"The Separate Realities of Bush and Kerry Supporters"

More on the poll by PIPA on differences between Bush and Kerry supporters--because I think it is key to understanding our differences and preparing for the next few months. I have provided a more complete tabular representation of the poll results at the bottom of this post.

To explain the differences between perceptions of Bush and Kerry supporters, the PIPA analysis finds, "To support the president and to accept that he took the US to war based on mistaken assumptions is difficult to bear, especially in light of the continuing costs in terms of lives and money. Apparently, to avoid this cognitive dissonance, Bush supporters suppress awareness of unsettling information." Pipa concludes with this assessment:

Bush appears to assume that his support is fragile. He refuses to admit to making any mistakes. He admits that he was surprised that WMD were not found, but does not say that the most reasonable conclusion is that they were never there and continues to talk about “disarming” Iraq. He asserts that he never said that Iraq was directly involved in 9/11, but maintains that there were contacts with al Qaeda in a way that implies that they were significant. Most telling, his supporters as well as his opponents overwhelmingly say that they hear him still saying that Iraq had WMD and supported al Qaeda. To remain loyal and bonded to him means to enter into this false reality.

Bush may be right. Admitting his mistakes may shatter his idealized image in a way that some supporters may not forgive. But there also risks in succeeding in getting elected based on false beliefs. The number of people in the public who see through the illusion will likely continue to grow, eating away at the implied mandate of an election. Further, the cohesion of society can be damaged by a persisting and fundamental division in the perception of what is real, undermining pathways to consensus and mutual sacrifice, and making the country increasingly difficult to govern.

"The Separate Realities of Bush and Kerry Supporters"
The PIPA/Knowledge Networks Poll, conducted October 21, 2004

Do you agree with this statement?	% Bush supporters agree	% Kerry supporters agree
Iraq was providing substantial support to al Qaeda.	55	22
The 9/11 Commission concluded that Iraq was providing substantial support to al Qaeda.	43	20
Iraq was directly involved in 9/11.	20	8
The 9/11 Commission concluded that Iraq was directly involved in 9/11.	13	7
Just before the war, the Bush Administration said that Iraq gave substantial support to or was directly involved in 9/11.	75	74
The Bush Administration is currently saying that the U.S. has found clear evidence that Saddam was working closely with al Qaeda.	55	52
The Bush Administration is currently saying that, just before the war, Iraq had WMD or a major WMD program.	82	84
Most experts say that, just before the war, Iraq did have actual WMDs.	56	18
The Duelfer report, commissioned by President Bush, concluded that, just before the war, Iraq had WMDs or a major WMD program.	57	23
The Bush Administration is saying that, just before the war, Iraq had WMD or a major WMD program.	82	84
The U.S. should NOT have gone to war if, prior to the war, U.S. intelligence services had concluded that Iraq did not have WMD and was not providing support to al Qaeda.	58	92
The majority of the people in the world oppose the U.S. going to war with Iraq.	31	74
According to recent polls, the majority of the people in the world support Bush’s reelection.	57	1
Most people in the Islamic world favor U.S.-led efforts to fight terrorism.	51	21
Bush supports the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty.	69
Bush supports the treaty banning land mines.	72
Bush supports international labor and environmental standards in trade agreements.	74
Bush supports US participation in the Kyoto treaty on global warming.	51