Elon Poll: U.N. support crucial to military action in Iraq [Plus John Edwards approval rating]

Elon University Poll ^ | 02/21/2003 | Elon University

[JohnnyZ]

Nearly half of North Carolinians are opposed to U.S. military action in Iraq without the backing of the United Nations Security Council, while support for John Edwards' presidential candidacy has increased slightly since October 2002.

Those are among the findings of a new Elon University Poll, conducted Feb. 18-20 by the Elon Institute for Politics and Public Affairs. The poll sampled the opinions of 517 adults in the state and has a margin of error of ± 4.4 percent.

While 67 percent of those surveyed support using military force to remove Saddam Hussein, the poll found opposition to the war has increased since November. Twenty-six percent said they oppose attacks on Iraq, compared with 19 percent in a November Elon University Poll.

Support fluctuates, however, depending on the circumstances surrounding the war. Forty-nine percent of North Carolinians oppose an attack without approval from the U.N. Security Council, while 42 percent said they would support the attacks without such approval. Only 56 percent of respondents supported an attack involving a large number of American ground troops.

[JohnnyZ]

From the data accompanying the news release:

Senator Edwards’ Approval Ratings
I would like to ask your opinion of the job that John Edwards is doing as a United States senator from North Carolina. Do you...

Strongly approve 8.3% (Sept 2002: 7.1%) Approve 30.2% (36.4%)
Neither approve nor disapprove 27.7% (21.7%)
Disapprove 13.7% (10.7%)
Strongly disapprove 8.5% (8.9%)
Don't know 8.5% (11.7%)
No response 1.2% (1.3%)

Total Responses 507

Slight drop in Johnny Edwards' support in NC over the past 6 months . . . aw, geez, ya hate to see that!

[wimpycat]

Poll: Most in NC Favor War

That's funny, because the poll referenced in the N&O, the poll taken of likely voters says something quite different:

The poll results were based on telephone interviews with 607 likely voters Sunday through Wednesday and have a margin of error of plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Of those interviewed, 68 percent supported using military force against Iraq, 30 percent opposed it, and 2 percent were uncertain.

While 57 percent supported going to war with Iraq even without U.N. Security Council approval, 32 percent were opposed, and 11 percent were uncertain.

[Coop]

Forty-nine percent of North Carolinians oppose an attack without approval from the U.N. Security Council,

Well, fortunately the U.S. already has authorization from UNSCR 1441. :-)

[JohnnyZ]

From this same Elon Poll:

"Would you support an attack if the United States was able to assemble a coalition of allies, including Arab nations, that supported an attack?

Support: 78%
Not Support: 14.5%

It's all in how the question is framed.

Link to Poll Data

[JohnnyZ]

Johnny Ping

I'm more interested in the Edwards and Easley numbers. Edwards' approve disapprove has gone from 43.5%-19.6% to 38.5%-22.2% since September.

Governor Easley Approval Ratings

3.7% Strongly approve (Sept 2002: 3.8%)
41.2% Approve (37.0%)
18.6% Neither approve nor disapprove (16.0%)
18.4% Disapprove (19.2%)
7.9% Strongly disapprove (7.6%)
7.2% Don't know (12.1%)
1.0% No response (2.2%)

[jusam]

PRINCETON, NJ -- The latest Gallup Poll finds that overall public support for military action against Iraq has faded slightly from the recent high point registered shortly after Secretary of State Colin Powell's speech to the U.N. Security Council on Feb. 5, but remains in solid majority territory at 59%. However, Americans continue to want international cooperation for such action. Support for war without a new U.N. vote authorizing it is only 30%, down 9 points from a poll conducted Feb. 7-9.

http://www.freerepublic.com/perl/post?id=848797%2C4

[JohnnyZ]

Look, folks, I don't care about Iraq poll numbers, but that was what the press release said.

What's more important are the approval #s for Governor Easley and Senator Edwards and what they mean for Election 2004.

[LdSentinal]

Go Richard Burr!!! Smash the pretty boy!!!

[Kuksool]

It looks like an odd turn of events in NC politics. I used to think Gov. Easley was the vulnerable one, and Sen. Edwards had Senate re-election locked up. Now it appears that Gov. Easley is improving his chances of surviving re-electon in 2004. Whereas Sen. Edwards's presidential run is doing nowhere and his Senate seat in play. I hope Rep. Burr reveals to the NC folks just how far John Edwards strayed from his small town values that even the Yellow Dogs of East Carolina will vote for the GOP ticket in 2004.