Bush backers miss facts

To the editor:

It's no surprise that Bush and Kerry voters have different views. Now a study shows that they live in different worlds. The Program on International Policy Attitudes, a research group based at the University of Maryland, recently released a study of the beliefs held by Bush and Kerry supporters. Some samples:

A majority of Bush voters think experts, including the Bush administration's chief weapons inspector Charles Duelfer, agree that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction or at least an active WMD program just before the war. The majority of Kerry voters think that experts agree no such programs or weapons existed. In fact, experts including Duelfer found that there were no WMD or active WMD programs.

Over 55 percent of Bush supporters think the 9-11 commission concluded that Iraq supported al-Qaida substantially before the war. Only 27 percent of Kerry supporters think the 9-11 commission found such a connection. In fact, the 9-11 commission's final report says there was no collaboration between Iraq and al-Qaida.

Even on their own candidate's positions, Bush voters are misinformed. 13 percent of Bush voters believed (correctly) that Bush opposes labor and environmental standards in trade agreements. 81 percent of Kerry voters believed (correctly) that Kerry favors such standards. Similar differences were found on a variety of issues. Majorities of Bush voters, on almost every issue, held views that were contrary to fact. Majorities of Kerry voters agreed with the facts. It appears that Bush supporters are out of touch with reality.

ALLEN GATHMAN, Pocahontas, Mo.