Voters to Obama: Thumbs Down on Your Israel Policy

p://www.commentarymagazine.com/blogs/index.php/rubin/370206

Voters to Obama: Thumbs Down on Your Israel Policy

Jennifer Rubin - 10.08.2010 - 11:33 AM
Bill Kristol highlights a new poll concerning voters’ attitudes toward Israel. As he explains:
The American people strongly support the state of Israel, and want their elected representatives to do so as well. An astounding 93 percent of those polled say the United States should be concerned about the security of the state of Israel. A majority—54 percent—say the U.S. should be “very concerned” about Israel’s security.
But once again, there is a sharp divide between the right and left:
Among those intending to vote Republican this fall, 69 percent would be more likely to vote for a candidate who was pro-Israel, 15 percent would be less likely—a margin of 54 percent. On the other hand, among Democratic voters, the pro-Israel margin is only 7 percent—40 percent of Democratic voters are more likely to vote for a pro-Israel candidate, 33 percent are less likely. Conservatives (and Tea Party sympathizers) mirror Republicans; their pro-Israel margins are also over 50 percent. The margin among self-described liberals is only 5 percent. And while Fox News fans are very pro-Israel, by 73 percent to 16 percent, devotees of the New York Times are actually negative on Israel, by 30 percent to 35 percent.
The bottom line: The public is strongly pro-Israel. But the public consists basically of two groups. The GOP/conservative/Fox News-viewing part of the public is overwhelmingly pro-Israel. The Democratic/liberal/New York Times-reading part of America is … comme-ci, comme-ca.
The full poll results are here. The poll and the accompanying cross tabs, while lengthy, are worth delving into. There are many nuggets to keep political junkies busy for some time. I’ll highlight a few items (rounding up the percentages for ease of reading) and will discuss more in future posts.
First, the sample seems to be tilted in the Democrats’ favor. There is a four-point generic lead for the GOP (compared with 5.7 points in the RealClearPolitics average). That seems to be the result of a healthy sampling of Democrats (40 percent of those surveyed). Still, the numbers for the president are quite poor: 55 percent would consider voting for someone else, and 52 percent disapprove of his overall performance. While a majority approve of his handling of foreign policy (51 to 45 percent), opinion on his handling of Israel is negative (44 percent disapprove, 43 percent approve).
The public gives thumbs down on Obama’s approach to Israel. A large plurality (43 to 30 percent) think Obama is harming Israel’s security, and by a 52 to 30 percent margin, voters think Obama is less friendly than past presidents. By a 54 to 27 percent margin, voters disapprove of Obama’s public criticism of Israel but not the Palestinians.
The poll also tests some J Streetisms. Guess what? Americans aren’t buying what Soros Street is peddling. Do Israel’s policies force Palestinians to become terrorists? By a 59 to 27 percent margin, voters say no. Are they “strongly opposed to an attack by the U.S. or Israel on Iran”? Only 35 percent say they are; 53 percent seem to think it might be a good idea. Only 12 percent hold Israel and its West Bank policies responsible for the conflict; 57 percent say it is the Palestinians’ fault. Nor do they sign on to the notion that a peace deal will diminish Arab hostility toward the U.S. Eighty-two percent say Arabs will find other excuses.
And it seems that Israel matters, at least according to this poll, in deciding between candidates. Fifty-four percent say they couldn’t vote for a candidate with whom they agreed on other policies if he were anti-Israel.
Finally, voters are extremely hawkish on Iran and skeptical of Obama’s handling of the regime. Seventy-eight percent don’t think Obama’s policies will prevent Iran from going nuclear. Fifty-nine percent would support an Israeli attack on Iran if sanctions don’t work. Sixty-three percent would consider this an act of self-defense.
So far, Obama’s Israel and Iran policies are ineffective and politically unpopular. Maybe with new advisers and an eye on 2012, he can be persuaded to adjust his policies to get in line with the pro-Zionist nation he leads.