Rassmussen Poll: 49% of Americans Blame Bush for Iraq War
Reported by Marie Therese - June 24, 2005
Last night Bill O'Reilly waxed enthusiastic about the latest Rasmussen poll showing that 70% of Americans believe that the detainees at Gitmo are being treated well or better than well. What he forgot to mention was the OTHER Rasmussen poll that came out at the same time, the one where 49% of Americans think President Bush is more responsible that Saddam Hussein for starting the war in Iraq.
From the Rasmussen website:
June 23, 2005 -- "Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans say that President Bush is more responsible for starting the War with Iraq than Saddam Hussein. A Rasmussen Reports survey found that 44% take the opposite view and believe Hussein shoulders most of the responsibility.
"In late 2002, months before the fighting began, most Americans thought that Hussein was the one provoking the War. Just one-in-four thought the President was doing the provoking at that time.
"The biggest change in perceptions has come among Democrats."
June 20-21, 2005
Who was more responsible for starting the War in Iraq - Saddam Hussein or President Bush?
Hussein 44%
Bush 49%
As for the Gitmo treatment poll, Rasmussen also noted that
"Partisan differences concerning prisoner treatment are huge. Only 7% of Republicans believe Guantanamo prisoners are treated unfairly. Thirty percent (30%) of Democrats hold that view along with 22% of those not affiliated with either major party
"Forty-five percent (45%) of Republicans say the prisoners are treated better than they deserve. That view is shared by 28% of Democrats."
COMMENT
One curious thing about these polls is that neither of them adds up to 100%. In the case of the Gitmo study, the total was 90%. In the Bush-Hussein poll the total was 89%.
What about the missing votes? Aren't they important? How can I make an accurate assessment of the mood of the country if, for instance, 10% of the respondents told Rasmussen to "drop dead" or were indifferent? Wouldn't this be important information?
