Fresh Rasmussen Poll On Petraeus/Betray Us Ad: 58% of Americans Disapprove

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- A national telephone survey by pollster Scott Rasmussen shows that MoveOn.org's ad that slammed Gen. David E. Petraeus is not generating rave reviews from the American public. Only 23% say they approve. Even Americans who describe themselves as liberals "were evenly divided" Rasmussen reported today. The actual numbers show that the self-reported liberal approval rate was 45% versus 39% who disapproved.

The poll results are available here, and they show about half the country was following the story about the Petraeus/Betray Us ad closely in news reports.

Ohio's Democratic U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown voted against a Senate resolution last week that condemned the MoveOn ad. There is no polling available to show if Brown's vote cost him support, made him more popular, or had no impact at all. However, Rasussen's data is an indication that the stridency of the ad has made plenty of Americans uncomfortable. Inquiring minds are wondering: Does the national reaction turn into some kind of sense of disappointment in Brown's decision, a thorn that diminishes his standing with Ohioans? Republicans and conservatives are already filling the blogosphere with negative comments, talkshow lines are humming and letters are starting to turn up in the letters to the editors columns. Or is it just a lot of barking?

Still, Rasmussen said he found a sense that MoveOn may have hurt the anti-war cause.

"Forty-seven (47%) of all adults said that 'stunts like the MoveOne.org ad' hurt the cause they believe in. Only 12% believe they help the cause, while 17% say there is no impact. Twenty-f0ur percent (24%) are not sure. Again, political liberals are divided with 27% saying they help and 32% taking the opposite view. Fifty percent of moderates and 57% of conservatives say these sorts of events hurt the cause the group is trying to promote."