In a recent
diary, Plutonium Page wrote about the Bush Administration connecting everything, including anthrax, to Saddam.
In the diary, some incredible poll numbers were given:
- 64 percent believe that Saddam Hussein had strong links to Al Qaeda (up slightly from 62% in November)
- 47 percent believe that Saddam Hussein helped plan and support the hijackers who attacked the U.S. on September 11, 2001 (up six percentage points from November)
- 44 percent actually believe that several of the hijackers who attacked the U.S. on September 11 were Iraqis (up significantly from 37% in November)
- 36 percent believe that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction when the U.S. invaded (down slightly from 38% in November)
This is from February 2005.
Not October, 2001. Not January, 2002. Not March, 2003.
February, 2005.
Until people stop believing this, it will continue to hurt us in the voting booth.
What can be done? Well, I don't know. But I hope someone here does.
Really, I have no idea what to do about this.
But the truth is still not known or believed by way too many people. We still have not been able to overcome the Myth that the Bush Administration has created -- that Saddam and the war in Iraq is tied to 9/11 and our safety.
Why are these numbers still so high?
Are people so believing in our President that nothing will sway them? Did people just buy into this idea and now cognitively they cannot change?
Is Karl Rove just that good?
But more importantly, what can be done? How can Democrats convince these people that the Myth of Saddam, the Myth of 9/11 is not true?
Can anything be done? Or do we just concede this point to the Republicans and live with it? Do we need to convince these people to win in 2006 and beyond?
Maybe we can use our influence here at Daily Kos and do something about this problem.
I'll open the floor to ideas...