John,

The mixed answers in polls regarding elections is due to a mixed bag of signals that the public receives, and also due to the emotional need to live in and be a citizen of a "good country".

The american political religion is founded on the notion of "America right or wrong", made famous some years ago. In reality that notion is still around and deeply rooted in many.

This is the political religion of the lazy citizen based on blind faith, not on reality, who does not want to do anything to improve America, and will accept it as the best country on earth, no matter what it becomes.

This empowers Rovian "democracy", which I call fascism. Some old time republicans who have resisted this type of self deceit and corruption. These are republicans who know what is going on, are who are aware.

One if them is John Dean, Counsel to President Nixon:

The Washington Post reports that Rove has been running a Nixonian-type political operation to benefit Bush in his 2004 reelection bid and to assist Republicans country-wide. It appears, in fact, that the U.S. Attorney firings and the White House political briefings at the departments and agencies, in blatant violation of the Hatch Act (which prohibits such activity), are merely examples of a grander scheme that operated behind closed doors.

I have long suspected that these are only small chips that have fallen from a mighty iceberg - a systematic, broad-based, wide-scale program to infuse the Executive Branch from top to bottom with Republicans stalwarts and thinking, creating an influence that will remain long after Bush has left Washington. These efforts, I believe, are part of Rove's desire to create an enduring GOP majority; it is for this reason that he has worked to operate the Executive Branch not for the public interest, but rather for the particular interests of Republicans alone.

(John Dean, emphasis added). I have a bumper sticker saying posted at various times here at Bradblog which I think says it all: The Department of Justice Just Us.

The fascist dream of the current criminal based regime has done damage to the people's perspective of whether or not US Elections are the best money can buy, or the best on earth.

The MSM have covered up the iceberg, and have mentioned very little of the tip heretofore.