BUSH’S POLL RATINGS ARE UP, reversing the recent slide. Meanwhile a substantial majority of Baghdad residents want U.S. troops to stay. The latter result is more significant than the former, I suspect. But here’s the best part of the Baghdad poll story:

When Gallup set out recently to poll Baghdad residents, the biggest surprise may have been the public’s reaction to the questioners: Almost everyone responded to the pollsters’ questions, with some pleading for a chance to give their opinions.

“The interviews took more than an hour to do, people were extremely cooperative with open-ended questions,” said Richard Burkholder, director of international polling for Gallup. “People went on and on.”

This suggests to me that the natural reticence brought about by totalitarian dictatorship has ended, and that people feel more confident about the future.

It also reminds me of the hermit in Life of Brian, who wasn’t about to shut up even for a minute once his vow of silence was broken . . . .