Israel is not a Typical Foreign Policy Issue for Most Americans

http://www.theettingerreport.co.il
Ambassador (ret.) Yoram Ettinger, "Second Thought," Jerusalem, Israel

Quinnipiac University Polling Institute

American voters approve 48 - 42 percent of the way Obama is handling foreign policy and approve 49 - 39 percent of the way he is handling the situation in Afghanistan. The U.S. is doing the right thing fighting in Afghanistan, voters say 56 - 36 percent, and eliminating the threat of terrorists operating from Afghanistan is a worthwhile goal for American troops to fight and possibly die for, voters say 61 - 31 percent. HOWEVER:

1. The one negative area in voter appraisal of Obama's foreign policy is that voters disapprove 44 - 35 percent of the way the President is handling the situation between Israel and the Palestinians.

2. Israel benefits, mostly, from non-Jewish voters!

3. Jewish voters, generally supportive of Obama on other issues, turn 67 - 28 percent thumbs down on his handling of Israel and the Palestinians.

4. While 50 percent of Jews see Obama as a strong supporter of Israel, only 23 percent of Protestants and 35 percent of Roman Catholics see it that way. One explanation may just be that the President's low overall approval among Protestants and Catholics contributes to this disparity.

5. American voters say 57 - 13 percent that their sympathies lie with Israel.

6. Americans say 66 - 19 percent that the President of the United States should be a strong supporter of Israel.

7. Voters say 42 - 34 percent that Obama is not a strong supporter of Israel.

8. Only 16 percent of Republicans and 33 percent of independents think the President is a strong supporter of Israel, while 53 percent of Democrats do. The wealthier and older the voter, the more likely they are to question Obama's support for Israel. And the racial gap is yawning: 31 percent of white voters, but 54 percent of black voters see him as a strong supporter of Israel.

9. Voters support 70 - 28 percent the U.S. and Russia working to eliminate all nuclear weapons in the world, but they say 87 - 11 percent that such a goal is not realistic. And voters say 25 - 18 percent that Obama's nuclear policy increases, rather than decreases, the chance of nuclear war, while 47 percent say the nuclear policy doesn't make a difference. "American voters like the dream of a world without nuclear weapons, but they believe it is just that - a dream," "But very few voters believe any of this makes the world any safer," Brown added.

10. Voters agree 79 - 17 percent that the biggest threat to U.S. security is the possibility of a terrorist organization obtaining a nuclear weapon.

From April 14 - 19, Quinnipiac University surveyed 1,930 registered voters nationwide with a margin of error of +/- 2.2 percentage points.

12. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling - the situation between Israel and the Palestinians?

POL PHILOSOPHY... PartOfTea

Tot Rep Dem Ind Lib Mod Con PartyQ17

Approve 35% 15% 59% 33% 55% 41% 19% 10%

Disapprove 44 68 19 47 22 33 68 80

DK/NA 21 17 22 20 23 25 13 10

WHITE.............

BrnAgn

Men Wom Evngl Prot Cath Jew Wht Blk

Approve 37% 34% 21% 26% 34% 28% 30% 68%

Disapprove 48 40 58 54 44 67 49 20

DK/NA 15 26 21 20 22 6 22 12

Military NoColl Coll AGE IN YRS.......

Households Degree Degree 18-34 35-54 55+

Approve 30% 33% 41% 40% 36% 32%

Disapprove 54 44 42 38 44 46

DK/NA 16 23 17 22 20 22

TREND: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the situation in Iran?

Apr 22 Oct 7

2010 2009

Approve 44 45

Disapprove 43 39

DK/NA 13 17

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April 21, 2010 - Obama's Bounce Goes Flat

President Barack Obama's job approval, which bounced slightly to a 45 - 46 percent split March 25 in the wake of his health care victory, has flattened out at 44 - 46 percent, his lowest approval rating since his inauguration, according to a Quinnipiac University national poll released today.

"President Barack Obama's approval rating hovers at an all-time low. The White House had predicted passage of the health care overhaul would boost his fortunes, but that has not been the case, and that legislation itself remains decidedly unpopular," said Peter A. Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Congress, which gets a 71 - 20 percent disapproval

But they disapprove 53 - 39 percent of the federal health care overhaul that he recently signed into law.

Voters disapprove 55 - 40 percent of the way Obama is handling the economy and disapprove 55 - 40 percent of the way he is handling health care. By a narrow 42 - 39 percent margin voters trust Obama, rather than congressional Republicans to handle health care.