A new Rasmussen poll finds the public closely divided on Nancy Pelosi’s claim that she was misled by the CIA on the use of waterboarding, with public opinion on this debate still pretty much up in the air.
The numbers: A 43% plurality of likely voters say it is very or somewhat likely that Pelosi was misled, compared to 41% who say it is not very likely or not at all likely. The margin of error is ±3%.
The pollster’s analysis points out that most people seem to be waiting for more information, with only 20% saying it’s very likely she was misled and 22% saying it’s not at all likely, and others respondents holding softer positions. But some other numbers suggest Pelosi starts out this fight at a disadvantage: “The CIA is viewed favorably by 63% and unfavorably by 24%. For Pelosi, the comparable numbers are 35% favorable and 55% unfavorable.”
