CNN Poll: Majority say Bush misled on Iraq and country now less safe; 61% now oppose Iraq war

Oct. 3 (Bloomberg) -- A majority of U.S. adults say President George W. Bush has deliberately misled the public about progress in Iraq and opposition to the war matches an all- time high, according to a poll conducted for CNN.

The poll, released today, coincided with publication of the book ``State of Denial'' by Washington Post journalist Bob Woodward, which says Bush ignored warnings from military officials about the growing Iraq insurgency and made claims of success that conflicted with intelligence assessments.

In the Sept. 29-Oct. 2 poll, 58 percent said the administration misled the public about how the war is going. In addition, 57 percent said the conflict has made the U.S. less safe from terrorism, indicating that Bush's central argument in defense of his policy isn't gaining traction with voters.

``The decisions that I have made have made this country safer,'' the president said today during an appearance at a political fund-raiser in Stockton, California. Democrats counter that the Iraq conflict has distracted efforts to hunt down terrorists and -- bolstered by a recently declassified intelligence report -- that the war is fueling Muslim extremism.

Sixty-one percent said they oppose the war, up from 58 percent at the beginning of September. It matches the high mark for opposition hit in mid-August, following a spike of insurgent and sectarian violence in Iraq. Sixty-six percent said they disapprove of the way Bush is handling the situation in Iraq, up from 62 percent at the beginning of August.

Bush is in the middle of a three-day trip through Nevada, California, Arizona and Colorado to campaign for Republican congressional candidates. His party is trying to hold on to its majorities in the House and Senate in the Nov. 7 midterm elections, and the poll indicates potential trouble for Republicans.

Fifty-three percent of likely voters surveyed said they will cast their ballot for the Democratic candidate, while 42 percent will support the Republican candidate.

Read the rest at Bloomberg

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