Public Gives Bush Benefit of Doubt on National Guard Service
Most say it will not influence their votes in November
by Jeffrey M. Jones
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Questions about President George W. Bush's service in the National Guard have dogged the White House for the past few weeks. The Bush administration recently released Bush's military records, but so far, that hasn't ended the controversy. A new CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll shows Americans are more likely than not to give Bush the benefit of the doubt as to whether he did something wrong and whether he is hiding something in this matter. Still, the public is divided over whether Bush "did his duty for the country during the Vietnam War." The poll shows that most Americans say that presidential candidates' military service -- including the specifics of Bush's and Massachusetts Sen. John Kerry's -- will not affect their votes this November.
The poll, conducted Feb. 16-17, shows the public is not largely tuned in to the debate over Bush's National Guard service. Slightly more than half of Americans say they have heard or read a great deal (23%) or a moderate amount (34%) about the controversy, leaving 43% who have not heard much (29%) or anything at all (14%) about it.
When asked for their views on Bush's actions in the matter, Americans tend to give Bush the benefit of the doubt. About half of Americans, 49%, say he did not do anything seriously wrong. Thirty-one percent say he did something unethical, but not illegal, and only 4% say he did something illegal. A majority, 54%, disagrees with the notion that Bush is hiding something regarding his National Guard service, while 36% believe that there is more to the story than Bush has revealed.
Among those who have heard or read a great deal about Bush's National Guard service, 56% say he did nothing seriously wrong, 33% say he did something unethical, and 8% say he did something illegal.
Still, there are lingering doubts about Bush's military service more generally. The public is divided as to whether the characteristic or quality, "did his duty for the country during the Vietnam War," applies to Bush: 42% say the statement applies to Bush and 40% say the statement does not apply to him (18% have no opinion). In contrast, 68% say that characteristic or quality applies to Kerry, with 11% saying it does not and 21% not expressing an opinion. |
