Some Ohio conservatives think Romney responsible for Bin Laden’s death

By Eric W. Dolan/Raw Story

A surprising amount of very conservative voters in Ohio apparently believe that Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney is more responsible for the death of Osama bin Laden than President Barack Obama.

Fifteen percent of those who described themselves as “very conservative” said Romney was more responsible for the demise of the terrorist leader, according to a survey released by Public Policy Polling (PDF). Another 51 percent said they were not sure. Only 34 percent said Obama deserved more credit.

In contrast, among those who described themselves as “somewhat conservative” only 6 percent said Romney was more responsible than Obama.

Overall, 63 percent of those questioned said that Obama was more responsible for the death of Bin Laden. Only six percent said Romney was more responsible, while 30 percent said they were not sure.

Bin Laden was killed last year after Obama ordered Navy SEALs to raid a compound in Pakistan where the terrorist leader was believed to be living.

Dylan Matthews of The Washington Postthinks the odd results of the poll could be the result of “psychological trickery.”

“[V]oters have trouble crediting politicians they don’t like for policy outcomes they do like,” he explained, citing research. “And killing bin Laden is a policy outcome they do like. And so partisan effects have led some Republicans to argue that Obama was not primarily responsible for killing bin Laden or, even more absurdly, that Romney was responsible.”