Bush will deliver a nationally televised address tonight, on the first anniversary of Iraq’s alleged sovereignty, hoping to help turn the rhetorical tide regarding the war. As is always the case, the stagecraft has been carefully planned — Bush will speak at Fort Bragg, N.C., home of the Army’s elite 82nd Airborne Division,, using soldiers as background props.<\/p>\n
It’s worth noting, however, that Bush goes into tonight’s address having lost a great deal of support. And since tonight’s speech is about changing the rhetoric, and not the policy, one wonders if the president really understands the level of concern about the war nationwide.<\/p>\n
Indeed, two new polls paint a startling picture. A new Washington Post\/ABC News poll<\/a>, for example, shows support dropping dramatically for the president.<\/p>\n A sense of obligation balances negative public views on Iraq: Despite broad concerns and sharp criticism of the administration’s performance, nearly six in 10 Americans say U.S. forces should remain in place until civil order has been restored there. <\/p>\n That expression of resolve works to President Bush’s advantage as he prepares to address the nation on Iraq, as does a slight improvement in some bottom-line measures. But steep challenges remain: Recriminations against his administration have jumped, with a majority for the first time saying it “intentionally misled” the public in going to war, and nearly three-quarters saying it underestimated the challenges involved. <\/p>\n A record 57 percent also now say the administration intentionally exaggerated its evidence that pre-war Iraq possessed nuclear, chemical or biological weapons. Views such as these cut to the administration’s basic credibility and competence, vital commodities as Bush tries to turn public opinion in a more favorable direction. He speaks tomorrow night, the first anniversary of the handover to an interim Iraqi government. <\/p>\n Bush’s overall position isn’t enviable. Not only do 51 percent of Americans disapprove of his job performance, a record 40 percent disapprove “strongly” (compared with 27 percent who strongly approve). That exceeds career-high strong disapproval for his two immediate predecessors, President Clinton (33 percent strongly disapproved in fall 1994, shortly before his party lost control of Congress) and Bush’s father (34 percent in summer 1992, shortly before he lost re-election).<\/p>\n On Iraq specifically, 56 percent disapprove of Bush’s work, and 44 percent disapprove strongly. (Strong disapprovers outnumber strong approvers by 19 points.) A majority hasn’t approved of his handling of the situation there since January 2004, shortly after the capture of Saddam Hussein. On a more emotional level, nearly a quarter of Americans say they’re “angry” about the war.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n