Bend your mathematical mind around this

My daily romp through Hairy Fish Nuts eventually led me to this. (Emphasis mine)

Two-thirds of Americans continue to oppose the war in Iraq, but the number who say that things are getting worse in that country has dropped 15 points since June, according to a new CNN Opinion Research Corporation poll out Friday morning.
Close to 65 percent of those questioned oppose the war, up slightly from the last time we polled in September. Meanwhile, 34 percent favor the Iraq conflict, which is the exact same as last month.
Only a quarter say the situation in Iraq is improving and two-thirds say things are going badly for the U.S. in the country — but the poll suggests that the public mood on the war is slightly better than it was in June.

Yes, well, that's true, sort of.

A closer read of the first sentence is actually a better gauge. Fewer people think the war in Iraq is getting worse. More people actually oppose US military involvement in Iraq and there is no increase in the number who are in favour of the current US action.

So, CNN reports that the mood on the Iraq war is better because, even though opposition is growing, there aren't as many people forecasting a total disaster.

Disraeli was right.