Americans on Guantanamo

Gallup released the surprising results of a poll that asked Americans if Guantanamo Bay should be closed down. Apparently most Americans with an opinion on the matter think that it should stay open. President Obama, on the other hand, never made a secret of what he intends to do with the prison and it looks like he has already started the process of shutting it down.


Of course, polls are tricky because each person reads the question differently. "Should the US government close Guantanamo Bay," to some sounds like: "should Obama attempt to right the wrongs of the Bush administration by closing that lawless house of torture." To others: "should the US release a bunch of crazed terrorists hell-bent on killing you and your family?" Still, I'd like to see more of Obama's positions put to a poll. His stance on Guantanamo Bay was no small thing during the election and it would be an interesting discussion to tease out just what Americans voted for in November.

Final Bush approval rating

What do George W. Bush and Jimmy Carter have in common? Hint: it's not just that they were especially handsome presidents.