Poll: Doubts About McCain's View Of Iraq

John McCain's upbeat view of the war in Iraq isn't shared by many Americans, according to a CBS News poll.

McCain's negative ratings have risen this year, and a sizeable number of Americans believe he's painted too rosy a picture of the situation in Iraq.

The poll was conducted before the GOP presidential hopeful made what his campaign called a major speech on Iraq Wednesday at the Virginia Military Institute.

Thirty-nine percent of those polled said McCain's descriptions of U.S. progress in Iraq make things sound like they're going better than they actually are. That's compared with 29 percent who believe McCain, who recently returned from a trip to the war-torn country, is describing the situation in Iraq accurately.

WHEN MCCAIN TALKS ABOUT IRAQ, HE MAKES THINGS SOUND…

Better than they really are
39 percent
Worse than they really are
9 percent
Describing things accurately
29 percent
Don't know/No answer
23 percent

McCain's strong support for the war could have political consequences for him: registered voters' views of McCain have grown more negative this year. Today more voters view him unfavorably than favorably, by 31 to 26 percent. Despite his presidential campaign, however, McCain remains unknown to, or elicits no opinion from 42 percent of voters.

OPINION OF JOHN MCCAIN
(Registered voters)

Favorable
26 percent
Unfavorable
31 percent
Undecided/Haven't heard
42 percent

The poll also found that two-thirds of Americans continue to believe things are going badly in Iraq, about the same number as a month ago but more negative than one year ago.

A majority, 54 percent, is also not optimistic that the U.S. can succeed in Iraq.

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Read the complete CBS News poll results.

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For detailed information on how CBS News conducts public opinion surveys, click here.

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 480 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone April 9-10, 2007. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus five percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

[emhawks]

In 2000, I would have voted for McCain (I'm an Independent), but no more. As many of you know, McCain has a son in Iraq (I believe he's in the Marine's). His position on(& comments about) the Iraq war & his strong support of Bush/Cheney make me wonder if he's loosing his mind or having mini-strokes (transient ischemic attacks--TIA's).
I think he needs an MRI of the brain!

[idlepugilist]

Sen McCain has a fairly unique perspective on war, considering the hell he went through as a pow. I originally believed he would held a more reasoned approach to Iraq than Bush, but now we see he's simply trying to justify his vote for war. On the other hand, it could also be a result of a deal cut with the Bush administration or the RNC to cast their support behind McCain if he'd just talk up the justification for the war and color it all rosey.
Too bad for McCain this war cannot possibly end anytime soon as it is currently being managed, and Bush would like nothing more than to dump his biggest disaster on the next President. Bush can retain a meager amount of dignity as President if he can skate out of the White House without having to see the end of American involvement in his Iraq War.

[idlepugilist]

Sen McCain has a fairly unique perspective on war, considering the hell he went through as a pow. I originally believed he would held a more reasoned approach to Iraq than Bush, but now we see he's simply trying to justify his vote for war. On the other hand, it could also be a result of a deal cut with the Bush administration or the RNC to cast their support behind McCain if he'd just talk up the justification for the war and color it all rosey.
Too bad for McCain this war cannot possibly end anytime soon as it is currently being managed, and Bush would like nothing more than to dump his biggest disaster on the next President. Bush can retain a meager amount of dignity as President if he can skate out of the White House without having to see the end of American involvement in his Iraq War.

[mh4cbs1]

Take the coffins of our dead soldiers and line them up end to end and they will go on and on for 4 miles! Think about it next time you are driving along the highway. For FOUR MILES imagine the coffins rushing past you, each with grieving families, fatherless kids.

BUSH AND CHENEY belon in JAIL for LYING us into this Disaster.

[ajmarine1]

pakaal,

Thank you for your "civil" answer to my question.

You have a good night too.

[bluestardad]

HEY WAS McCain in the Iraqi Parliment today when that bomb went off? POUND THAT UP YOUR STAY THE COURSE REPUBLICAN BACK SIDE BUDDY!

[taddles-2009]

"but there will still be people out there that want to kill us"

Have you bothered to ask why they want to kill us?

We created this problem by getting in on one side of a fight and allienating the other side (Isreal and Palestine). Then we made it worse by ignoring the religeous and social concerns of Muslims. In the 80's we supported Saddam Husein during the Iran-Iraq war and Bin Laden and the Mujahideen during the Soviet Invasion of Afghanistan. We created both of these problem children and then we demonized them and alienated the whole region.

First we need to get out of Iraq because all we are doing there is giving the Jihadists a close visible target. Then we need to invest as much money in rebuilding Iraq and Afghanistan and supporting Democratic leaning governments as we have pissed away on this useless war. We need to use diplomacy and financial carrots to convince the people in the Middle East that we are not there to conquor them and continue the "crusades". We need to grow the fu@k up and act like adults in the region rather than like stupid 6 year old brats who throw a tanturm when they don't get their way.

People don't hate us because we have "freedom" and democracy, they hate us because we are arrogant and elitist and treat them with contempt. If someone came into my neighborhood and killed my friends and forced thier views and ways on me I would hate them too.

[ajmarine1]

Jerryomara,

"AJMarine1 You are a racist pig."

With such a witty and intelligent answer to my question, I really see the errors of my thought process. Thanks for making it so clear.

With the way you explain your point of view you outta go on TV and share your great wisdom with everyone.

[taddles-2009]

8 years ago before your "buddy" GW had his friend Sam Fox, the recess apointed ambassador to Belgium, swift boat you right out of the Repub. nomination you were actualy worth listening too. Now you're nothing but a Bush apologist. The straight talk express is off the tracks and is now the Curve-Ball express.

What a waste, you used to have something important to say, now your just a useless tool.

[interobserv]

"...Voice or no voice, the people can always be brought to the bidding of the leaders. That is easy. All you have to do is to tell them they are being attacked, and denounce the pacifists for lack of patriotism and exposing the country to danger. " - Hermann Goering