NEWSWEEK POLL: Sixty-One Percent of Americans Disapprove of the Way Pres. Bush is Handling Iraq
Thirty-Eight Percent Say Troops Should be Brought Home in Less Than a Year; 12
Percent Say Now
Sixty-Four Percent Say War Has Not Made Americans Safer
NEW YORK, Aug. 6 /PRNewswire/ -- Sixty-one percent of Americans polled
disapprove of the way President George W. Bush is handling the situation in
Iraq; just 34 percent approve, according to the latest Newsweek Poll conducted
Tuesday, Aug. 2 to Thursday, Aug. 4. This is Bush's lowest rating on Iraq and
the first time it has dropped below 40 percent in the Newsweek Poll. And half
(50%) of those polled say the United States is losing ground in its efforts to
establish security and democracy in Iraq; just 40 percent say the U.S. is
making progress there.
While 26 percent of those polled say they support keeping large numbers of
U.S. military personnel in Iraq for as long as it takes to achieve U.S. goals
there, 38 percent say they would support keeping troops there less than a
year; 13 percent say one to two years and 12 percent volunteered that troops
should be brought home now.
A 51-percent majority disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as
president overall, an increase from 48 percent in the March 17-18, 2005
Newsweek Poll. Fifty-one percent approve of the way Bush is handling terrorism
and homeland security, a drop of six points from the March poll; 41 percent
disapprove. Fifty-four percent of Americans polled say they are dissatisfied
with the way things are going in the United States at this time, according to
the latest Newsweek Poll. Just over a third say they are satisfied.
In general, 28 percent say the war in Iraq has made Americans safer from
terrorism; 64 percent say it has not, the poll shows. In the wake of the
London attacks, 45 percent of those polled say it's very likely that Islamic
extremists will carry out major terrorist attacks against U.S. cities,
buildings or national landmarks in the near future; 37 percent say it's
somewhat likely and 10 percent say it's not too likely, the poll shows.
In other matters, 31 percent approve of Bush's handling of federal funding
for stem cell research, while 52 percent disapprove. And 47 percent approve of
Bush's handling of appointments to the Supreme Court; 35 percent disapprove.
On other Washington topics, 47 percent of Americans polled say that Bush's
nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts should be confirmed; 24
percent say he shouldn't be confirmed and 29 percent say they don't know.
And when asked about the reports that White House adviser Karl Rove may
have leaked classified information about Valerie Plame, a CIA agent, 45
percent say, from what they've heard or read about Rove's involvement in the
case, that they believe he is guilty of a serious crime; 18 percent say he is
not guilty of a serious offense and 37 percent say they don't know, the poll
shows.
When asked about how Bush is handling certain aspects of his job, 52
percent disapprove of the way Bush is handling the economy; 40 percent
approve. Forty-six percent disapprove of the way he's handling the country's
energy policy; 34 percent approve and 48 percent disapprove of the way he's
handling the environment while 39 percent approve.
For this Newsweek Poll, Princeton Survey Research Associates International
interviewed 1,004 adults aged 18 and older on August 2-4, 2005. The margin of
error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. This poll is part of the August
15 issue of Newsweek, on newsstands Monday, August 8. To interview Chief of
Correspondents Marcus Mabry on the poll, call Jan Angilella at 212-445-5638.
Newsweek Poll
Princeton Survey Research Associates International
Final Topline Results
(8/5/05)
N = 1,004 national adults, 18 and over
Margin of error: plus or minus 4
Interviewing dates: August 2-4, 2005
SAMPLE SIZE/MARGIN OF ERROR FOR KEY SUBGROUPS:
230 18-39 (plus or minus 7)
423 40-59 (plus or minus 5)
321 60+ (plus or minus 6)
243 Those who changed their religion (plus or minus 7)
604 Those who are married/living with a partner (plus or minus 5)
911 Those with a religion (plus or minus 4)
657 Traditional in religious practices (plus or minus 4)
218 Non-traditional in religious practices (plus or minus 8)
301 Evangelical Protestants (plus or minus 6)
286 Non-Evangelical Protestants (plus or minus 7)
215 Catholics (plus or minus 8)
50 Non-Christians (plus or minus 17)
NOTES:
Data is weighted so that sample demographics match Census Current
Population Survey parameters for gender, age, education, race, region,
and population density.
