Poll: Nearly half want Democrat in Oval Office next time around; More than half think Bush isn't 'honest and ethical'
RAW STORY
Published:
Saturday January 20, 2007
 A new poll shows that nearly half of the American public would prefer a Democrat to be elected president in 2008, and over two-thirds are against President Bush's "surge" strategy.
"When President George W. Bush declared earlier this month that the only way to quell sectarian violence in Iraq was to send more than 20,000 additional American troops, he probably knew the move would be unpopular," Brian Braiker writes for Newsweek. "Indeed, the latest NEWSWEEK poll finds that Bush’s call for a 'surge' in troops is opposed by two-thirds (68 percent) of Americans and supported by only a quarter (26 percent)."
"Almost half of all respondents (46 percent) want to see American troops pulled out 'as soon as possible,'" the article continues.
The poll also adds that when asked about Bush, "more than half of the public thinks he is not 'honest and ethical' (54 percent) and lacks 'strong leadership qualities' (57 percent)."
Excerpts from Newsweek press release on poll:
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Less than two weeks after President Bush unveiled his plan to increase troop levels in Iraq, a 68-percent majority of Americans strongly (45 percent) or moderately (23 percent) oppose Bush's "surge" strategy, according to the January 17-18 Newsweek Poll. Fourteen percent moderately favor the plan and only 12 percent strongly favor it. Half (50 percent) of those polled advocate a reduction of troop levels in Iraq, versus 23 percent who want to increase the number of U.S. troops and 18 percent who want to keep troop levels the same. Generally, only 24 percent of Americans approve of how Bush is handling the war-an all-time low in the Newsweek Poll; 70 percent disapprove. And two-thirds (67 percent) say they think the United States is losing ground in its efforts to provide security and democracy in Iraq; only 24 percent say we are making progress.
Looking ahead to the 2008 presidential election, 49 percent of registered voters say they would prefer to see a Democrat take office versus 28 percent who would favor a Republican. In various potential match-ups, top candidates polled very closely among registered voters: for Democrat Hillary Clinton versus Republican John McCain, 48 percent of registered voters said they would choose Clinton while 47 percent said McCain; for Democrat Barack Obama versus McCain, 46 percent said they would choose Obama, while 44 percent said McCain; for Democrat John Edwards versus McCain, 48 percent chose Edwards, while 43 percent chose McCain; for Clinton versus Republican Rudy Giuliani, 47 percent chose Clinton, while 48 percent chose Giuliani; for Obama versus Giuliani, 45 percent chose Obama, while 47 percent chose Giuliani; and for Edwards versus Giuliani, 48 percent chose Edwards while 45 percent chose Giuliani.
Meanwhile, taking a closer look at Americans' thoughts on the situation in Iraq, a majority now say they are not too confident (29 percent) or not at all confident (36 percent) that the Iraqi government will be able to control the violence and provide security to its citizens if U.S. troops are withdrawn. Twenty-two percent say they are somewhat confident and 5 percent say they are very confident, the poll shows. When it comes to our own leadership, 55 percent of those polled say they have more faith in the Democratic Congressional leaders to make decisions regarding Iraq policy, versus 32 percent who trust Bush to make better decisions. When asked whether Congress should try to block the additional funding Bush would need for additional troops, poll respondents were split evenly: 46 percent say lawmakers should, 46 percent say they should not.
Americans differ on what might result from increasing the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, the poll shows. Sixty-seven percent say it is very or somewhat likely that it will lead to increased U.S. casualties without helping achieve our goals there; 62 percent say it is very or somewhat likely that it will make the Iraqis more dependent on U.S. military protection and only delay the time when they are ready to take responsibility for their own security; 33 percent say it is somewhat or very likely that it will give the Sunnis, Shias and Kurds time to settle their differences; and 42 percent say it is somewhat or very likely that it will help reduce violence in Baghdad. The poll shows Americans are also split on the United States' priorities in Iraq. Forty-six percent favor withdrawing troops as soon as possible to minimize the number of American casualties while 45 percent say we should maintain troop levels for at least another year or two to give Iraqis more time to settle their differences and reach a political settlement.
President Bush's job approval rating remains at its all-time low in the Newsweek Poll: 31 percent. Sixty-two percent of those polled disapprove of how he is handling his job as president. Only 30 percent say they are satisfied with how things are going in the United States; 62 percent are dissatisfied. On the subject of Bush's leadership, 57 percent say he does not possess strong leadership qualities, 41 percent say he does. This represents a near reversal from Newsweek's September 29-30, 2005 Poll, in which 50 percent of those polled said he had strong leadership qualities while 47 percent said he did not. In another turnaround from the September 29-30, 2005 poll, 54 percent of respondents in the latest poll say they do not think Bush is honest and ethical, versus 41 percent who say he is. In the earlier poll, 50 percent found him to be honest and ethical, while 45 percent did not. Only 35 percent of respondents in the most recent poll feel Bush cares about "people like them," versus 60 percent who do not.
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FULL NEWSWEEK POLL AT THIS LINK
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