As America learns more about the P5+1 agreement with Iran, and President Obama continues to twist the arms of congressional Democrats, a growing majority of Americans (56% vs. 52% last month) are turning against the nuclear deal with Iran and believe Congress should give it thumbs down when they vote in September.
When he made his August 5th speech about the Iran agreement, President Obama accused the opposition of partisan politics:
Unfortunately, we’re living through a time in American politics where every foreign policy decision is viewed through a partisan prism, evaluated by headline-grabbing soundbites, and so before the ink was even dry on this deal, before Congress even read it, a majority of Republicans declared their virulent opposition.
Interestingly the president is almost correct on that point. The reaction to the deal is partisan but not in the way he things, the only Americans who believe the Iran deal should be passed by congress are the Democrats, a majority of Republicans and independents want congress to throw it into the scrap heap.
When the results are examine by party affiliation, Republicans want the deal squashed by a margin of 83%-15%, independents want it rejected by a wide 58% to 39% margin, on those in the president’s own party want congress to approved the deal (70%-28%).
The results are reflective of how Americans feel about the president’s overall handling of the U.S. relationship with Iran. By a 60%-38% margin U.S. adults disapprove of the way Obama is handling our relationship with Iran. Similar to those who want the deal rejected, independents (61%-36%), and Republicans (92%-7%) disapprove and only those who are of the president’s party approve of his handling of Iran (66%-30%).
Near the end of his August 5th speech President Obama opined:
As Americans, we should be proud of this achievement. And as members of Congress reflect on their pending decision, I urge them to set aside political concerns, shut out the noise, consider the stakes involved with the vote that you will cast.
Again he is correct, the members of the president’s part should set aside political concerns, shut out the arm-twisting from the White House, and realize the primary reason for their support of the deal is to protect a president of the same party. Per the latest CNN poll the rest of the country is waiting for them to oppose the P5+1 agreement.
