Rasmussen: Americans Trust McCain to Win War, Obama to Bring Troops Home

Americans think victory in Iraq is more likely with John McCain as president, while they believe Barack Obama will withdraw troops during his first term, according to a new Rasmussen poll.

According to Rasmussen, 49 percent of those polled said the U.S. is “at least somewhat likely” to win the war in Iraq if McCain is elected president. 20 percent said victory is somewhat likely if Obama is elected.

In the same poll, 59 percent say it is at least somewhat likely “virtually all combat troops” will come home during Obama’s first term as president. 43 percent say combat troops will come home in McCain’s first term.

When asked to contrast the two goals, voters narrowly chose withdrawal: 52 percent said withdrawing troops in the next four years is more important than winning the war.

Obama says he will withdraw all U.S. combat troops from Iraq within the first 16 months of his presidency. McCain says he would not rush to withdraw troops, and that the so-called troop “surge,” which McCain supported in early 2007, is working.

Rasmussen surveyed 1,200 people via phone for the poll.