| Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #18318 |
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Tough Sell on Afghanistan: Both Those who Watched Obama Primetime Speech & Those Who Did Not Say War Not Worth Fighting:
President Obama may have comforted a few voters in a primetime televised speech on Afghanistan, but both those who watched the speech and those who did not are wary, according to SurveyUSA's first post-speech reaction poll, conducted in the state of CA. * A majority both of those who watched the speech and those who did not watch the speech say the war in Afghanistan has not been worth fighting. Those who watched the speech are Plus 7 on Obama's handling of Afghanistan, compared to Minus 3 among those who did not watch the speech. * Of those who watched, a plurality say the President's timeline for troop withdrawal is "just right." Of those who did not watch, a plurality say Obama's timeline is "not fast enough." 43% of Republicans and 46% of Conservatives say the President is withdrawing troops "too fast." * Among those who watched the speech, 18% say America will soon emerge a winner in Afghanistan, but 47% say there will never be a clear winner. By contrast, of those who did not watch, 10% say America will emerge the victor, but 58% say there will never be a clear winner. Of the 1,000 state of CA adults interviewed 06/22/11, 388 (39%) watched the speech. Speech watchers were: 37% Republican, 46% Democrat, 33% Independent. |
| 1 | Do you approve or disapprove of the way President Obama is handling the situation in Afghanistan? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Hear Speech | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Region | ||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian/Ot | Yes | No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | Central | Greater | Inland E | Bay Area | |
| Approve | 44% | 41% | 48% | 42% | 46% | 50% | 40% | 44% | 46% | 36% | 64% | 50% | 53% | 51% | 40% | 18% | 64% | 35% | 24% | 49% | 56% | 35% | 52% | 43% | 40% |
| Disapprove | 43% | 51% | 34% | 40% | 44% | 43% | 45% | 42% | 44% | 53% | 29% | 34% | 29% | 44% | 43% | 69% | 25% | 49% | 66% | 39% | 28% | 54% | 38% | 46% | 38% |
| Not Sure | 13% | 8% | 18% | 18% | 10% | 7% | 15% | 14% | 11% | 11% | 7% | 16% | 18% | 5% | 17% | 13% | 12% | 16% | 9% | 12% | 16% | 11% | 10% | 11% | 22% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 35% | 31% | 20% | 15% | 66% | 34% | 51% | 6% | 28% | 15% | 39% | 56% | 24% | 42% | 27% | 24% | 36% | 24% | 20% | 41% | 17% | 22% |
| 2 | Which of these 4 statements best describes the situation in Afghanistan: America will emerge soon as the clear winner. The Taliban will emerge soon as the clear winner. It will be years until we know who won. There will never be a clear winner. |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Hear Speech | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Region | ||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian/Ot | Yes | No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | Central | Greater | Inland E | Bay Area | |
| America Will Win | 14% | 14% | 14% | 15% | 12% | 12% | 18% | 13% | 14% | 9% | 34% | 20% | 9% | 18% | 10% | 15% | 18% | 8% | 17% | 11% | 12% | 16% | 15% | 17% | 7% |
| Taliban Will Win | 3% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 4% | 4% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 16% | 1% | 0% | 5% | 1% | 3% | 2% | 5% | 4% | 3% | 2% | 4% | 5% | 1% | 1% |
| Years Until We Know | 29% | 29% | 29% | 26% | 25% | 34% | 36% | 26% | 35% | 28% | 23% | 30% | 31% | 30% | 29% | 39% | 26% | 23% | 32% | 29% | 24% | 26% | 30% | 25% | 31% |
| Never Be a Clear Winner | 53% | 51% | 55% | 57% | 57% | 48% | 43% | 57% | 45% | 59% | 26% | 47% | 57% | 47% | 58% | 42% | 53% | 63% | 47% | 57% | 61% | 52% | 49% | 56% | 59% |
| Not Sure | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 2% | 0% | 2% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 35% | 31% | 20% | 15% | 66% | 34% | 51% | 6% | 28% | 15% | 39% | 56% | 24% | 42% | 27% | 24% | 36% | 24% | 20% | 41% | 17% | 22% |
