS News poll made public on Friday.

Americans are less trusting of the administration and more critical of its handling of terrorism and other policy areas than they were before the commission's public hearings began, the recent surveys of public opinion show.

In addition, a poll by The Los Angeles Times found that a majority of Americans, 57 percent, thought President Bush was more focused on attacking Iraq than he was on dealing with terrorism, an assertion made by Richard A. Clarke, the former White House counterterrorism adviser, who testified to the 9/11 commission that the Bush administration had not paid sufficient attention to the threat from Al Qaeda before Sept. 11, 2001.

Americans say they are paying attention to the hearings — 58 percent in the CBS News poll — and that seems to be taking its toll on the perception of how well Mr. Bush is handling the threat of terrorism: 58 percent say they approve of the way he is handling terrorism, down from 64 percent in early March.

Mr. Bush has staked much of his re-election effort on the voters' perception that he is doing a good job protecting the nation. But in the wake of the 9/11 commission's hearings and the recent killings of American workers in Iraq, public support for Mr. Bush on this signature issue is eroding.

more…
http://www.nytimes.com/2004/04/02/politics/trail/03TRAIL-POLL.html?ei=5006&en=143110151a5407e9&ex=1081659600&adxnnl=1&partner=ALTAVISTA1&adxnnlx=1081012130-vnhnDFVh2Wigx8bauECi8A

[PROGRESSIVE1]

1. Well It's about time they took notice of the BFEE!!!!

[H2O Man]

2. This is a historic time.

The bush administration has tried to undermine the U.S. Constitution, and destroy the democratic process. To paraphrase U2, they stold the election from Gore in 2000, and we're taking it back. I've noticed some of the young people talking about the 1960s, which makes me happy. But I think this generation is going to do more. I think the 1960s will be the foundation they build a better society upon. This is a historic time: this country can live up to its promise. I think that the American public is responding to the energy of those young men and women who backed Dean, and demanded the nation wake up! Thank you.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

3. I must say the LATimes poll is encouraging

and imagine how our numbers will improve once all the post mortems are in on this and Kerry gets the national stage.
We are gonna kick Bush's butt right the fuck out on the street where it belongs.