Quinnipiac Poll Shows that Majority of Americans Think NSA Leaker Snowden is a Whistle-Blower Rather than Traitor

As reported at The Hill, a recent Quinnipiac University poll finds that a majority of Americna now side with NSA whistle-blower Edward Snowden. The Quinnipiac poll finds that 55% identify Snowden as a whistle-blower and only 34% consider him a traitor. This is a dramatic shift in opinion. The public opinion appears to be changing as “We the People” hear more and more as to how the NSA was spying on all Americans and much more than we were ever lead to believe.

The Quinnipiac University poll found 55 percent identifying Snowden, who disclosed classified information detailing the NSA’s secret surveillance of phone and Internet traffic, a whistle-blower. Thirty-four percent said he was a traitor.

By 45 percent to 40 percent, respondents also said the government’s counterterrorism efforts went too far on limiting civil liberties. That marks a turnaround from a January 2010 Quinnipiac poll which found the public saying the government’s national security policies didn’t do enough by a 63 percent to 25 percent split.

“The massive swing in public opinion about civil liberties and governmental anti- terrorism efforts, and the public view that Edward Snowden is more whistle-blower than traitor are the public reaction and apparent shock at the extent to which the government has gone in trying to prevent future terrorist incidents,” said Quinnipiac University Polling Institute director Peter Brown in a statement.

The Guardian reports, that Snowden never gave any information to Chinese or Russian governments.