| 3 | During the next 18 months, should the United States ... send more troops to Afghanistan? ... Bring troops home from Afghanistan? Or leave the Afghanistan troops in place? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Hear Speech | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Region | ||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 2.8 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian/Ot | Yes | No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | Central | Greater | Inland E | Bay Area | |
| Send More Troops | 6% | 9% | 4% | 5% | 10% | 5% | 5% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 16% | 3% | 10% | 9% | 5% | 9% | 3% | 9% | 10% | 7% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 4% | 7% |
| Bring Troops Home | 72% | 68% | 75% | 77% | 68% | 67% | 73% | 73% | 70% | 68% | 70% | 79% | 72% | 70% | 72% | 53% | 82% | 71% | 52% | 73% | 80% | 70% | 70% | 76% | 74% |
| Leave The Troops In Place | 19% | 21% | 17% | 16% | 20% | 24% | 18% | 18% | 21% | 22% | 11% | 16% | 16% | 20% | 19% | 34% | 13% | 18% | 32% | 18% | 13% | 21% | 20% | 19% | 15% |
| Not Sure | 3% | 2% | 4% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 2% | 4% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 2% | 2% | 3% | 4% | 2% | 3% | 5% | 2% | 3% | 3% | 3% | 1% | 3% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 35% | 31% | 20% | 15% | 66% | 34% | 51% | 6% | 28% | 15% | 39% | 56% | 24% | 42% | 27% | 24% | 36% | 24% | 20% | 41% | 17% | 22% |
| 4 | President Obama plans to bring 10,000 soldiers home from Afghanistan by the end of 2011 ... and an additional 23,000 soldiers home by the end of summer 2012. Is the president withdrawing troops ... too fast? Not fast enough? Or is the president's timetable just right? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Hear Speech | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Region | ||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian/Ot | Yes | No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | Central | Greater | Inland E | Bay Area | |
| Too Fast | 23% | 29% | 17% | 16% | 26% | 25% | 27% | 21% | 26% | 27% | 23% | 17% | 18% | 23% | 23% | 43% | 10% | 29% | 46% | 23% | 12% | 25% | 24% | 23% | 17% |
| Not Fast Enough | 34% | 37% | 31% | 35% | 31% | 34% | 38% | 33% | 36% | 36% | 28% | 35% | 26% | 30% | 37% | 34% | 33% | 36% | 27% | 30% | 38% | 39% | 28% | 39% | 35% |
| Timetable Is Just Right | 39% | 31% | 45% | 44% | 39% | 36% | 28% | 42% | 32% | 31% | 47% | 46% | 49% | 43% | 34% | 17% | 53% | 30% | 21% | 42% | 47% | 31% | 44% | 34% | 40% |
| Not Sure | 5% | 3% | 7% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 7% | 5% | 6% | 6% | 2% | 2% | 7% | 4% | 6% | 7% | 3% | 6% | 6% | 5% | 3% | 5% | 4% | 5% | 8% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 35% | 31% | 20% | 15% | 66% | 34% | 51% | 6% | 28% | 15% | 39% | 56% | 24% | 42% | 27% | 24% | 36% | 24% | 20% | 41% | 17% | 22% |
| 5 | All things considered, has the war in Afghanistan been worth fighting? Or not? |
| 1000 Adults | All | Gender | Age | <50 / 50+ | Race | Hear Speech | Party Affiliation | Ideology | Region | ||||||||||||||||
| Credibility Interval: ± 3.2 pct points | Male | Female | 18-34 | 35-49 | 50-64 | 65+ | 18-49 | 50+ | White | Black | Hispanic | Asian/Ot | Yes | No | Republic | Democrat | Independ | Conserva | Moderate | Liberal | Central | Greater | Inland E | Bay Area | |
| Worth Fighting | 35% | 41% | 30% | 31% | 38% | 45% | 26% | 34% | 37% | 39% | 38% | 30% | 31% | 39% | 34% | 54% | 29% | 30% | 50% | 36% | 24% | 41% | 37% | 34% | 28% |
| Not Worth Fighting | 54% | 53% | 54% | 60% | 49% | 45% | 57% | 55% | 50% | 50% | 43% | 61% | 55% | 51% | 55% | 35% | 60% | 58% | 39% | 54% | 66% | 49% | 52% | 56% | 59% |
| Not Sure | 11% | 6% | 16% | 9% | 12% | 10% | 17% | 10% | 13% | 11% | 18% | 9% | 14% | 10% | 11% | 11% | 11% | 12% | 11% | 10% | 10% | 10% | 11% | 10% | 13% |
| Total | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% | 100% |
| Composition of Adults | 100% | 49% | 51% | 35% | 31% | 20% | 15% | 66% | 34% | 51% | 6% | 28% | 15% | 39% | 56% | 24% | 42% | 27% | 24% | 36% | 24% | 20% | 41% | 17% | 22% |