The Times Poll : 79% Reject President’s Explanation of Iran Deal

President Reagan is facing a crisis of credibility with Americans who increasingly disbelieve what he tells them and who reject his explanations of why he secretly shipped arms to the Iranian regime, the Los Angeles Times Poll has found.

Although the President’s popularity remains high--58% of the respondents approve of the way he is handling his job--Americans repudiate Reagan’s contention that he did not swap arms for hostages held in Lebanon. They also believe by a substantial margin that his dealings with Iran will lead to more terrorism against Americans abroad.

Of 1,464 adults polled nationwide by telephone Saturday and Sunday, only 14% found Reagan’s statement about not swapping weapons for hostages “essentially” true. The vast majority--79%--believed that his explanation was technically true but “in reality” misleading or “essentially” false.

Americans also rejected, by more than 3 to 1, the President’s contention that the United States does not negotiate with terrorists, while only one in five people accepted as true Reagan’s assurances that the government had not violated federal law by sending weapons to Iran.

The survey, conducted by Times Poll director I.A. Lewis, also found that Americans overwhelmingly approve of an uncompromising stand against terrorists and by a 10-to-1 margin think the United States should not compromise its foreign policy by paying ransom for American hostages. Their responses indicated that they think the Administration is articulating one policy and following another.

Last Thursday, Reagan went on national television to defend 18 months of secret U.S. diplomatic contacts with the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini’s regime, which held 52 Americans hostage for 444 days in 1979-81 and is one of five countries the State Department lists as sponsoring international terrorism.

He confirmed that the United States had secretly sent small quantities of “defensive” weapons and spare parts to Tehran--at the same time that Secretary of State George P. Shultz was urging America’s European and Arab allies to abide by an arms embargo against Iran.

After each of the three U.S. shipments, an American hostage was released by pro-Iranian terrorists in Lebanon. But Reagan denied that there was any relationship between the weapons’ delivery and the hostages’ release, saying his policy of not capitulating to terrorist demands remained in place. Washington, he said, had begun a dialogue with Tehran in hopes of encouraging moderation there in the post-Khomeini era.

Believed by Only 25%

But only 25% of the respondents said they believed this. More than half, or 56%, said they thought the Administration’s intention was to win the release of American hostages held in Lebanon. Another 19% said they don’t know what Washington’s goal was.

Asked to judge the Administration’s overall credibility, a significant proportion of the public said they do not believe what they have been told. An average of all responses taken together showed that Americans believe only 54% of what the Reagan Administration says.

Lewis said the percentage believing the President was surprisingly low given Reagan’s widespread popularity and his ability to remain well-liked even when his policies are not well-received.

“What is remarkable is the unanimity across the board questioning the President’s credibility,” Lewis said. “The effects of demographics and political affiliation were minimal.

Four Essential Qualities

“Over the years, there have been four qualities that the American public demands of political candidates--honesty, leadership, experience and compassion. Of those, honesty is by far the most important, and now the public is questioning Mr. Reagan’s honesty.”

The President’s credibility problem goes beyond his Iranian policy, which has drawn bipartisan criticism. The credibility problem began last fall with a White House disinformation campaign launched against Libya and continued through the release of a Soviet spy arrested in New York. Reagan insisted that the spy was not swapped for an American journalist, Nicholas Daniloff, who was being held in Moscow.

Reagan also was criticized for attempting to portray as a success the Reykjavik summit meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail S. Gorbachev that many others characterized as a stalemate. Then, last month, when a weapons-laden plane with an American crew was shot down over Nicaragua, the White House denied any involvement, although it had coordinated such aid to the rebels in the past.

Never Justified for 42%

According to the poll, 42% of Americans believe that the government is never justified in misleading the public. Half the respondents said misleading the public is sometimes justifiable, and 8% took no position.

Despite the challenge to the White House’s credibility, 27% of the respondents to the Times Poll strongly approved of Reagan’s performance, and 31% “approved somewhat.” Another 36% disapproved strongly or with reservations. The President’s approval rating remains unusually high by historical standards, although it represents a decline from the 68% approval he received in a Gallup Poll last June.

When Reagan was inaugurated in 1981, he said, “Let terrorists be aware that when the rules of international behavior are violated, our policy will be one of swift and effective retribution.” And that is a policy that Americans continue to back, according to the Times Poll.

Embargo Supported

By better than 2 to 1, Americans support the embargo on the sale of U.S. military weapons to countries that sponsor terrorism, and 80% believe that Washington, in order to discourage future kidnapings, should not pay ransom for hostages.

Fifty-seven percent believe that the United States should not compromise its foreign policy by trying to gain the release of the five Americans still being held in captivity in Lebanon, particularly because they have been warned that the State Department could not protect them there.

However, when asked how they assessed Reagan’s performance on gaining the release of the three American hostages previously held in the Middle East, 44% approved, 42% disapproved and 14% did not offer an opinion.

Asked if the contacts with Iran would help win the release of the Americans remaining in captivity, 44% of those surveyed said yes, 27% said no and 29% were not sure or did not answer.

Almost all Americans were aware that American hostages were being held in Lebanon, but most did not give a high priority to restoring the good relations Washington and Tehran enjoyed before Shah Mohammed Reza Pahlavi was overthrown in 1979. Only 40% would like to see Iran as an ally of the United States; 47% would not.

The margin of error for a survey of this size is 3% in either direction.

A CRISIS OF CREDIBILITY

Do you believe these statements by President Reagan are essentially truthful, or technically true but in reality misleading, or are essentially false?

The United States government did not trade military weapons in exchange for the freedom of American hostages. Essentially True 14% Misleading 49% + False 30% = 79% The United States government stands behind its policy of not negotiating with terrorists. Essentially True 22% Misleading 44% + False 29% = 73% All of our government’s actions to free American hostages were in full compliance with federal law. Essentially True 20% Misleading 46% + False 24% = 70%