So Much for Plan A

"For a long time, Bush's poor job approval ratings on domestic issues were more than counterbalanced by his strong approval ratings on international issues. But that formula for political success is falling apart," writes Ruy Texeira. The latest polls show that only 48 percent of the public approves of his handling of foreign policy and Iraq. A majority believes the war with Iraq was not worth the cost and that the Bush administration was hiding information or lying about what it knew when it made the case for war. "No wonder the Bush team was so happy to see one quarter of good economic growth," Texeira writes. "Their plan A (invade Iraq in 2003; coast to victory on the national security issue in 2004) is now completely out the window. Wise Democrats won't let the voters forget just how deceitful and costly that plan A has been; even wiser Democrats will have clear ways of explaining to voters how we can get out of the mess that plan A has created. By the evidence of these polls, voters are ready to listen."