Sentiment On Withdrawal

by DemFromCT

From Chris Cillizza's WaPo poll analysis:

Let's Parse the Polls!

A look at the profile of the 29 percent who want to pull out all troops now produces a somewhat unconventional picture.

Women are more likely than men to back immediate withdrawal (33 percent to 23 percent). Support for an immediate withdrawal is highest in the West (34 percent) and lowest in the South (24 percent). Thirty four percent of black voters supported an immediate withdrawal, as did 26 percent of whites.

None of those figures is terribly surprising.

But how about the fact that there isn't any statistical difference between liberals and moderates? Twenty-eight percent of self-identified liberals backed immediate withdrawal, while a similar 27 percent of moderates felt the same way.

...

The poll data suggests any attempt to put a definitive label on those who favor immediate withdrawal (liberals, young people, Obama supporters) falls short. The reality is that the war as a political issue is far too complicated to boil down into neatly-packed subgroups.

The analysis speaks for itself. Trying to put 'far left' labels on this won't stick any more than calling 65% disapproval of Bush's performance 'far left'.

Welcome to the mainstream.

Comments

[mighty mouse]

The Washington Post does complexity? are you putting me on? seriously, is this a bit of a sea change for the WP--I mean reality, nuance? Yikes.

[DemFromCT]

it's not their editorial page and Hiatt, who are simple-minded. Cillizza and Froomkin do good work, along with Andrew Cohen on law (devastating on Gonzo) and William Arkin on defense.

[mighty mouse]

Oops, should have been clearer, since I am a Froomkin junkie/groupie/whatever...but the news side has been known to allow the large swath of superficiality...

[Jodi]

I am having great difficulty with this.

Logically there was some (not a great deal) basis to go to war with Iraq. I myself questioned the members of my family who would be involved of why the hurry, hurry up? Why not let the Inspectors work some more. I got back ~well we have to go before the hot time, so that means before Summer, and we can't wait until next year because that will be an election year.~

I understood the reasons, but I didn't give them the weight that obviously the "decision makers" did.

Now I understand the reasons why we should put Humpty Dumpty back together before we leave Iraq, but:

I no longer have any faith at all in the Bush Adminstration's ability to be competent even at a task that needs be done so I say get out now, the sooner the better, and then if we have to fight another war in the Mid East, or even Terrorists in America, we may then have somebody that is a hell of a lot more competent that this running amok Bush Administration.

[DemFromCT]

Jodi, that has to disturb you a great deal (given that you have involved family members). It really is, in the end, a logical and inescapable conclusion that you have come to, and watching the Gonzales kabuki dance can't make you feel better about competence.

[Boston1775]

I am starting to get the sense that the Right-wing talkmasters are involved in their own verbal kabuki. They can't quite believe that the curtain has been drawn back on the all-powerful Ozadministration, so they go into their studios and talk tough. They bullied and lied just to get to where they are today, and I can hear their thoughts: if we just keep hammering away at those secular-progressives, the good people will clear their heads and get back to blaming those secular-progressives for everything.

Ya, I know, it just doesn't quite work, does it. But what are they going to do? They got the spouse and kids to pay for, and this whole Right-wing thing looked like it was going to last forever. So they've started thinking about other lines of work while they go about "loving America" and "supporting the troops".

[Jodi]

DemFromCT,

I have to feel that Gonzales was doing a tap dance trying not to say too much about still confidential stuff, and further things that would give the Democrats/Liberals more or bigger targets, trying not to lie, trying not to react to very hostile questioning. He was dancing on a razor edge.

I think that if you or I spoke to him personally in non political circumstances he would come across as "intelligent and warm."

Honest, that was how he was described to me by someone who has met him.

[Jethro H]

Congress (all members) need to become terrified of the mainstream. The polls and letters, emails and lobbying visits to Congressmembers has set the stage. But actions are needed that put us face to face with Congress in ways that are different and will scare them. The war must end. On September 4th we are asking hundreds of Americans to join us in the Capitol to stand up for democracy, www.AmericaStandsWatch.org.

[Jethro H]

Congress (all members) need to become terrified of the mainstream. The polls and letters, emails and lobbying visits to Congressmembers has set the stage. But actions are needed that put us face to face with Congress in ways that are different and will scare them. The war must end. On September 4th we are asking hundreds of Americans to join us in the Capitol to stand up for democracy, www.AmericaStandsWatch.org.