Of course the rumours of war were completely unfounded...

Economy in the tank? Unemployment soaring? Tax cuts for the wealthy ain't doing the trick? Why, it's all that crazy media's fault!

"The stock market started to decline in March of 2000. Then the first quarter of 2001 was a recession. And then we got attacked 9/11. And then corporate scandals started to bubble up to the surface, which created a lack of confidence in the system. And then we had the drumbeat to war. Remember on our TV screens, I'm not suggesting which network did this, but it said march to war every day from last summer till the spring. March to war, march to war, that's not a very conducive environment for people to take risks when they hear march to war all the time."
-"President" George W. Bush, July 30, 2003

And, uh, where do you suppose they get that idea, Mr. President?

(Quote culled from the New York Times)