Raleigh, N.C. – As Wednesday’s release showed, President Obama’s bounce following the death of Osama Bin Laden was limited. The main reason, beyond hardened partisan polarization? Voters care far more about the economy at this point than they do about the decade-long War on Terror. 74% say the economy is a more important issue to them than the war, which is more important to only 10%. Similarly, 61% say they care more about gas prices, and only 23% about the war. This sentiment is shared almost equally across the partisan spectrum.

More voters (51%) give Obama at least some responsibility for gas prices than give him little to no responsibility (46%). Most of that sentiment comes from Republicans, however. 49% of them say he deserves most of the responsibility, and another 34% think he bears at least some responsibility. But two-thirds of Democrats and 53% of independents say he deserves little to no portion of the blame.

Luckily for the president, Americans do give him more credit for killing Bin Laden than
George W. Bush. 51% say Obama had more to do with it, to only 32% who say Bush.
59% of Republicans side with Bush, but 21% still think Obama deserves more plaudits,
along with 77% of Democrats and half of independents.

Americans also agree with the president’s decision to not release the photographic
evidence of Bin Laden’s demise. 59% side with that choice, while only 34% say the
photos should be released. Even Republicans, who have done most of the clamoring for
the photos being made public, think they should by only a 47-44 margin.

“Obama hasn’t received that much of a boost from the killing of Osama bin Laden and
the improvement he has seen doesn’t seem likely to last long,” said Dean Debnam,
President of Public Policy Polling. “That’s because the economy and gas prices in
particular are so much more important to voters right now than national security.”

PPP surveyed 814 American voters from May 5th to 8th. The margin of error for the
survey is +/-3.4%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political
organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican
candidates.

Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.

Q1 Who do you think deserves more credit for
Osama bin Laden’s death: Barack Obama or
George W. Bush?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
George W. Bush ……………………………………… 32%
Both equally ……………………………………………. 12%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 6%

Q2 Do you think the photos of Osama bin Laden
taken after his death should be released to the
public or not?
Photos should be released to the public ……… 34%
Should not………………………………………………. 59%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%

Q3 Who do you think was a worse human being:
Saddam Hussein or Osama bin Laden?
Saddam Hussein …………………………………….. 12%
Osama Bin Laden ……………………………………. 63%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 26%

Q4 What issue is more important to you right now:
the economy or the War on Terror?
The economy ………………………………………….. 74%
The War on Terror……………………………………. 10%
Both equally ……………………………………………. 16%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 0%

Q5 How would you rate the current state of the
economy: excellent, good, fair, or poor?
Excellent ………………………………………………… 2%
Good……………………………………………………… 11%
Fair ……………………………………………………….. 37%
Poor ………………………………………………………. 49%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 1%

Q6 What issue is more important to you at the
current time: gas prices or the War on Terror?
Gas prices………………………………………………. 61%
The War on Terror……………………………………. 23%
Both equally ……………………………………………. 14%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%

Q7 What issue is more important to you at the
current time: gas prices or the situation in
Libya?
Gas prices………………………………………………. 75%
The situation in Libya……………………………….. 14%
Both equally ……………………………………………. 9%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%

Q8 Do you think Barack Obama bears most of the
responsibility, some of the responsibility, only a
little of the responsibility, or none of the
responsibility for the current price of gas?
Most of the responsibility ………………………….. 25%
Some of the responsibility…………………………. 26%
Only a little of the responsibility …………………. 24%
None of the responsibility………………………….. 22%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 2%

Q9 Do you think Barack Obama was born in the
United States?
Yes………………………………………………………… 71%
No …………………………………………………………. 18%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 11%

Q10 Who did you vote for President in 2008?
John McCain…………………………………………… 41%
Barack Obama………………………………………… 49%
Someone Else/Don’t Remember………………… 10%

Q11 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 18%
Moderate………………………………………………… 33%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 22%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 18%

Q12 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 52%
Man……………………………………………………….. 48%

Q13 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 40%
Republican……………………………………………… 34%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 27%

Q14 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 8%
White …………………………………………………….. 75%
African-American …………………………………….. 12%
Other……………………………………………………… 5%

Q15 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 12%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 40%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%