Gallup: Most Americans want president to meet with foreign enemies
posted at 12:49 pm on June 2, 2008 by Allahpundit
Share on Facebook | printer-friendly
Expect this to feature prominently in St. Barack’s next stump speech on this issue. Commenters are noting in the Headlines thread that the questions don’t specify whether the meetings should occur without preconditions; true, if that element had been emphasized we’d surely see more equivocation in the data, but I don’t think it’s a stretch to read the results as more supportive of Obama’s position than McCain’s. The question was unconditional, which, er, by definition implies that the people who answered yes weren’t too hung up about conditions. Maverick wants more leverage before the two sides chat — international divestment, new sanctions — and doubtless would demand some sort of substantive gesture of goodwill from Iran (like temporary suspension of enrichment) before he met with them. Is that really what the 58% of independents who support meeting with Iran had in mind? Bring ‘em to their knees first, then negotiate? That’s a lot to infer in Gallup’s question.
Even so, notwithstanding his penchant of late for blowing with the political winds, I doubt we’ll see St. Barack abandon his incoherent new negotiations policy. He’s 20 points down to McCain already on national security and has nothing except his early Iraq war opposition (and super keen surge insights) to try to close that gap. Purchashing toughness on the cheap by pounding the table about “preparations” is a way to hold the line.
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Blowback
Note from Hot Air management: This section is for comments from Hot Air's community of registered readers. Please don't assume that Hot Air management agrees with or otherwise endorses any particular comment just because we let it stand. A reminder: Anyone who fails to comply with our terms of use may lose their posting privilege.
Trackbacks/Pings
Trackback URL
Comments
Comment pages:
WE definitely need to teach more history to our citizens.
bbz123 on June 2, 2008 at 12:52 PM
They didn’t ask me….
Kini on June 2, 2008 at 12:52 PM
Whenever I see so many people say something so stupid, I think of a classic passage from the South Park truther episode.
malan89 on June 2, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Did Gallup bother to ask the people they polled here is they could define the word “enemy”?
pilamaye on June 2, 2008 at 12:55 PM
anybody here get a call from Gallup?… I didn’t….. until otherwise this is BS
MNDavenotPC on June 2, 2008 at 12:55 PM
Meet as in “say hello to my little friend”?
All for it.
bbz123 on June 2, 2008 at 12:57 PM
Only lonely losers who have a land-line at home and answer incoming calls fromunknown or withheld phone #s get surveyed, so who gives an damn what the results are?
omnipotent on June 2, 2008 at 12:58 PM
They asked if someone supported meeting with the enemy. I, for one, would answer “yes” to that question. I support meeting them, but with preconditions.
amerpundit on June 2, 2008 at 12:59 PM
National security is not a matter for public opinion polls.
bnelson44 on June 2, 2008 at 1:00 PM
So true, the last call I ever got was from Rasmussen during the Florida Primary.
Squid Shark on June 2, 2008 at 1:01 PM
Right, I’m pretty sure everyone here supports meeting with Iran and North Korea and Venezuela. With preconditions. That’s always been the sticking point. Man, Gallup sucks.
Enrique on June 2, 2008 at 1:01 PM
If only we had a fair media, then the Messiah wouldn’t get further then “the latest gallup says…” before someone cut him off and noticed its not supporting his posistion. An accurate question would be “Should the US President meet with state sponsors of terrosim without precondition?”.
Zaggs on June 2, 2008 at 1:01 PM
The key to getting the answer they want is to put “generally speaking” in front of it. People think they’re being asked, “should we try talking before we go to war?” That’s probably the question people think they’re answering. Not “should we give Ahmadinejad a photo op that boosts his status and costs him nothing?” That question would have a different result.
RBMN on June 2, 2008 at 1:02 PM
I think McCain and Clinton have overplayed the appeasement card against Obama. Yeah, Roosevelt did not sit down with Hitler and Tojo, but Nixon did sit down with Mao and Reagan did sit down with Gorbachev — and both turned out to be hugely successful moves.
Even the quintessential appeaser, Neville Chamberlain’s mistake is often misunderstood. His huge error was not that he met with Hitler but that he caved in to him.
It is, of course, infinitely more gratifying to talk to the Canadian PM about salmon overfishing and timber exports, but the sad truth is that the fundamental issues of our national security tend to involve our enemies, not our friends.
factoid on June 2, 2008 at 1:04 PM
This lacks any shred of credibility. Especially since it’s pretty clear that the topic was chosen specifically on Barack Hussein Obama’s behalf. This stinks to high heaven!