Reported sample sizes are unweighted and should not be used to compute
percentages.
An asterisk (*) indicates a value less than 1%.
1. Are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in
the United States at this time?
Satisfied Dissatisfied DK
Current Total 36 54 10 =100
Trends(1)
(12/2-3/04) 46 46 8 =100
(10/27-29/04) 39 56 5 =100
(10/21-22/04) 40 56 4 =100
(10/14-15/04) 40 55 5 =100
(9/30-10/2/04) 38 57 5 =100
(9/9-10/04) 39 53 8 =100
(9/2-3/04) 43 49 8 =100
(7/29-30/04) 36 58 6 =100
(7/8-9/04) 40 54 6 =100
(5/13-14/04) Prisoner abuse 30 62 8 =100
scandal
(4/8-9/04) 36 59 5 =100
(1/22-23/04) 43 52 5 =100
(1/8-9/04) 46 47 7 =100
(12/18-19/03) Saddam's
capture 46 47 7 =100
(10/9-10/03) 40 54 6 =100
(4/03) Iraq War 50 41 9 =100
(9/02) 41 55 4 =100
(7/02) 46 46 8 =100
(9/01) Terrorist attacks 57 34 9 =100
(6/01) 43 52 5 =100
(3/01) 47 45 8 =100
(1/01) 55 41 4 =100
(6/00) 47 45 8 =100
(3/00) 56 36 8 =100
(8/99) 56 39 5 =100
(9/98) 54 42 4 =100
(1/97) 38 58 4 =100
(3/96) 28 70 2 =100
(6/95) 25 73 2 =100
(8/94) 24 71 5 =100
(6/92) Recession 14 84 2 =100
(3/91) Gulf War Victory 66 31 3 =100
(9/90) 37 58 5 =100
(9/88) 56 40 4 =100
(11/85) 51 46 3 =100
(12/81) Recession 27 67 6 =100
(7/79) Energy/Economic Crisis 12 84 4 =100
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling
his job as president?
Approve Disapprove DK
Current Total 42 51 7 =100
Trends(2)
(3/17-18/05) 45 48 7 =100
(2/3-4/05) 50 42 8 =100
(12/2-3/04) 49 44 7 =100
(10/27-29/04) 46 47 7 =100
(10/21-22/04) 46 47 7 =100
(10/14-15/04) 47 46 7 =100
(9/30-10/2/04) 46 48 6 =100
(9/9-10/04) 48 44 8 =100
(9/2-3/04) 52 41 7 =100
(7/29-30/04) 45 49 6 =100
(7/8-9/04) 48 46 6 =100
(5/13-14/04) 42 52 6 =100
(4/8-9/04) 49 45 6 =100
(3/25-26/04) 49 45 6 =100
(3/18-19/04) 48 44 8 =100
(2/19-20/04) 48 44 8 =100
(2/5-6/04) 48 45 7 =100
(1/29-30/04) 49 44 7 =100
(1/22-23/04) 50 44 6 =100
(1/8-9/04) 54 41 5 =100
(12/18-19/03) 54 38 8 =100
(11/6-7/03) 52 40 8 =100
(10/9-10/03) 51 42 7 =100
(9/11-12/03) 52 39 9 =100
(8/21-22/03) 53 36 11 =100
(7/24-25/03) 57 34 9 =100
(7/10-11/03) 55 37 8 =100
(5/29-30/03) 61 28 11 =100
(5/1-2/03) 65 26 9 =100
(4/10-11/03) 71 23 6 =100
(3/27-28/03) 68 26 6 =100
(3/13-14/03) 53 37 10 =100
(2/6-7/03) 61 31 8 =100
(1/16-17/03) 56 33 11 =100
(11/7-8/02) 60 30 10 =100
(10/11-12/02) 61 29 10 =100
(9/12-13/02) 70 23 7 =100
(8/28-29/02) 61 30 9 =100
(6/27-28/02) 70 19 11 =100
(3/21-22/02) 74 16 10 =100
(1/31-2/1/02) 83 12 5 =100
(12/13-14/01) 81 11 8 =100
(10/11-12/01) 88 8 4 =100
(9/20-21/01) 86 10 4 =100
(9/13-14/01) 82 11 7 =100
(8/25-9/5/01) 51 34 15 =100
(2/15-16/01) 56 21 23 =100
3. We'd like your opinion of the way George W. Bush is handling certain
aspects of his job... (First,) do you approve or disapprove of the
way Bush is handling... (INSERT-READ AND RANDOMIZE)?
