National (US) Poll * March 5, 2009 * American Voters Approve 2-1 Of - Quinnipiac University

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March 5, 2009 - American Voters Approve 2-1 Of Afghan Troop Buildup, Quinnipiac University National Poll Finds; Obama's Core Voters Are Most Against More Troops

Word format American voters approve 62 - 31 percent of President Barack Obama's decision to send 17,000 more combat troops to Afghanistan, but voters say by a much narrower 47 - 43 percent margin that the President should approve a request by military commanders for still another 13,000 soldiers in the war zone, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.
By a 48 - 35 percent margin, voters think U.S. forces should attack enemy troops that cross the border from Afghanistan into Pakistan or operate out of Pakistan, the independent Quinnipiac (KWIN-uh-pe-ack) University poll finds. But if the Pakistani government opposes the cross-border strikes, then U.S. voters oppose such attacks 49 - 37 percent.
Voters 18 to 29 percent support the 17,000-troop buildup 54 - 45 percent, but oppose the 13,000-troop request 54 - 39 percent. Democrats, women, blacks, Hispanics, voters over 65 and voters making less than $50,000 per year all shift from supporting the first troop buildup to opposing the request for additional troops.
Overall, American voters approve 56 - 21 percent of the way Obama is handling foreign policy, with support from Democrats at 78 - 6 percent and from independent voters at 51 - 21 percent, while Republicans disapprove 43 - 31 percent.
"During the presidential campaign, the news media made clear to the American people that President Barack Obama planned to get U.S. troops out of Iraq, but his vow to beef up the forces in Afghanistan got much less attention," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute. "At this point, Americans seem willing to support President Obama in his effort to win the war in Afghanistan."
"But, clearly, they are wary about too much American involvement there and if Obama's support erodes it seems more likely to come from those who are generally in his corner," Brown added. "That might indicate that if the war in Afghanistan does not progress well, the President could face opposition from within his own core constituency."
This core constituency of young voters, blacks, women and low-income voters gives Obama his highest grades for foreign policy. But these same groups are more opposed to war- related policies such as troop buildups in Afghanistan and attacks into Pakistan.
"It's when you get to the question of military action that Obama's normal coalition withers somewhat and those who were less likely to vote for him to begin with are now the ones who provide more support," said Brown.
Americans are much more likely to approve of the war in Afghanistan than the one in Iraq. By a 60 - 36 percent margin they think the invasion of Iraq was the wrong thing to do, but by a 58 - 36 percent ratio they say the war in Afghanistan was the right thing.
Republicans (78 percent) and independent voters (61 percent) are much more likely than Democrats (42 percent) to think the war in Afghanistan was a good idea to begin with.
"In recent decades, public support for overseas military engagements has waned," Brown said. "Even though U.S. troops have been in Afghanistan longer than they have been in Iraq, the public eye has been on Baghdad. With the U.S. military focus now shifting to Afghanistan, the question is whether military action there wears any better over time than it did in Iraq."
From February 25 - March 2, Quinnipiac University surveyed 2,573 American voters with a margin of error of +/- 1.9 percentage points.
The Quinnipiac University Poll, directed by Douglas Schwartz, Ph.D., conducts public opinion surveys in Pennsylvania, New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Florida, Ohio and the nation as a public service and for research.
6. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling - foreign policy?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Approve 56% 31% 78% 51% 55% 57% 52% 77% 69% Disapprove 21 43 6 21 23 19 23 9 13 DK/NA 23 26 16 27 21 24 24 14 18 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... 50- 100- AGE IN YRS.............. <50k 100k 250k >250k 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Approve 56% 58% 55% 55% 64% 60% 55% 51% Disapprove 19 20 27 21 15 21 22 21 DK/NA 25 21 19 24 22 19 22 28 PRES VOTE.......... Bush/ Kerry/ Bush/ NoColl Coll Wht WtBrnAgn McCain Obama Obama Degree Degree Jew Cath Evnglcl Approve 27% 83% 68% 53% 62% 62% 52% 42% Disapprove 46 3 10 22 19 21 25 32 DK/NA 28 14 22 25 19 17 23 26
28. Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Right thing 36% 71% 9% 36% 39% 32% 40% 11% 18% Wrong thing 60 24 87 60 58 61 55 84 78 DK/NA 5 5 4 4 3 7 5 5 4 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... 50- 100- AGE IN YRS.............. <50k 100k 250k >250k 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Right thing 31% 42% 40% 28% 31% 41% 37% 30% Wrong thing 64 54 57 69 65 55 58 64 DK/NA 5 4 3 3 4 3 5 6 PRES VOTE.......... Bush/ Kerry/ Bush/ NoColl Coll Wht WtBrnAgn McCain Obama Obama Degree Degree Jew Cath Evnglcl Right thing 72% 4% 31% 36% 35% 27% 36% 57% Wrong thing 23 94 65 58 62 72 58 38 DK/NA 5 1 4 5 4 1 5 5
TREND: Do you think going to war with Iraq was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
RIGHT THING... High Low Mar 05 Nov 12 May 14 Oct 31 Aug 16 Sep 17 May 14 2009 2008 2008 2007 2007 2003 2008 Right 36 36 33 38 35 58 33 Wrong 60 58 62 55 59 37 62 DK/NA 5 6 5 6 6 5 5
29. Do you think going to war in Afghanistan was the right thing for the United States to do or the wrong thing?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Right thing 58% 78% 42% 61% 68% 49% 62% 34% 40% Wrong thing 36 17 50 35 29 42 32 55 55 DK/NA 6 5 8 4 3 10 6 11 5 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... 50- 100- AGE IN YRS.............. <50k 100k 250k >250k 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Right thing 48% 67% 69% 75% 47% 65% 61% 49% Wrong thing 45 29 26 21 51 30 32 41 DK/NA 7 4 6 4 2 4 6 10 PRES VOTE.......... Bush/ Kerry/ Bush/ NoColl Coll Wht WtBrnAgn McCain Obama Obama Degree Degree Jew Cath Evnglcl Right thing 79% 49% 56% 53% 68% 72% 58% 67% Wrong thing 15 45 39 40 26 25 37 27 DK/NA 5 6 5 7 6 3 5 6
30. Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama's decision to send an additional 17,000 troops to Afghanistan?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Approve 62% 74% 54% 65% 72% 54% 65% 46% 49% Disapprove 31 21 37 30 24 36 29 41 41 DK/NA 7 5 9 6 3 10 6 13 10 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... 50- 100- AGE IN YRS.............. <50k 100k 250k >250k 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Approve 54% 71% 75% 75% 54% 66% 65% 58% Disapprove 39 25 21 21 45 28 28 33 DK/NA 8 5 4 4 1 6 7 10 PRES VOTE.......... Bush/ Kerry/ Bush/ NoColl Coll Wht WtBrnAgn McCain Obama Obama Degree Degree Jew Cath Evnglcl Approve 75% 62% 61% 58% 74% 68% 63% 66% Disapprove 20 29 31 35 21 24 32 29 DK/NA 5 8 7 8 5 8 5 5
31. U.S. commanders in Afghanistan have requested another 13,000 troops for Afghanistan, on top of the 17,000 President Obama just authorized. Do you think President Obama should send the additional 13,000 troops to Afghanistan, or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Yes 47% 61% 34% 50% 59% 36% 50% 29% 28% No 43 30 54 40 33 52 40 55 66 DK/NA 10 9 12 10 8 12 10 16 6 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... 50- 100- AGE IN YRS.............. <50k 100k 250k >250k 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Yes 37% 55% 60% 58% 39% 47% 51% 41% No 53 36 32 28 54 43 40 44 DK/NA 9 9 8 14 7 10 9 14 PRES VOTE.......... Bush/ Kerry/ Bush/ NoColl Coll Wht WtBrnAgn McCain Obama Obama Degree Degree Jew Cath Evnglcl Yes 64% 39% 46% 43% 54% 51% 45% 53% No 28 47 44 48 33 36 46 39 DK/NA 8 14 10 9 13 13 9 9
32. If Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces fighting American troops in Afghanistan, flee across the border into neighboring Pakistan or operate out of camps in Pakistan, should U.S. troops attack them there or not?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Yes 48% 56% 42% 49% 58% 39% 49% 37% 48% No 35 30 37 36 33 37 36 37 36 DK/NA 17 13 21 14 9 24 16 26 16 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... 50- 100- AGE IN YRS.............. <50k 100k 250k >250k 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Yes 44% 52% 55% 55% 40% 50% 53% 43% No 36 36 31 37 54 35 32 32 DK/NA 20 12 14 8 7 14 15 25 PRES VOTE.......... Bush/ Kerry/ Bush/ NoColl Coll Wht WtBrnAgn McCain Obama Obama Degree Degree Jew Cath Evnglcl Yes 61% 43% 43% 47% 50% 59% 49% 49% No 26 40 38 35 35 25 39 33 DK/NA 14 17 19 18 15 16 12 18
33. Do you think U.S. forces should attack Taliban and Al-Qaeda forces in Pakistan, even if the Pakistan government objects?
Tot Rep Dem Ind Men Wom Wht Blk His Yes 37% 46% 28% 40% 47% 28% 38% 23% 36% No 49 41 54 49 45 52 48 53 51 DK/NA 14 13 18 12 7 20 13 24 13 ANNUAL HOUSEHOLD INCOME... 50- 100- AGE IN YRS.............. <50k 100k 250k >250k 18-29 30-44 45-64 65+ Yes 33% 41% 41% 48% 27% 38% 40% 35% No 50 50 49 45 69 54 46 41 DK/NA 17 9 11 7 4 8 14 25 PRES VOTE.......... Bush/ Kerry/ Bush/ NoColl Coll Wht WtBrnAgn McCain Obama Obama Degree Degree Jew Cath Evnglcl Yes 48% 31% 36% 37% 36% 48% 41% 38% No 39 54 47 48 52 38 47 46 DK/NA 13 15 17 15 12 14 12 16