HotJavaJack on June 2, 2008 at 1:04 PM
Lets title this article right. Poll of 1000 people say we should do this NOT that most Americans do.
JeffinSac on June 2, 2008 at 1:05 PM
The question is: Can the Community Organizer™ throw the table under the bus?
mred on June 2, 2008 at 1:06 PM
Not without preparations dammit! I’m talking food, music, decorations…if these things are not figured out beforehand, then there can be no talks!!!!
WisCon on June 2, 2008 at 1:07 PM
Oh so that’s why I didn’t get asked. Heh.
HawaiiLwyr on June 2, 2008 at 1:11 PM
The Way McCain should phrase the debate with Obama over Ahmedinejad is as follows: “Senator Obama, When you meet with Ahmedinejad, will you welcome him as a head of state with the marine band playing for him?” Question 2) When you meet with Ahmedinejad will you allow him to walk over the same porch where Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt walked?” Question 3) will you have a state dinner for Ahmedinejad?
4)Will you discuss with Ahmedinejad his claims that the holocaust never happened and do you think this is a legitimate topic for serious discussion? If Obama thinks that the answer to question four is yes, then he is even more delusional than I thought.
Larraby on June 2, 2008 at 1:11 PM
Change the generics to specifics and re-ask the question — Do you want the president to talk with Ahmadinejad if he continues to advocate the destruction of Israel? — and then come back with the results.
jon1979 on June 2, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Did Gallup bother to ask the people they polled here is they could define the word “enemy”?
pilamaye on June 2, 2008 at 12:55 PM
No. The specific question was: “Generally speaking, do you think it is a good idea or a bad idea for the president of the United States to meet with the president of Iran?”
I think it’s a very reasonable response to say “sure — it’s generally a good idea to talk to people,” hence why even 48% of Republicans said yes. I don’t even think McCain has said he would NEVER meet with Ahmadinejad. But the question is so open-ended and begs so much follow-up (that we apparently don’t get) that it doesn’t tell us very much about what Americans’ preferences really are in this area.
It does, however, give Obama a delightful little sound bite, one I’m sure he’ll parrot for most of June.
Outlander on June 2, 2008 at 1:12 PM
I’m all for unconditional talks once we have Iran by the balls.
mred on June 2, 2008 at 1:12 PM
Most Americans, the last poll I saw said Most Americans don’t give a chit. That’s the real problem. Ignorance.
kirkill on June 2, 2008 at 1:14 PM
Lets do it with the “Big Stick” (USS T. ROOSEVELT) sitting in the Strait of Hormuz.
Squid Shark on June 2, 2008 at 1:17 PM
The US should not only talk to Iran, but the talks should be public and aired live around the world. Let everyone see who is and who is not the reasonable party. I have no doubt that Iran would agree to this.
dave742 on June 2, 2008 at 1:18 PM
Crap, if I was President of the US, I’d sure take to the Pres of Iran…
I’d SUMMON him… put him on the carpet, and demand a cessation of his support for Hirabi things, then tell him to shut the H up… and leave…
Communication can be a wonderful thing…
Romeo13 on June 2, 2008 at 1:19 PM
I’ve said it before – I’ll say it again….
I fail to see how 1,000 people answer some dumb question and the pollsters can attribute their responses to gauge the mindset of 300 million.
False news to fuel the needs of the false prophet.
jrlingreenbay on June 2, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s secret MyIslamicSpace entry:
Hi there fellow Islamic bloggers. My name is Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and I am the great and fearless President of the Islamic Republic of Iran and soon to be the defacto President of Iraq too!
I was was born one of seven children to a humble blacksmith and when I was a child growing up I worked on a farm to earn extra money for my poor father and I got to know a lot of the farm animals very well. I was a real nature boy back then. I was a real animal lover. My favorites were the goats of course. I still have such fond memories of my boyhood.
Later I excelled as a student, earning my master’s degree and a Ph.D in civil engineering. I have only three wifes, but as the leader of such a great Islamic country and soon to be the dominate power in the Middle East I feel that it is time for me to take my fourth wife. If any nice Islamic ladies are reading this you should email me some time soon. You must be between the ages of 12 and 28 years old. If you are under 12 that would be alright too but you must have a note from a male relative of course.
In addition to my important duties as the Great President of the Islamic Republic of Iran I am now working on my post graduate science project, which when completed in a very few years, I will test on Evil Israel and the Great Satin America.
