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."
63% Think It's Likely Gaddafi Will Be Removed From Power
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
Most voters still expect Libyan Ruler Moammar Gaddafi will be removed from power as a result of military action now being taken by the United States and other countries. But there has been virtually no change in this expectation since Osama bin Laden was killed.
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey of Likely Voters shows that 63% believe it is at least somewhat likely that Gaddafi will be removed from power as a result of the military action now being taken by the United States and other countries. Just 21% disagree and say it's not likely. Those figures include 24% who say Gaddafi's removal from power is Very Likely and only three percent (3%) say it is Not At All Likely. (To see survey question wording, click here .)
Those figures show little change from public attitudes in March .
Democrats are more convinced that Gadaffi will go than Republicans and voters not affiliated with either major party.
Overall, 41% of voters agree with President Obama's decision to take military action in Libya, while 33% disagree with that decision. Another 26% are undecided.
Voters were more evenly divided on the question in April , when 39% supported the president's decision and 37% did not. In March , 45% supported military action and 34% did not.
Prior to the president's decision to take military action, 63% said the U.S. should not get involved in Libya . Similar attitudes are currently held about potential U.S. involvement in Syria .
The survey of 1,000 Likely Voters was conducted on May 15-16, 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.
Overall, 41% of voters give good or excellent ratings to the way the Obama administration has responded to situation in Libya, up slightly from 37% in April. Twenty-three percent (23%) give the administration poor marks for its handling of the Libyan situation.
Most voters (80%) have been following news of the situation in Libyan at least somewhat closely, while just 17% say they have not been following.
Past polling on the subject shows that only 36% of Likely U.S. Voters believe it is even somewhat likely that U.S. military involvement in Libya will be over by the end of the year .