From the August 2006 Idaho Observer:

Scripps Howard poll: Half of America angrier at government than ever before; one-third believe government behind 9/11

"More than a third of the American public suspects that federal officials assisted in the 9/11 terrorist attacks or took no action to stop them so the United States could go to war in the Middle East, according to a new Scripps Howard/Ohio University poll.," wrote Thomas Hargrove and Guido Stempel III in a comprehensive release dated August 1, 2006.

The national telephone survey of 1,010 adults, conducted July 6-24, 2006, also revealed 54 percent saying they "personally are more angry" at the government than they used to be.

The authors believe that Americans growing "resentment" of the national government (not, apparently the facts of the case) is "...fueling a growing acceptance of conspiracy theories" about 9/11. They also commented that believing that 9/11 was "an inside job" is becoming as popular as the assassination of JFK and belief that the government is covering up contact with UFOs.

Other revelations

36%—very or somewhat likely that federal officials either participated in or allowed the attacks to happen to justify war in the Middle East

16%—believe preset explosives, not jet fuel, brought the Twin Towers down.

12%—believe the Pentagon was struck by a cruise missile, not Flight 77.

Former 9/11 Commission Vice-Chairman Lee Hamilton, who just co-authored a book on his experiences on the commission, commented that he has heard people claim that the Bush administration planned and carried out the attacks. "A lot of people I’ve encountered believe the U.S. government was involved," Hamilton said. "Many say the government planned the whole thing. Of course, we don’t think the evidence leads that way at all," Hamilton said.

The 9/11 status quo has a curious ally in Judicial Watch—a group that has the respect of many American contrarians for its crusade to bring justice back into the courtroom. Judicial Watch President Tom Fitton said that, on the two Pentagon surveillance tapes we have all seen and believe to be inconclusive at best, "I see the nose of the plane clearly entering the frame of one video and the tail of the plane entering the Pentagon in the other video."

The poll also indicated that people who get their news from alternative sources were more likely to believe in "conspiracies" while, "People who regularly read daily newspapers or listen to radio newscasts were especially unlikely to believe in the conspiracies. A majority of young people, high-school educated adults, minorities and Democrats believe 9/11 conspiracies; only a quarter of those over the age of 65 polled believed 9/11 conspiracies.