Bush Talks Economy, Americans Think Iraq

By John Jessup

CBN News

October 24, 2006

CBNNews.com-- WASHINGTON - It is now just two weeks until the November midterm election, and things don't look good for Republicans.

Now both parties are scrambling to fight and win in an all-out campaign war.

The Bush administration is talking up the growing economy.

"One of the great things about America is that somebody can start with nothing and end up with something," said President Bush.

"We have built more wealth in the last three years than any period in our nation's history- period," said White House press secretary Tony Snow.

But something else has been occupying the minds of Americans: Iraq.

October is the deadliest month for U.S. troops this year. And with rising casualties, sectarian violence, and little political progress, Iraq looks to be the one issue that will influence voters the most.

America's ambassador says Iraqi leaders have agreed to a timeline of steps to take to reduce violence.

And Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's second-in-command warned against panic in the U.S. and abroad, saying "we need to be realists but not defeatists."

But in the U.S., the perception is anything but good.

According to a recent USA Today/Gallup Poll, more people believe the insurgency is winning the war as opposed to the U.S.-that's 21 to 19 percent.

And 58 percent of those surveyed now say invading Iraq was a mistake.

That shift in public perception is not lost on the Bush White House, which announced the President is ditching the phrase "stay the course."

"It allowed critics to say, 'Well, here's an administration that's just embarked upon a policy not looking at what the situation is,' when, in fact, it's just the opposite," said Snow.

While the economy is also a major factor in the upcoming election, the good news on the economic front is just not translating to pessimistic voters.

55 percent describe the economy as fair or poor while 54 percent believe it's getting worse.

That is a blow to Republicans, who are hoping the economy will help them at the polls. Now, with likely more voters favoring Democratic candidates than any time in the past 12 years, this Election Day could shape up to be a referendum on Iraq.

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