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CBS NEWS POLL

For release: Tuesday, June 10, 2014
6:30 pm ET

Disapproval, Criticism of President on Bergdahl Prisoner Exchange
June 8-9, 2014

More Americans disapprove (45%) than approve (37%) of the prisoner swap in which
Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl was released by the Taliban in exchange for five prisoners being
held at Guantanamo Bay.

President Barack Obamas approval rating on handling Bergdahls release is just 35%,
and 72% think he should have notified Congress before authorizing the prisoner
exchange.

56% of Americans think the U.S. paid too high a price in the agreement to get Bergdahl
released; just 28% say the terms were reasonable.

While four in ten dont have an opinion as to whether Bergdahl deliberately abandoned
his post in Afghanistan, 35% of Americans (and 43% of veterans) think he did.

Just over a week after U.S. soldier Sgt. Bergdahl was freed by the Taliban, 45% of Americans
disapprove of the deal that released him in exchange for five Taliban members, while 37%
approve of it. About one in five do not have an opinion.

Views differ by political party: most Republicans disapprove of the deal, while just over half of
Democrats approve. Among those who have served in the military, 55% disapprove of the
prisoner swap.

Views on Prisoner Exchange
Total Reps Dems Inds Veterans
Approve 37% 22% 53% 33% 31%
Disapprove 45 65 27 47 55
Dont know 18 13 20 20 14

Americans give the President low marks for his handling of the release of Sgt. Bergdahl just
35% approve, while 49% disapprove. He gets support from Democrats -- 61% approve of his
handling of the matter, but most Republicans disapprove.

Presidents Handling of Bergdahl Release
Total Reps Dems Inds Veterans
Approve 35% 12% 61% 28% 31%
Disapprove 49 76 26 51 57
Dont know 16 12 13 21 12

The President has been criticized by some members of Congress for not informing them of the
prisoner exchange. The poll finds a clear majority - 72% - think the President should have
notified Congress; that includes most members of his own party.

Should President Obama have Notified Congress about Prisoner Exchange?
Total Reps Dems Inds Veterans
Yes 72% 86% 55% 77% 71%
No 20 9 36 15 27
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Historically, CBS News Polls have often shown that Americans prefer a President seek the
approval of Congress on military matters.

There are reports that Bergdahl left his military base in Afghanistan before his capture, but
many Americans (40%) have yet to form an opinion on whether he deliberately abandoned his
post. Among those with an opinion, 35% think Bergdahl deliberately left (including 43% of
military veterans), while 25% say he did not.

Do You Think Bergdahl Deliberately Left His Post in Afghanistan?
Total Reps Dems Inds Veterans
Yes 35% 51% 27% 34% 43%
No 25 19 34 22 20
Dont know 40 30 39 45 37

Most Americans - 56% - think the U.S. paid too high a price in the agreement to get Bergdahl
released. Among veterans, that figure rises to 65%.

Republicans and independents think the deal cost the U.S. too much, while Democrats are
more divided: 42% think the terms of the agreement were reasonable, but almost as many
39% -say the U.S. paid too high a price.

U.S. Agreement to Get Bergdahl Released
Total Reps Dems Inds Veterans
Reasonable 28% 15% 42% 24% 23%
U.S. paid too high a price 56 75 39 58 65
Dont know 17 10 19 18 13

Some Americans express concern about terrorism amid the release of Taliban prisoners. 49%
think the prisoner exchange will increase the threat of terrorism against the U.S., while 40%
think it will have no effect. Only 3% think this exchange will result in a reduced threat of
terrorism against the U.S.

Impact of Prisoner Exchange on Threat of Terrorism Against the U.S.
Total Reps Dems Inds Veterans
Increase 49% 69% 35% 48% 58%
Decrease 3 3 5 2 0
No effect 40 21 53 39 29

____________________________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted by telephone June 8-9, 2014 among 1,013 adults nationwide. Data collection
was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Media, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from
samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the
entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher
Results based on the sample of veterans is plus or minus eight points. Interviews were conducted in
English and Spanish. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council
on Public Polls.
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CBS NEWS POLL
Sgt. Bergdahl and the Prisoner Exchange
June 8-9, !"#

Q1. As you may know, Sgt. Bowe Bergdahl, a U.S. soldier who was being held captie by the !aliban, was
released in e"change #or #ie !aliban members who were being held by the U.S. at $uantanamo Bay
prison. %o you approe or disapproe o# this e"change&

$$$$$ %O%&L 'ESPON(EN%S $$$$$
!otal 'ep %em (nd )et
* * * * *
Approe 3+ 22 ,3 33 31
%isapproe -, ., 2+ -+ ,,
%on/t know01o answer 12 13 23 23 1-

Q2. %o you approe or disapproe o# the way Barack 4bama is handling the situation inoling the
release o# Sgt. Bergdahl&

Approe 3, 12 .1 22 31
%isapproe -5 +. 2. ,1 ,+
%on/t know01o answer 1. 12 13 21 12

Q3. %o you think 6resident 4bama should or should not hae noti#ied 7ongress be#ore he authori8ed
the prisoner e"change&

Should +2 2. ,, ++ +1
Should not 23 5 3. 1, 2+
%on/t know01o answer 2 , 5 2 2

Q-. %o you think 9the terms o# the United States agreement with the !aliban to get Sgt. Bergdahl
released were reasonable:, or do you think 9the U.S. paid too high a price in the agreement with the
!aliban:&

'easonable 22 1, -2 2- 23
6aid too high a price ,. +, 35 ,2 .,
%on/t know01o answer 1+ 13 15 12 13

Q,. ;rom what you<e heard or read, do you think Sgt. Bergdahl deliberately abandoned his post in
A#ghanistan be#ore he was captured by the !aliban, or not&

=es 3, ,1 2+ 3- -3
1o 2, 15 3- 22 23
%on/t know01o answer -3 33 35 -, 3+

-

Q.. %o you think the e"change o# Sgt. Bergdahl #or members o# the !aliban will increase the threat o#
terrorism against the United States, decrease the threat o# terrorism against the United States, or will it
not hae much e##ect on the threat o# terrorism against the United States&

$$$$$ %O%&L 'ESPON(EN%S $$$$$
!otal 'ep %em (nd )et
* * * * *
(ncrease threat -5 .5 3, -2 ,2
%ecrease threat 3 3 , 2 3
1o e##ect -3 21 ,3 35 25
%on/t know01o answer 5 . + 11 12

)ethh >ae you yoursel# or any member o# your immediate household eer sered in the U.S. armed
#orces or in the U.S. reseres& (s that person you or someone else&

=es, mysel# 13 5 + 12
=es, mysel# ? someone else 3 2 - 3
=es, someone else 25 33 2. 25
1o ,2 ,, .3 ,,
%on/t know01o answer @ 1 AA @


Unweighted Beighted
!otal respondentsC 1,313

!otal 'epublicansC 21, 213
!otal %emocratsC 332 31+
!otal (ndependentsC -.. -23

!otal )eteransC 1.+ 132