Approve Disapprove DK
a. The economy
Current Total 40 52 8 =100
Trends
(3/17-18/05) 42 51 7 =100
(4/8-9/04) 41 55 4 =100
(3/25-26/04) 40 54 6 =100
(2/19-20/04) 41 52 7 =100
(1/8-9/04) 46 48 6 =100
(12/18-19/03) 41 49 9 =100
(12/11-12/03) 45 46 9 =100
(11/6-7/03) 44 48 8 =100
(10/9-10/03) 38 56 6 =100
(9/25-26/03) 37 55 8 =100
(9/18-19/03) 38 57 5 =100
(9/11-12/03) 41 51 8 =100
(7/24-25/03) 43 48 9 =100
(5/29-30/03) 46 45 9 =100
(5/1-2/03) 45 46 9 =100
(4/10-11/03) 44 46 10 =100
(3/27-28/03) 53 40 7 =100
(1/23-24/03) 43 50 7 =100
(1/16-17/03) 45 46 9 =100
(10/10-11/02) 50 41 9 =100
(9/26-27/02) 50 41 9 =100
(8/28-29/02) 48 45 7 =100
b. The situation in Iraq
Current Total 34 61 5 =100
Trends (3)
(3/17-18/05) 41 54 5 =100
(4/8-9/04) 44 51 5 =100
(3/25-26/04) 44 50 6 =100
(2/19-20/04) 45 47 8 =100
(1/8-9/04) 50 43 7 =100
(12/18-19/03) 53 39 8 =100
(12/11-12/03) 45 50 5 =100
(11/6-7/03) 42 51 7 =100
(10/9-10/03) 44 49 7 =100
(9/25-26/03) 47 46 7 =100
(9/18-19/03) 46 47 7 =100
(9/11-12/03) 51 42 7 =100
(8/21-22/03) 54 40 6 =100
(7/24-25/03) 58 36 6 =100
(7/10-11/03) 53 39 8 =100
(5/29-30/03) 65 29 6 =100
(5/1-2/03) 69 26 5 =100
(4/10-11/03) 74 22 4 =100
(3/27-28/03) 70 27 3 =100
Approve Disapprove DK
c. Terrorism and homeland security
Current Total 51 41 8 =100
Trends
(3/17-18/05) 57 35 8 =100
(4/8-9/04) 59 35 6 =100
(3/25-26/04) 57 38 5 =100
(2/19-20/04) 65 28 7 =100
(1/8-9/04) 70 22 8 =100
(12/18-19/03) 67 24 9 =100
(12/11-12/03) 64 28 8 =100
(11/6-7/03) 64 27 9 =100
(10/9-10/03) 66 26 8 =100
(9/25-26/03) 70 24 6 =100
(9/18-19/03) 66 26 8 =100
(9/11-12/03) 65 27 8 =100
(7/24-25/03) 68 26 6 =100
(5/29-30/03) 72 20 8 =100
(5/1-2/03) 74 18 8 =100
(4/10-11/03) 78 17 5 =100
(9/26-27/02) 73 21 6 =100
(9/12-13/02) 78 19 3 =100
(8/28-29/02) 72 23 5 =100
(5/16-17/02) 71 23 6 =100
(1/31-2/1/02) 82 14 4 =100
d. Education
Current Total 44 45 11 =100
Trends
(3/17-18/05) 46 43 11 =100
(2/19-20/04) 46 39 15 =100
(1/8-9/04) 50 39 11 =100
(12/18-19/03) 47 37 16 =100
(11/6-7/03) 50 37 13 =100
(10/9-10/03) 48 40 12 =100
(9/25-26/03) 48 37 15 =100
(9/18-19/03) 46 43 11 =100
(9/11-12/03) 48 37 15 =100
(7/24-25/03) 50 36 14 =100
(5/29-30/03) 53 33 14 =100
(5/1-2/03) 51 35 14 =100
(4/10-11/03) 50 36 14 =100
(4/12-13/01) 56 27 17 =100
Approve Disapprove DK
e. Energy policy
Current Total 34 46 20 =100
Trends
(3/17-18/05) 35 45 20 =100
(9/11-12/03) 42 35 23 =100
(7/24-25/03) 44 35 21 =100
(5/29-30/03) 42 30 28 =100
(5/1-2/03) 44 32 24 =100
(4/10-11/03) 43 32 25 =100
(9/26-27/03) 48 30 22 =100
(8/28-29/02) 47 33 20 =100
(5/3-5/4/01) 44 39 17 =100
(4/12-13/01) 41 38 21 =100
f. The environment
Current Total 39 48 13 =100
Trends
(3/17-18/05) 41 45 14 =100
(1/8-9/04) 44 40 16 =100
(12/18-19/03) 43 41 16 =100
(11/6-7/03) 44 42 14 =100
(10/9-10/03) 43 41 16 =100
(9/25-26/03) 45 40 15 =100
(9/18-19/03) 43 44 13 =100
(7/24-25/03) 47 38 15 =100
(5/29-30/03) 48 36 16 =100
