From the Guardian//Joanna
Wonder what the polls will say now...
____________________________________________ Wednesday September 17, 2003 10:09 PM
By TERENCE HUNT
AP White House Correspondent
WASHINGTON (AP) - President Bush said Wednesday there was no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved in the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001 - disputing an idea held by many Americans.
``There's no question that Saddam Hussein had al-Qaida ties,'' the president said. But he also said, ``We have no evidence that Saddam Hussein was involved with the Sept. 11'' attacks.
Bush spoke with reporters after speaking with leaders of Congress about energy legislation.
The president's comment on Saddam, the deposed Iraqi leader, was in line with a statement Tuesday by Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, who said he not seen any evidence that Saddam was involved in the attacks.
Yet, a new poll found that nearly 70 percent of respondents believed the Iraqi leader probably was personally involved. Rumsfeld said, ``I've not seen any indication that would lead me to believe that I could say that.''