FAIR Media Views
On how the Iraq War could play out in an Obama-McCain presidential matchup:New public opinion polling suggests the war is more a wild card than a slam dunk for either side. While voters still see the invasion of Iraq as a mistake, they are divided about the current course of the war and where to go from here. McCain continues to be favored as the candidate most trusted on the issue—albeit with a statistically insignificant edge. But most Americans favor Obama's central position, withdrawing combat forces.
So the public thinks the war is a mistake, and they want the troops out. That could really benefit McCain.... how? Such a tendentious reading of the polls is typical Weisman: yes, people are divided—but only between withdraw right now and withdraw soon. A Quinnipiac University Poll of May 812 found 22 percent of respondents wanting to "withdraw ASAP" and 48 percent desiring to "set a timetable," while just 28 percent would "keep troops as long as needed." Which means that, assuming people are voting on Iraq policy, Obama basically gets 70 percent and McCain gets 28. But somehow it's supposedly not a slam dunk for either candidate.
Some other recent polling:
CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll, April 28-30, 2008:
Send more/Keep same number: 29 percent
Withdraw some/Withdraw all: 68 percent
CBS News/New York Times Poll. April 25-29, 2008
Would you prefer the next president try to end the Iraq war within the next year or two, no matter what? 62 percent
or continue to fight the Iraq war as long as they felt it was necessary? 34 percent.
