Today, the New York Times released a poll showing that Bush's approval rating has gone up since the capture of Saddam Hussein. I am hereby giving that a resounding, "duh," but I was looking over the full poll and also noticed that sixteen percent of America thinks of Bush as a Liberal. At that point I remembered that America is crazy.

His general approval rating went up from 52% to 58% and his disapproval rating went from 40% to 33%. Like I said, this was to be expected, but that is still not much more than half of the country. The numbers have been creeping downward ever since the end of the war in May, with 50% being the lowpoint in the middle of November. Here are some other interesting statistics:

• The importance of different issues in the Presidential elections. Before the capture, the war was at 11%, and now it's at 3%, even with social security.
• Who you expect to win the election in 2004, regardless of how you're voting. Before: Democrat 35%, Bush 50%. After: Democrat 24%, Bush 61%.
• Have we won the war in Iraq? 46% Won, 47% Not Won (no earlier data for comparison).

I am not surprised that a lot of people are suddenly in favor of the war, or suddenly supporting Bush, but I am surprised that someone can go to the homepage of the New York Times, read about the non-stop death occuring in Iraq, and still think that this war is a good idea or that Saddam's capture is going to have a profound effect. When a big event like this happens, people who rarely read the news crawl out of the woodwork and start voting in national polls. Maybe this is what Presidents of the past have always relied on, but the whole situation is fairly frustrating.