Wednesday, April 17, 2002; 3:38 p.m. EDT

Poll Shocker: Nearly Half Support McKinney's 9-11 Conspiracy Theory

Pundits and politicians alike have slammed Rep. Cynthia McKinney, D-Ga., for requesting an investigation into whether President George Bush was tipped off ahead of time that the 9-11 terrorist attacks were coming.

But an online poll taken Wednesday by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution showed an astonishingly high level of support for the Georgia Democrat's conspiracy theory - with nearly half of those responding to the unscientific survey saying the White House had a heads-up on the attacks.

"Are you satisfied the Bush administration had no advanced warning of the Sept. 11 attacks?" asked www.ajc.com.

According to the most recent results available, a full 46 percent of those responding agreed with the statement, "No, I think officials knew it was coming."

Another two percent were receptive to McKinney's call for a probe, agreeing with the statement, "I'm not sure. Congress should investigate."

A slim majority - 52 percent - said they were fully satisfied that Bush officials had no advanced warning.

Though over 23,000 Atlanta Journal-Consitution readers had responded by midafternoon, the poll has been mysteriously withdrawn from the paper's web site. But the web site FreeRepublic.com tracked results throughout the morning, with posters there encouraging visitors to vote against McKinney.

Though her congressional colleagues have mostly offered harsh criticism - Sen. Zell Miller, D-Ga., called her remarks "dangerous" - Rep. Harold Ford, D-Tenn., suggested yesterday that McKinney's 9-11 theory warranted further investigation.

Calling McKinney an "independent voice in Congress," Ford said that while he hoped her accusation that Bush knew the 9-11 attacks were coming wasn't true, "I hope to see her this week and maybe even inquire about it." (See: Ford to 'Inquire' About Charge Bush Had 9-11 Heads-up)

Still, despite Ford's comments - and a stunning level of apparent grassroots backing - other Bush critics seem to be treating McKinney's theory like it was radioactive.

The press offices of Rev. Jesse Jackson, Rev. Al Sharpton and Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., did not return calls asking whether they supported the Georgia Democrat's call for a 9-11 probe into what Bush knew.

McKinney set off the controversy during a March 25 appearance on a California radio show, where she said:

"What did this administration know, and when did it know it about the events of Sept. 11? Who else knew, and why did they not warn the innocent people of New York who were needlessly murdered? What do they have to hide?"

Read more on this subject in related Hot Topics:

Bush Administration
War on Terrorism

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