These poll numbers were released earlier today by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
U.S. Voters More Optimistic About Egypt Following Mubarak's Exit
Monday, February 14, 2011
Since former Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak decided to step down Friday after weeks of national protests, U.S. voter confidence about the transition's impact on the United States has increased.
The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey conducted the two nights following Mubarak's announcement shows that 29% of Likely Voters believe the change in the government of Egypt will be good for the United States, up eight points from a week ago . (To see survey question wording, click here .)
Two weeks ago , just five percent (5%) of all Adults thought it would be good for the United States if the government in Egypt was overthrown.
Twenty percent (20%) now say the change will have a negative impact on the United States, while another 16% say it will have no impact. But 35% aren't sure what kind of impact, if any, the Egyptian change in government will have on the U.S.
Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters believe it is at least somewhat likely that Egypt will become a free, democratic and peaceful nation over the next few years. Thirty-one percent (31%) do not see this outcome as likely, while 15% are not sure. Those results include 16% who say it is Very Likely Egypt will reach this goal and eight percent (8%) who say that's Not At All Likely to happen.
Voters are a bit less optimistic when it comes to the Egyptian transition's impact on Israel. While 24% say the change in government will be good for Israel, 30% say it will be bad. Eleven percent (11%) say the change will have no impact on Israel, but 35% are undecided.
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on February 12-13, 2011 by Rasmussen Reports. The margin of sampling error is +/- 3 percentage points with a 95% level of confidence. Field work for all Rasmussen Reports surveys is conducted by Pulse Opinion Research, LLC . See methodology.
Forty-seven percent (47%) now give the Obama administration good or excellent marks for its response to the Egypt situation, up from 43% last week. Twenty-four percent (24%) think the administration had a poor response, up slightly from last week.
Democrats are more likely than Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major political party to believe the change in Egypt's government will have a positive impact on the both the United States and Israel.
Political Class voters are also more likely than mainstream voters to say the change will be good for both countries.
Eighty-five percent of voters are following news about Egypt at least somewhat closely. Just 14% are not following the news closely, if at all.
Recent polling also shows that 76% of Likely U.S. Voters believe that it's generally good for America when dictators in other countries are replaced with leaders selected in free and fair elections .
But last week 81% of all voters said it is at least somewhat likely that the political crisis in Egypt will significantly increase the cost of gasoline , with 46% who say it is Very Likely.
Americans view Egypt more favorably than other Middle Eastern countries including allies like Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
In early September, 44% of Americans said the United States should provide military help to Egypt if it is attacked .
Sixty percent (60%) think it is more important for the United States to be allies with any country that best protects our own national security than it is to be allies only with countries that have freely elected governments.