Ottinger Poll Shows Opposition to Nixon Vietnam Policy and Support for Israel

Congressman Richard L. Ottinger released the results of a poll of his Westchester-Putnam County district indicating strong opposition to the Nixon administration’s Vietnam policies and strong support for Israel. Ottinger, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate, sent a questionnaire on eight major issues to the 150,000 households in his district is March. On the Middle East, 52 percent believed the Nixon administration has weakened its support for Israel, 34 percent disagreed and 14 percent had no opinion. Fifty-one percent favored immediate sale of U.S. warplanes to Israel, with 38 percent opposed and 11 percent undecided. Ninety-one percent expressed the belief that direct Israeli-Arab negotiations were necessary to achieve peace. On the Vietnam war, 52 percent of those responding found the present rate of U.S. troop withdrawals unsatisfactory, while 35 percent approved and 13 percent had no opinion. Noting that his congressional district has a 3-2 Republican edge in enrollment. Ottinger said the poll results indicate “a serious erosion in support for the administration in the two most critical areas of foreign policy.” He said he was transmitting the results directly to the White House “with the hope that if the President will not heed the advice of a Democratic Congressman, perhaps he will listen to the voices of his fellow Republicans.”