But Pollster Says ‘Negative Impact’ Is Possible : Strong Support for Reagan Found

In the wake of the U.S. air raid against Libya, the American people favor giving President Reagan broad latitude to order forceful measures against terrorists, Richard B. Wirthlin, the White House polling expert, said Wednesday.

Americans overwhelmingly support the attack ordered by the President, even though polls show that they realize that it may increase terrorism, Wirthlin told reporters.

“They now feel some risk is worth taking,” he said, “and that is a change in the way Americans have come to examine the face of terrorism. . . . Terrorism has changed the public’s perception about what is a proper response as well as what can be done and can’t be done.”

Image as a Leader

Nevertheless, Wirthlin conceded, the Libyan attack ultimately could damage the President’s image as a leader. Factors such as the toll of civilian casualties, the extent of retaliatory terrorist attacks, the impact on U.S.-Soviet relations and strains in U.S. relations with its allies could work to Reagan’s disadvantage.

“Libya clearly can have a negative impact,” Wirthlin said. “The contours of the story have to be more clearly defined before we’ll know for sure. . . . But for now, Americans have given the President considerable latitude in his options.”

Although the public has strongly supported Reagan’s use of military power in Grenada as well as Libya, Wirthlin said Americans are “still conditioned” by the Vietnam War.

“The question is whether they would support a more massive, protracted military operation today,” he said.

Little or No Latitude

On another issue involving military force--Nicaragua--Wirthlin acknowledged that the public is giving Reagan little or no latitude and opposes his plan to give military aid to the rebels, known as contras, who are fighting the Soviet-backed Sandinista government.

“It’s true Americans still don’t favor military aid and don’t want massive American involvement down there,” he said. “But over the last 18 months, public perceptions have gradually changed. . . . Finally, people are recognizing that the Sandinistas wear the black hats and the Nicaragua government is predisposed to giving the Communists a foothold in Central America.”

Although the public has consistently opposed military aid to the contras, Wirthlin said, “close to half of the American people now support the President’s policies, and it’s possible that within a year from now, the public will favor his position.”

Many Americans Uncertain

Independent polls, however, show that Reagan has made little or no headway in his campaign to win public backing. And, despite a concerted campaign by his Administration to raise the public’s consciousness on the issue, polls show that many Americans remain uncertain about which side the United States is supporting.

A Gallup Poll last month showed that by a 52% to 35% margin, the public believed that Congress should refuse to support the President’s proposal for $100 million in aid to the contras. In answer to a broader question in a Gallup survey two years earlier, the public, by a 49%-39% margin, favored remaining uninvolved as opposed to giving military aid to “governments in Central America that are friendly to us.”

A New York Times-CBS poll published Tuesday showed that only 38% of Americans knew that the United States was supporting the contras and not the Nicaraguan government. Of those who knew, only 25% supported giving them military aid, 62% were opposed and 12% had no opinion.