Poll: U.S. public split on Libya

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WASHINGTON, March 30 (UPI) -- President Obama's speech to the nation did little to shift U.S. public opinion on his handling of the Libyan crisis, a poll released Wednesday indicated.

Only 43 percent of those surveyed by Pulse Opinion Research said the president is doing a good or excellent job on Libya, Rasmussen Reports said. That is up only 2 percentage points from last week after the bombing campaign began, and 3 points from a poll taken before the United States military was involved in the country.

Only 27 percent of respondents said Libya is vital to U.S. national interests while 48 percent said it is not, up 6 points from last week. Nearly a quarter, 24 percent, said they were undecided.

At 72 percent, Democrats were far more likely to say Obama is doing a good or excellent job. Only 44 percent of Republicans and 43 percent of unaffiliated voters agreed.

The telephone poll of 1,000 likely voters was conducted Monday and Tuesday nights. The margin of error is 3 points.