Support for President Bush Drops to 50 Percent in Latest Post-ABC News Poll
Most Americans believe President Bush either lied or deliberately exaggerated evidence that Iraq possessed weapons of mass destruction in order to justify war, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
The survey results, which also show declining support for the war in Iraq and for Bush's leadership in general, indicate the public is increasingly questioning the president's truthfulness -- a concern for Bush's political advisers as his reelection bid gets underway.
Barely half -- 52 percent -- now believe Bush is "honest and trustworthy," down seven points since late October and his worst showing since the question was first asked in March 1999. At his best, in the summer of 2002, Bush was viewed as honest by 71 percent. The survey found that while nearly seven in 10 think Bush "honestly believed" Iraq had weapons of mass destruction, 54 percent thought Bush exaggerated or lied about pre-war intelligence.
Remember, personal integrity, once down, doesn't go up easily.