Quinnipiac Poll: Majority Says Snowden a Whistleblower, not a Traitor

[flpoljunkie]

Poll: Majority Says Snowden A Whistleblower, Not A Traitor

TOM KLUDT 7:05 AM EDT, WEDNESDAY JULY 10, 2013

A majority of American voters believe National Security Agency leaker Edward Snowden is a whistleblower, according to a new poll from Quinnipiac University released Wednesday morning.

The nationwide poll found that 55 percent of voters regard Snowden, the 30-year-old former defense contractor who leaked details of top secret surveillance programs, as a whistleblower. A mere 34 percent labeled him a traitor.

The poll suggested that a majority of the country disagrees with much of Capitol Hill, with bipartisan chorus of lawmakers — from Sen. Bill Nelson (D-FL) to House Speaker John Boehner (R-OH) — characterizing Snowden as a traitor.

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/poll-majority-says-snowden-whistleblower-now-traitor

[onehandle]

1. The question they asked assumes they know the details.

'Do you regard Edward Snowden, the national security consultant who released information to the media about the phone scanning program, as more of a traitor, or more of a whistle-blower?'

Why didn't they follow up with this question?:

Do you regard Edward Snowden, who ran away to hide in countries that do not wish us well, rather than stand up like a man in his home country, as more of a hero, or more of a douchebag?

[flpoljunkie]

2. More of a whistleblower who does not wish to spend the rest of his life in prison--

possibly including long periods of solitary confinement, a la Bradley Manning. We are better than that, or we should be.

[KurtNYC]

5. or they could follow up with this question: "When you hear news that you don't like

do you want to discredit the messenger rather than focus on and deal with the unpleasant news?"

[carolinayellowdog]

3. the propagandists need more catapults

so far it's not working despite a near-monopoly on the news media

[Laelth]

4. Americans are suckers for the truth.

Credit to Deep Throat.

In the end, the truth will come out. I feel bad for those who have set themselves up to be on the wrong side of history, but that's their choice.

-Laelth

[polichick]

6. They see that he's not a traitor to the people...

Sad that being a traitor to the government and a traitor to the people are now such different things.

[Harmony Blue]

7. The sleeping giant has awakened

lets hope the Democratic party isn't on the wrong side of history.

[HooptieWagon]

8. Evidently 55% of voters are racist libertarians....

I wonder how Obama got elected instead of Ron Paul?

[MjolnirTime]

9. It's telling that the Snowden fanbase is clinging to this result like a life preserver.

It won't save Eddie. He's fucked.

[Cha]

10. Well, Snowden is not a "whistleblower".. he's

a coward.

If he didn't want to do the time then he shouldn't have done the crime. Instead he went to China and then leaked and then off to Russia on his National Hypocrisy Tour.

Calling him a "whistleblower" is disingenous but I know Snowden fans don't give a shit.. it sounds better than leaker on the run.