Mr. Nichols’ assertion that polling now suggests that “a majority of Americans favor the impeachment of [Vice President] Cheney, and in some states the support encompasses two-thirds of the electorate” is objectively false (“Impeachment Now” by John Nichols, Nov. 22). I challenge Mr. Nichols to provide any credible polling data that supports either part of this statement. After reading such an unbelievable statement, there is no good reason to read any further.
Nichols responds:
The American Research Group (www.americanresearchgroup.com), in a poll of 1,100 respondents taken from July 3-5, found that 54% of Americans favored impeachment of Dick Cheney by the House of Representatives. Only 17% of Republicans in the poll favored the impeachment of Cheney, while 76% of Democrats supported the move. Of independents polled, a slight majority of 51% also supported impeaching the vice president. As reported by CBS News, “A statewide poll conducted by CBS affiliate WCAX in Burlington, Vt., posed the question to 400 likely voters. Sixty-one percent said they would be in favor of Congress beginning impeachment proceedings against President Bush. Thirty-three percent opposed it, and 6% were not sure.The numbers for Vice President Cheney differed only slightly: Sixty-four percent favored impeachment, while 31% opposed it.”