Ok, check this out. On Hardball last night, Tim Russert cites this part of the poll, saying how the American public supports what Bush is doing.
As you may know, since 2002, the Bush administration has been using wiretaps to listen to telephone calls between suspected terrorists in other countries and American citizens in the United States without getting a court order to do so. Do you approve or disapprove of the Bush administration's approach on this issue?
Approve................................................... 51 Disapprove ............................................ 46 Not sure................................................ 3
What Russert didn't bother mentioning was the next question in the poll, showing that when you actually DESCRIBE what the Bush administration is doing, the American public roundly opposes it (it takes a blogger to find out what NBC and Hardball can't):
Do you think that the Bush administration should conduct wiretaps of American citizens who are suspected of having ties to terrorists without a court order, or do you think that the Bush administration should be required to get a court order before conducting these wiretaps?
Should be able to wiretap without court order ......................... 41 Should be required to get a court order before wiretapping .... 53 Depends (VOL).......................................................... 4 Not sure............................................................... 2
Let's just clarify this point. Only 41% of the American people think it's okay for Bush to spy without a search warrant on American citizens who are SUSPECTED OF HAVING TIES TO AL QAEDA. That's an unbelievable low figure considering how the question is framed. Too bad Russert and Chris Matthews missed the most obvious question in the entire poll.
How concerned are you that the Bush administration's use of these kinds of wiretaps could be misused to violate people's privacy--extremely concerned, quite concerned, not really concerned, or not concerned at all? Extremely concerned ........................... 31 Quite concerned ................................... 25 Not really concerned............................ 22 Not concerned at all............................. 21 Not sure................................................ 1
Top priority over the next year: Bring most of the troops home from Iraq
Top view of the Bush administration: "misguided and harmful agenda" 39%
What role would you like to see Dems play in Congress: - work in a bipartisan way to pass Bush's legislative priorities: 34% - provide a balance so Bush and Republicans don't go too far: 58%
