Exit Polls: Americans Strongly Favor Withdrawal From Iraq
Here's a simple explanation for why the GOP got routed on Election Day: Republicans were insisting that American troops should stay in Iraq, but the voters strongly disagreed — they want out. Exit polls show that a solid majority of voters — 58% — voiced support for withdrawing "some" or "all" of the troops, while only 38% of voters supported keeping the same troop level or sending more. (No timeframe was given for withdrawal in the question.) And here's a look at voter support for withdrawal in states with key Senate races:
* Virginia: Withdrawal has a 52%-40% advantage* Ohio: Withdrawal leads 57%-39%
* Virginia: Withdrawal is favored 52%-40%
* Missouri: Withdrawal is up 50%-44%
* New Jersey: Withdrawal 62%-32%
* Pennsylvania: Withdrawal 60%-36%
* Tennessee: Withdrawal 46%-41%
* Rhode Island: Withdrawal 69%-26%
* Montana: Withdrawal 50%-44%
* Maryland: Withdrawal 62%-32%
And here's the most mystifying one of all: In Connecticut, where the Senator who opposes withdrawal solidly beat back a challenger who supports it, voters back withdrawal by...63%-31%.
It is the Land of Steady Habits after all.
Is there a cross-tab with how many voters in favor of withdrawal voted for Lieberman?
November 10, 2006 1:39 PM | Reply | Permalink
Err, pretty much 100% of voters - and politicians - support "withdrawal" of US troops from Iraq at some stage, including Senator Lieberman and President Bush. I supported the military action in Iraq - still do - but do I believe US troops should be there forever? No I do not.
The question has always been when, with the most likely option being a commencement of withdrawal towards the end of next year.
This poll is, hence, utterly meaningless; and as the Democrats have absolutely nothing coherent to say about this, the less you brag about such absurd polls, the better.
November 12, 2006 8:38 PM | Reply | Permalink