REMARKABLE DIFFERENCE - AT 9:35 P.M. ET:  If you don't think the wording in polls affects outcome, consider this:  Have you noticed all the attention paid to a recent poll reporting that Americans have lost enthusiasm for our military effort in Afghanistan?  Liberals are using it to reinforce their demand that we withdraw, a demand they seem always to make, no matter what war and what circumstances.

However, please note:

A sizable majority of Americans support the U.S. military action in Afghanistan, and an even larger number think the action there is important to preventing terrorist attacks against the United States, according to a FOX News poll released Thursday.

Six in 10 Americans think the U.S. military action in Afghanistan is "extremely" (25 percent) or "very" (35 percent) important to stopping terrorist attacks against the U.S., and another 27 percent think it is "somewhat" important.

Few Americans -- 9 percent -- think the military action in Afghanistan is not at all important to fighting terrorism at home.

Overall, 64 percent of Americans support the U.S. military action in Afghanistan and 27 percent oppose it. There is a huge partisan gap, as 80 percent of Republicans support the action compared to 49 percent of Democrats. Among independents, 66 percent support it.

What accounts for this dramatically different result?

Previously, when the question was about support for the "U.S. war in Afghanistan," as opposed to the "U.S. military action" the results were notably different: 46 percent were in support and 45 percent opposed (15-16 September 2009).

Ah, what a difference a few words makes.  I wonder if liberals will use this latest result, or pretend it doesn't exist.  What do you think?

October 1, 2009