Who I would like to meet … …
In addition to my fourth wife, and remember if you are under 12 years old, you must have a note from a male
relative, I would like to meet other dedicated members of the Great Religion of
SlaughterPeace, Islam of course. We can all get together after work and spend time reading inspiring passages from the Koran and comparing notes on our mutual love of farm animals. We can also go over a list of priority test sites for my developing science project. It will be a blast!MB4 on June 2, 2008 at 1:19 PM
Poll:
Most people want to have their mortgage paid off
Most people want to have a job they can’t be fire from
Most people want a 4 week paid vacation a year
Most people want a new car ever 2 years
Most people want free health care
Most people want whatever they can get without giving anything
Most people haven’t a clue…
right2bright on June 2, 2008 at 1:20 PM
Do you think peace is better than war? Do you think love is better than hate? Generally speaking, do you think standing up is better than falling down? Generally speaking, do you think significant issues can ever be boiled down to simplistic yes/no poll questions? Generally speaking, do you have better things to do than participate in childish exercises like this one?
CK MacLeod on June 2, 2008 at 1:21 PM
So book a flight! Go and take Susan Sarandon with you. It’s a free country, nothing’s stopping you. Oh, and don’t let the door hit you where the good Lord split you.
smellthecoffee on June 2, 2008 at 1:23 PM
Today our friend said:
That’s some nuance. What say you, Mr Obama?
Limerick on June 2, 2008 at 1:23 PM
ah…. the ever present push poll…gotta love it
jerrytbg on June 2, 2008 at 1:25 PM
Agreed. Ignorance drives more and more American lives these days as people sell out to liberalism in order to seem more “open minded” and “fair to all.”
Apparently most of the people who responded to this poll know not history, nor the concept of cause and effect. They say what feels good. I would love to negotiate uncondtionally with my enemies as well – if my enemies weren’t completely feral and immune to reason.
Grafted on June 2, 2008 at 1:27 PM
Oh you meant “really meet with them”?… oh heh.. heh… sure…. of course. All ready on the right….all ready on left…. all ready on the firing line. fire at will…. That’s the only meeting that I’d agree to… Yes, of course, I’m only being infantile and am ignorant of the possible success of said meetings… ala Reagan and Nixon( Obama fits the Chamberlain mold, any way)
MNDavenotPC on June 2, 2008 at 1:47 PM
That’s not fair. I’m neither stupid nor ignorant, and if you asked me such an open-ended, context-free question and only permitted me to give you a one-word response, I’d probably say talking to Iran was a “good” idea too. It’s a bad survey question, not evidence that Americans are dumb.
Our job is to distinguish between legitimate bilateral negotiations with preconditions and the idiotic propaganda summit Obama wants to have (see, e.g., Madeline Albright’s love-fest with Kim Jong-il, which was parodied wonderfully in “Team America” a few years back.)
Outlander on June 2, 2008 at 2:18 PM
You can fool some of the Americans some of the time, but you can fool all the Americans all of the time.
Griz on June 2, 2008 at 3:48 PM
St. Barrack?
I don’t think the “great black hope” for the pagans and wiccans would appreciate you calling him such a horribly discriminatory term such as “saint”…you know that implies that there is such a thing as morality.
RACIST!
SaintOlaf on June 2, 2008 at 4:38 PM
I read in a poll not all that long ago that most Americans supported strategic air strikes against Iran, if it prevented them developing a nuke. It all depends on how you phrase the question. For instance, the US has met with people from both Iran and NK in recent years. But that does not mean the President of the United States should travel to Tehran and take part in one of their Death to America rallies.
Terrye on June 2, 2008 at 5:07 PM
Gallup: Most Americans are stupid.
ThePrez on June 2, 2008 at 5:51 PM
I guess Gallup called Zogby.
2Tru2Tru on June 2, 2008 at 5:53 PM
If this “poll” is close to being accurate, then it just confirms to me that most people are stupid.
I guess we’ll find out in November, won’t we?
eanax on June 2, 2008 at 10:44 PM
So, when Neville Chamberlain met with Hitler and supposedly secured “peace in our time” it was a good idea?
By saying yes to a straight-forward question like that shows a distinct lack thought about the consquences of such choices. Which, in turn, is dumb.
Oh please. “…(L)egitimate bilateral negotiations with preconditions…”
You actually posted such drivel and believe it would occur? In what alternate reality are you operating in?
eanax on June 2, 2008 at 10:57 PM
This is pretty disingenuous. The REAL poll said “Gallup: Most Americans want president to meet with foreign enemies – and kill them.“
Kevin M on June 3, 2008 at 7:01 PM
Comment pages: