[Vision2020] 10-22-04 Spokesmans-Review: 'Reality gap' divides Bush, Kerry backers

[Art Deco aka W. Fox]

'Reality gap' divides Bush, Kerry backers
Poll finds big differences in perception


Frank Davies
Knight Ridder
October 22, 2004

WASHINGTON - A large majority of President Bush's supporters continue to believe 
that Iraq either had weapons of mass destruction (47 percent) or a major program 
to develop them (25 percent), contrary to official findings, a survey taken this 
month found.

And three out of four Bush backers believe Saddam Hussein provided substantial 
support to al Qaeda or was involved in the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, while 56 
percent said the Sept. 11 Commission found such ties.

In reality, the commission found "no collaborative relationship" between Iraq 
and al Qaeda.

The survey by the University of Maryland's Program on International Policy 
Attitudes, released Thursday, shows that the supporters of Bush and Sen. John 
Kerry have stark differences and see "separate realities" about Iraq and other 
foreign policy issues.

The poll, conducted by Knowledge Networks, was taken of 968 people during Oct. 
12-18, after the final report by Charles Duelfer concluded that Iraq did not 
have a significant WMD program. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.2 to 4 
percent.

Earlier samples of 798 and 959 people were taken in September.

Steven Kull, program director, said that Bush supporters' "resistance to 
information" on several fronts reflected a powerful bond with the president 
formed after the Sept. 11 attacks, and the perception - shared by Kerry 
supporters - that Bush still asserts that Iraq had WMD.


In recent months, Bush has said he was "disappointed" that such weapons were not 
found, that the search continued and that it was important to "disarm" Hussein.

There may be another reason, Kull said. Asked whether U.S. forces should have 
invaded Iraq if U.S. intelligence had concluded that Iraq was not making WMD or 
providing support to al Qaeda, 58 percent of Bush supporters said no.

"To support the president and to accept that he took the United States to war 
based on mistaken assumptions is difficult to bear, especially in light of the 
continuing costs in terms of lives and money," Kull said.

"Apparently, to avoid this cognitive dissonance, Bush supporters suppress 
awareness of unsettling information."

The survey also found that Bush supporters have "numerous misperceptions" about 
the president's positions. Majorities incorrectly believe that Bush backs the 
Kyoto global-warming treaty, the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty, the 
International Criminal Court, and the treaty banning land mines.

A majority of Bush backers (57 percent) also believe most people in the world 
favor Bush's re-election, contrary to the findings of several polls.

Kerry supporters have a more accurate perception of their candidate's positions, 
and the gulf between Kerry and Bush supporters is large, the survey found.

While 85 percent of Bush backers think the United States made the right decision 
to go to war against Iraq, only 8 percent of Kerry backers agree.

If Bush had known about the lack of WMD and substantial ties to al Qaeda, 83 
percent of Kerry supporters say Bush would have gone to war for other reasons. 
Only 34 percent of Bush backers agree.

Thomas Mann, an author and senior fellow at the Brookings Institution, said the 
findings are "consistent with a pattern of results that demonstrate how partisan 
lenses shape perceptions of reality.

"On Iraq, Republicans want to believe the best of Bush, Democrats the worst," 
Mann said.
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