Looks like Cheney's fear tour isn't working. Also 64% Approval Rating
Even so, the latest Associated Press-GfK survey also shows that Obama enjoys broad confidence that he can effectively handle terrorism in an era when many people say they still fear becoming a victim and when a swath of the public shares the views of Obama's Republican predecessor, George W. Bush.
At the same time, Obama hasn't lost support — he has a strong 64 percent job-approval rating — and nearly half of Americans still think the country's headed in the right direction. That's despite bipartisan rebukes of the new president's ordered closure of the detention center in Cuba and former Vice President Dick Cheney's sustained criticism of Obama's approach to terrorism.
The issues emerged in the poll as intensely partisan, with viewpoints largely split along ideological lines.
"To uphold the integrity of our Constitution for ourselves and for the world, it is important" that the U.S. close the Guantanamo prison, said Diana Jones, 68, a Democrat from Timonium, Md., who has faith in Obama's terror-fighting abilities. Countered Steve Marsh, 50, a Republican from Guntersville, Ala., who doesn't think Obama is strong enough on terrorism: "I'd just rather see them there than see them here on our soil."
The AP-GfK poll shows most Americans have faith in him, with 70 percent saying they are confident of Obama's ability to address terrorism. Nearly all Democrats, two-thirds of independents and just over a third of Republicans express confidence.
Nearly eight years after terrorists struck on U.S. soil, more than a third of Americans say they worry about the chance that they or their relatives might fall victim to a terrorist attack — essentially unchanged from 35 percent five years ago.
The poll also shows potential areas of political vulnerability for Obama, indicating he must walk a fine line as he seeks to both protect the country and turn the page on Bush's national security policies.
Some 52 percent of people say torture can be at least sometimes justified to obtain information about terrorist activities from suspects, an increase from 38 percent in 2005 when the AP last asked the question. More than two-thirds of Republicans say torture can be justified compared with just over a third of Democrats.
"Sometimes you got to do what you got to do," said Jean Kraft, 69, a Democrat from Pompano Beach, Fla. Still, she added: "I truly don't think we should" torture.
On Obama's plan to close Guantanamo, 47 percent approve, while 47 percent disapprove. Most Republicans disapprove, while most Democrats approve. Independents are evenly divided.
Leann Wills, 35, a Republican from Muleshoe, Texas, is among those who oppose closure, saying: "You know the old saying, if it's not broke, don't fix it. So why should we close if it's been working for us all of these years?"
http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jQyN-2FhUXCnyJ5L6YG3ZQn2E1JQD98JF5I00Looks like the Democrats leaving Obama hanging by the balls on Gitmo has posioned the minds of people.
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