TRUE: In a major foreign policy speech, “President” Bush declares his support for a democratic Palestinian state and calls for the Palestinian people “to elect new leaders… not compromised by terror”. Palestinian officials, expecting a call for an Israeli withdrawal and hearing instead about “Israel’s need to defend itself”, react with alarm and dismay. Critics of the administration wonder how Bush can call on the Palestinian people to “practice democracy” while, in the same breath, declare an intention only to recognize “a new and different Palestinian leadership”.
SEMITRUE: Press Secretary Ari Fleischer, addressing these criticisms, points out that “this White House is no stranger to controversial changes in management” and, citing bullet-proof polling results, declares that “our current administration approval ratings demonstrate that a popular leader need not necessarily be, you know, like actually elected…”