GEORGE W. BUSH: WAR CRIMINAL

Here are the results of a poll released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."

44% of Democrats Say Bush Team Guilty of War Crimes

Monday, January 26, 2009

Forty-four percent (44%) of Democratic voters believe President Bush and senior members of his administration are guilty of war crimes. Only 28% of the nation's Democrats disagree.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey found that Republicans and unaffiliated voters have a different view. Just 21% of unaffiliateds say that Bush and his team are guilty of war crimes, a view shared by four percent (4%) of Republicans.

Overall, among all voters, 25% believe war crimes were committed while 54% disagree.

Seventy percent (70%) of the nation's voters say it would be bad for the United States if the former president and senior administration officials were brought to trial for war crimes. A majority of Democrats (53%) agree with that assessment.

Nineteen percent (19%) of all voters hold the opposite view and believe that bringing Bush Administration officials to trial for war crimes would be good for the nation.

Thirty-six percent (36%) of U.S. voters say Congress should hold hearing to investigate possible government wrongdoing during the Bush years. Democrats, by a 57% to 27% margin, believe such hearings should be held. Thirty-eight percent (38%) of unaffiliated voters agree as do nine percent (9%) of Republicans.

Twenty-eight percent (28%) believe Congress should hold hearings to investigate possible war crimes by the Bush Administration. Sixty-percent (60%) disagree.

MSNBC commentator Keith Olbermann recently urged President Obama to investigate potential war crimes and other Democratic pundits have expressed a similar view .

Several top Democrats including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid have said there is need to investigate certain aspects of the Bush presidency, including the treatment of prisoners at Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba and the alleged "politicization" of the Justice Department. But President Obama has thus far resisted those calls.

On all questions, there are significant differences along ideological lines. By a 50% to 22% margin, liberals believe Bush and his team are guilty of war crimes. By a 42% to 26% margin, political moderates disagree. Conservatives, by an 8-to-1 margin, reject the claim that war crimes were committed.

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To download the actual report, please use this link: 44% of Democrats Say ....