Should Republicans go ahead and add Supreme Court Justices to head off Democrats

Latest polls sshow support for Bush and war

Fox News:

Even as insurgents increase their attacks in the days leading up to the June 30 handover, the public’s belief that going to war with Iraq was the right thing to do is holding steady. Majorities believe there was a partnership between Saddam and Al Qaeda, and that military action abroad is necessary to protect from having to fight terrorists on U.S. soil. In addition, brightening impressions on the condition of the economy helped President Bush improve his standing against Democrat John Kerry this week, according to a Fox News poll released Thursday.

President Bush currently has an advantage over Democratic candidate John Kerry in both the two-way matchup and three-way matchups. If the election were held today, the poll finds Bush at 48 percent and Kerry at 42 percent. When independent candidate Ralph Nader is included he receives three percent, Bush 47 percent and Kerry 40 percent.

Opinion Dynamics Corporation conducted the national poll of 900 registered voters for Fox News on June 22-23.

As has been the case since the end of the primary season, Bush’s strength of support is much higher than Kerry’s. Fully 75 percent of Bush voters say they support him "strongly" and 25 percent say "only somewhat." Among Kerry voters, just over half — 53 percent — say they support him "strongly" and 45 percent say "only somewhat."

Significantly more voters think Bush would do a better job than Kerry protecting the United States from terrorist attacks (49 percent to 28 percent). On the nation’s economy, Bush and Kerry are evenly matched with each receiving 42 percent. Bush has an 11-percentage point edge over Kerry when voters are asked which candidate is "more honest and trustworthy," although 12 percent volunteer "neither."

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Last week the bipartisan commission investigating the 9/11 attacks said it did not find credible evidence of a "collaborative relationship" between Saddam’s regime and the Al Qaeda terror network. The poll finds that twice as many Americans believe that there was a partnership between Iraq and Al Qaeda when Saddam was in power than that there was no working relationship (56 percent and 28 percent).

"It is notable that while many critics have seen the 9/11 commission reports as hurting the administration, they may actually have helped with the voters," comments Gorman. "The commission is saying something that a majority of Americans don't believe, while the president has been given the platform to repeat his belief in something they do believe. Right or wrong, he's preaching to the choir."

There is a huge partisan divide on this issue, with 73 percent of Republicans believing there was a partnership between Iraq and Al Qaeda, compared to 38 percent of Democrats and 58 percent of independents.

A strong majority thinks it is likely that Saddam had prior knowledge of the September 11 attacks. Over two-thirds of Americans (68 percent) think it is "very" or "somewhat" likely Saddam knew about the attacks, while 23 percent think it is "not very" or "not at all" likely the former Iraqi leader knew about the plans.

By a wide margin, the public agrees with the Bush administration’s view that fighting terrorists abroad will help keep from having to fight terrorists on U.S. soil. By 63 percent to 26 percent Americans agree that military action in Iraq and Afghanistan is necessary to protect the United States.

The NY Times and other liberal media outlets have to be disappointed that they have not been able to convince people that there was no connection between Iraq and al Qaeda. Most Americans have a viceral feel about the connection and like the administration, they are persuaded by the evidence that has so far surfaced.