Poll Watch: SurveyUSA New York City Poll on Photographs of Osama bin Laden's Body

SurveyUSA New York City Poll on Photographs of Osama bin Laden's Body

Should the US government release no photographs of Osama bin Laden's body? Release certain photographs? Or release every photograph it has?

• Certain photographs 40%
• Every photograph 35%
• None 23%

When a photograph is officially released, will you look at the photo no matter what? Not look at the photo no matter what? Or only decide whether to look at the photo after you know how graphic the photo is?

• Will look at it 68%
• Will not 11%
• Depends how graphic 20%

Will releasing a photograph of Bin Laden's dead body make the world be a more dangerous place? A safer place? Or will it make no difference?

• More dangerous 27%
• Safer place 13%
• No difference 56%

Will releasing a photograph of Bin Laden's dead body convince people that Bin Laden is in fact dead? Or would a photo make no difference to those who think Bin Laden may not be dead?

• Convince people Bin Laden is dead 56%
• Will make no difference 40%

If a photo is released, should it only be shown online? Should it only be shown on television? Or should it be shown both online and on TV?

• Only shown online 17%
• Only shown on TV 9%
• Both online and on TV 70%

Survey of 500 adults in the New York City metropolitan area was conducted May 4, 2011. The margin of error is +/- 4.5 percentage points. Party ID breakdown: 48% Democrat; 20% Republican; 21% Independent. Political ideology: 34% Moderate; 21% Conservative; 25% Liberal.

Rudy Giuliani weighs in on bin Laden photo debate

Newschannel 3 spoke with Giuliani about the death of Osama bin Laden and whether he would have released the photographs of bin Laden's body. Giuliani says he disagrees with President Barack Obama's decision to not release those images.

President Obama said “it is important to make sure those graphic photos are not floating around to spur additional violence or to be used as a propaganda tool by terrorist groups.”

However, Giuliani says that in his opinion, it would be better to release them and essentially get it over with. He says he does realize that there is a risk that violence could break out as a result of those images being released, but says now may be the best time since law enforcement and the public are alert for a possible reaction from terror groups. Giuliani also said releasing the images would put the doubts of some people to rest.

“The reality is that they are eventually going to get out,” said Giuliani. “The pictures are eventually going to get out and then you just live the intensity of this a month from now, three months from now. Why not put them out now? Satisfy at least the rational people who have questions about it, about the identity of bin Laden.”

As for the president's decision to go in and kill bin Laden, Giuliani says it was a brave one and he commends the president. He says the American people should feel safer because bin Laden was a powerful presence and this deteriorates the movement.