American Perspectives
The Washington Post and ABC released another joint poll today. It is important to note that the random sample was American adults, not registered or likely voters. So while this is a very good representation of what Americans think as a whole, it may differ quite a bit from what likely voters think. Despite this limitation, I think it speaks volumes about the 2004 election. I have made charts from the four questions I found most illuminating.
Note: My nice web software is still packed and I'm pasting in the pictures from blogger. Some of the charts look sloppy this way, so I have also inserted links to a full-size chart in each description.
The first chart simply tracks President Bush's approval (and disapproval) ratings since he took office. The graph allows you to immediately see the impact of 9/11 on his ratings. As any American would expect - although this perplexes many from other cultures - Americans immediately supported President Bush and his war on terror. However, by the time the war to Liberate Iraq was started, most of this bounce was gone. I think President Bush gained a permanent 5 to 10 points of approval based upon his response to 9/11, but the massive jump in ratings was a temporary phenomenon. However, President Bush's ratings are still extremely high and will pose major problems for any potential challenger.
The second chart shows that over 60% of the American public believe that liberating Iraq was good for the United States. This is especially interesting given the way the question was worded. It does not ask if we did the right thing; only the most blinded leftist would still claim the world would be a better place if Saddam were still in power. But the question asks is the United States better off and the majority still agree. Only 33% disagree. And how strong is that disagreement?
The third chart shows that most of those who disagreed that the war was good for the US would change their minds if more Weapons of Mass Destruction are found. Only 11% would still maintain that the war was unjust. I found this to be the most promising and interesting response in the entire questionnaire. It shows that the American people have a better understanding of the world than most pundits would credit. It also implies that the Democrats will have absolutely no chance of winning the White House in 2004 if more WMDs are found in Iraq.
In another example of how Americans do pay attention to world events that impact their security, the fourth and final chart shows that the majority of Americans would support military action against Iran if it were needed to prevent them from developing nuclear weapons. I am sure the results of this poll will be seen by the Iranian leaders. Not only do they have to deal with pressure from President Bush, but now the American people are ready to support military intervention. Wonderful! I remain hopeful that the Iranian government will fall without the need for US military intervention. I am also proud that most of my fellow Americans have a realistic perspective of national security despite the ignorance of many pundits in the mainstream media.
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