Americans Upbeat Over U.S. Success in Baghdad
POLL ANALYSES
April 10, 2003
by David W. Moore
GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans are far more upbeat today than they were even a day ago, as news reports suggest Saddam Hussein's regime has collapsed. Compared with people's feelings on Monday and Tuesday, a CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll Wednesday evening found Americans significantly more likely to say that the situation in Iraq is worth going to war over and that the war itself has gone very well. Still, Americans take seriously the warning of administration officials, including the president, that the war is not over, though most believe that at worst only minor fighting remains.
Despite uncertainty among U.S. officials as to whether a U.S. bombing mission early this week killed Saddam, most Americans believe he is still alive. About half the public believes victory cannot be claimed until he is captured or killed.
In looking to the future, Americans are about evenly divided over whether the United States or the United Nations should control Iraq until a new Iraqi government is created. But 8 in 10 say they would support Bush if he says the United States should assume that responsibility.
Positive Reaction to Success of Troops
The poll, conducted the evening of April 9, shows that 76% of Americans say the situation in Iraq is worth going to war over, up from 67% who expressed that sentiment in a Gallup Poll conducted April 7-8.
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Approval of Rumsfeld by Subgroup
While a majority of all political groups approve of the job Rumsfeld is doing, Republicans, naturally, are more likely to say they approve. Eighty-nine percent of Republicans approve, compared with 67% of independents and 54% of Democrats.
gallup.com
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my comment: Americans seem willing to give the President wide lattitude and trust. Americans wanted UN approval before the war, and half want the UN to manage Iraq post-war, but by huge majorities are willing to support the President's unilateral action. Even during that mid-war brief "pause", before any urban areas had fallen, Americans thought the war would be harder than it turned out to be, but still supported it 70%. |
