Obama, Tehran and American Public Opinion

untitled5Sixty-two percent (62%) of U.S. voters say Iran should be required to stop developing its nuclear weapons capabilities before a meeting is allowed between the Iranian president and the president of the United States, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

This finding is up six points - from 56% - in late January just after President Obama signaled a willingness to talk to his Iranian counterpart without preconditions. A year ago, 59% agreed with the Bush administration position that Iran must stop its nuclear weapons program before direct talks were possible.

Just 23% of voters now say a meeting between the two presidents should go ahead without any preconditions, and 15% are not sure. Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans and 60% of voters not affiliated with either major party believe Iran must first halt its nuclear weapons production. Democrats are more closely divided, with 49% favoring this precondition but 31% saying it’s not necessary.

Conservatives are nearly twice as likely as liberals to say Iran must halt its nuclear weapons program before talks between Obama and Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad are possible. 

Obama last week for the first time said Iran should be allowed to have a nuclear program, provided it is for peaceful purposes only. While Iran insists its efforts are aimed at energy development, the United Nation’s nuclear watchdog agency, the United States and most of its allies believe the Islamic nation is trying to develop nuclear weapons.

Nearly four-out-of-five voters believe Iran’s nuclear program is for weapons development. The majority also believe Iran is an enemy of the United States.

Sixty-six percent (66%) of voters say preventing Iran from getting nuclear weapons is more important than preventing war between Iran and Israel. Israel has threatened to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities if it continues building weapons. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans say the United States should help Israel if it launches an attack against Iran, but 37% believe the United States should do nothing.

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Junio 30, 2009 · Filed Under GENERAL

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Obama’s Leadership: Declining and Declining

untitled2Fifty-one percent (51%) of U.S. voters say President Obama is a good or excellent leader. While still positive, that number is down from 55% last month and is the lowest level found since he took office in January. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey shows that 27% of voters now see him as a poor leader, up three points from May and also the highest percentage of disapproval since his inauguration.

It’s still to early to say whether Obama’s leadership numbers this month are a statistical blip or the beginning of a trend. Today’s results in the Daily Presidential Tracking poll show the president receiving the highest level of strong disapproval and the lowest overall rating recorded since he took office.

While 58% of Democrats see Obama as an excellent leader, 47% of Republicans rate his leadership as poor. Forty-three percent (43%) of voters not affiliated with either part give the president good or excellent marks. The same survey also shows that nearly a third of voters (32%) see Obama’s leadership style as being too cooperative. That’s down slightly from May. The plurality (48%) says his leadership style is about right. Only 13% think Obama is too confrontational.

Interestingly, the plurality of Republicans (45%) thinks Obama’s leadership style is too cooperative, a result that has remained steady over the past month. Three-out-of-four Democrats (75%) see his leadership style as about right, a view shared by the plurality (42%) of unaffiliated voters. Just prior to the president’s speech in Cairo, Egypt aimed at mending relations between the Muslim world and the United States, only 28% of voters said that relationship will be better a year from now.

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Junio 29, 2009 · Filed Under INTERNATIONAL

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Rajoy busca a los mejores: ¿sabrá encontrarlos?

untitled7Es uno de los mensajes centrales que Mariano Rajoy lanza este fin de semana en la ciudad de Valencia, donde ha hilvanado un discurso probablemente más en clave interna de lo esperado y probablemente más franco y explícito de lo esperado. Lo ha hecho tocando temas y nombres que eran casi tabúes en el Partido Popular que emergía hace un año. No todos los temas, no todos los nombres porque como era previsible, esto sí, no hubo rastro ni de corrupciones varias ni de Bárcenas varios.

Rajoy pide que se pase la página de las viejas heridas, de las viejas historias y si es menester de las viejas batallas y refriegas. Dice que en el partido no sobra nadie y que para alcanzar La Moncloa buscará a los mejores y se rodeará de ellos. ¿Dónde están? ¿Los encontrará? ¿Serán verdaderamente los mejores los que Mariano Rajoy cree que son los mejores?

Junio 28, 2009 · Filed Under NATIONAL

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Año I después de Valencia: haber/debe>saldo

1305299w“Me queda cuerda para rato”. Lo dice Rajoy un año después de Valencia. Pero lo que cuentan nuestros políticos, sean del signo que sean, de un tiempo a esta parte no suena igual. Importa poco la letra. A buena parte de los españoles, a los que están viendo a demasiados administradores de lo público meter la mano en la cartera, trincar alegremente y contar millones de euros como el que cuenta los días de la semana, a buena parte le parece que la cosa no está para celebraciones. Más bien está para denunciar sin fatiga que tenemos una casta política que, en términos generales, se ha ganado la desconfianza y el descrédito a pulso. Eso es muy difícil corregirlo. Un año después de Valencia tampoco es fácil corregir la idea, muy extendida entre la militancia del Partido Popular, de que en Génova falla en alguna medida el liderazgo y falla en gran medida la estrategia. Si se quieren ganar unas generales, claro.

Junio 27, 2009 · Filed Under GENERAL

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Military Tribunals against Al Qaeda? Yes, please

militarytribunalap_1President Obama’s decision to keep the military commission system in place for the trials of suspected terrorists moves him closer to public opinion on the topic. A survey conducted earlier this year found that 59% believe the suspected terrorists held at the Guantanamo prison should be tried by military tribunals. Just 26% thought they should be tried in U.S. courts.

Two-thirds (69%) said that the suspected terrorists at Guantanamo should not be given all the rights of U.S. citizens.

Obama strongly opposed the tribunals during Election 2008 and temporarily halted their use upon taking office. However, his Administration will now continue with the tribunals for some suspects after putting new guidelines in place. On a related topic, a Senate Committee passed proposed legislation that would ban the transfer of Guantanamo detainees to the United States. That move is also in line with public opinion. Just last month, 75% opposed the release of any Guantanamo inmates in this country.

At the time, National Intelligence Director Dennis Blair also said some of these inmates may receive financial assistance from the government to ease their transition into society. Only 16% thought taxpayers should provide money to the inmates.

President Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo was one of his first acts taken after Inauguration Day. At that time, in late January, voters were evenly divided on the decision. Since then, support for closing the prison camp for suspected terrorists has declined. In April, just 36% supported the decision.

Still, 53% of voters say that the President is doing a good or an excellent job on national security issues and just 38% agree with Dick Cheney’s claim that Obama has made the nation less safe. In all polling on the topic of suspected terrorists, Americans say that safety is more important than fairness.

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Junio 26, 2009 · Filed Under INTERNATIONAL, JIHAD

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