Trumping Woodward

"The Iraqis also have negative views of Osama bin Laden, according to the early September poll of 1,150.

"The poll, done for University of Maryland's Program on International Policy Attitudes, found:

"--Almost four in five Iraqis say the U.S. military force in

"--Iraq provokes more violence than it prevents.

"--About 61 percent approved of the attacks -- up from 47 percent in January. A solid majority of Shiite and Sunni Arabs approved of the attacks, according to the poll. The increase came mostly among Shiite Iraqis . . .

"The State Department, meanwhile, has conducted its own poll, something it does periodically, spokesman Sean McCormack said."

Ah ! This is undoubtedly more favorable, right?

"The State Department poll found two-thirds of Iraqis in Baghdad favor an immediate withdrawal of U.S. forces, according to The Washington Post."

Oh.

Look what's back: a story the White House would very much like to go away, at least until after Nov. 7:

"A bipartisan Congressional report documents hundreds of contacts between White House officials and the corrupt lobbyist Jack Abramoff and his partners, including at least 10 direct contacts between Mr. Abramoff and Karl Rove, the president's chief political strategist," says the New York Times .

"The House Government Reform Committee report, based on e-mail messages and other records subpoenaed from Mr. Abramoff's lobbying firm, found 485 contacts between Mr. Abramoff's lobbying team and White House officials from 2001 to 2004, including 82 with Mr. Rove's office.