Poll: Four in Five Republicans still Drinking the Kool-Aid

A Rasmussen Reports survey finds that 49% of Americans agree that George W. Bush is more responsible for starting the war against Iraq than Saddam Hussein is. Meanwhile 44% believe that Saddam Hussein is the man most responsible for having the U.S. napalm the crap out of his own country.

As you would probably guess, this marks quite a departure from public opinion at the time when Bush Incorporated had already planned and was trying to sell its war-as-a-last-resort to a skeptical world and a frozen-with-fear domestic citizenry. According to Rasmussen, back in 2002 a similar poll indicated that most Americans blamed Hussein for provoking the U.S. into threatening war, while only 25% labeled Bush a 'provoker.'

As with most polls involving Americans, it is far more instructive to split the results among sports teams, er, I mean political affiliations:

The biggest change in perceptions has come among Democrats.

In 2002, the party of Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi was divided on this point. By a 49% to 34% margin, liberal Democrats at the time said Bush bore most of the responsibility. Conservative Democrats placed the blame on Hussein by a 54% to 30% margin.

Now, however, 78% of all Democrats say that Bush is more responsible for starting the War than Hussein. Just 18% take the opposite view.

Republicans, by a 76% to 17% margin, say that Hussein is responsible. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 52% name Bush and 34% Hussein.

Evidence and facts have finally surfaced that the U.S. (and Britain) clearly started this war, not only by attempting to goad Saddam through illegal bombing raids, but more importantly by planning regime change far earlier than Bush admits to doing. In other words, firm evidence is finally out that they long-ago planned war, and in 2002 successfully executed that plan.

What is the impact of this knowledge on the American public? Many self-professed Democrats and people with no political affiliation accept the truth for what it is and largely change their earlier, erroneous opinion; most Republicans, on the other hand, close their eyes, cup their hands over their ears, and yell out ABABABABABABABABABABA!!! until Truth leaves the room, rolling its eyes and shaking its head.

Seriously now - 80% of Republicans still think that Saddam started this war?? What else do these people believe??