Heard this:
The Popular Party was leading the Socialist party by 5 points in the latest polls before the elections.
Then came the bombs in Madrid.
Then, Aznar called a number of newspapers insisting it was the ETA.
They all knew it wasn't the case but published Aznar's version, except one or two who simply went ahead with their own info.
Clearly, Aznar and his governement tried to manipulate the spaniards.
It backfired and the rest is history. 13 points more for the Socialist Party at the elections than in the earlier polls.

Citizens of a democracy just don't like being manipulated. I hope in the US it's the same.

PS: tonight, a mysterious islamist group has sent threats to France, because of the new secular law.

Raoul