(5/1-2/03) 47 37 16 =100
(4/10-11/03) 47 34 19 =100
(9/26-27/02) 51 33 16 =100
(8/28-29/02) 52 36 12 =100
(5/3-5/4/01) 45 41 14 =100
(4/12-13/01) 42 39 19 =100
g. Social Security
Current Total 32 58 10 =100
Trends
(3/17-18/05) 33 59 8 =100
h. Federal funding for stem
cell research
Current Total 31 52 17 =100
i. Appointments to the
Supreme Court
and other federal courts
Current Total 47 35 18 =100
4. Now thinking about the situation in Iraq... All in all, do you think
the United States is making progress or losing ground in its efforts
to establish security and democracy in Iraq?
40 Making progress
50 Losing ground
10 Don't know
100
5. In general, do you think the Iraq war has made Americans safer from
terrorism, or not? (4)
Yes No DK
Current Total 28 64 8 =100
Trends
(10/27-29/04) 42 55 3 =100
(10/21-22/04) 42 53 5 =100
(9/30-10/2/04) 41 55 4 =100
(9/2-3/04) 45 50 5 =100
(7/29-30/04) 38 57 5 =100
(1/22-23/04) 44 53 3 =100
6. For how long would you personally support keeping large numbers of
U.S. military personnel in Iraq ... (READ)
38 Less than one more year
13 One to two years
5 Three to five years
1 Six to 10 years
* More than 10 years
26 As long as it takes to achieve U.S. goals in Iraq
12 No longer/Bring them home now (VOL.)
5 Don't know
100
7. Now on another subject ... In your opinion, how likely is it that
Islamic extremists will carry out major terrorist attacks against
U.S. cities, buildings, or national landmarks in the near future?
Would you say it is ... (READ)
45 Very likely
37 Somewhat likely
10 Not too likely
3 Not at all likely
5 Don't know
100
8. All in all, how worried are you that someone in your family might
become a victim of a terrorist attack? Are you... very worried,
somewhat worried, not too worried, or not at all worried?
Very Somewhat Not too Not at all
Worried Worried Worried Worried DK
Current Total 14 26 32 27 1 =100
Trends(5)
(10/27-29/04) 13 28 32 26 1 =100
(9/9-10/04) 11 27 31 30 1 =100
(1/8-9/04) 9 26 33 31 1 =100
(8/21-22/03) 18 26 26 28 2 =100
(3/28-4/1/03) 14 34 31 20 1 =100
(1/8-12/03) 11 30 37 21 1 =100
(11/7-8/02) 13 23 34 30 * =100
(10/10-11/02) 16 27 35 21 1 =100
(6/19-23/02) 17 28 36 19 * =100
(1/9-12/02) 12 26 38 24 * =100
(10/31-11/7/01) 13 27 29 19 2 =100
(10/10-14/01) 18 32 29 19 2 =100
(9/21-25/01) 17 36 31 15 1 =100
(8/98) 10 22 38 29 1 =100
9. On another subject ... Based on what you've heard or read about
John Roberts, President Bush's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court,
do you think he should or should NOT be confirmed by the Senate to
serve on the Court?
47 Should be confirmed
24 Should not be confirmed
29 Don't know
100
10. Now thinking about reports that White House advisor Karl Rove may
have leaked classified information about Valerie Plame, a CIA agent
... From what you've heard or read about Karl Rove's involvement in
this case, do you think he is guilty of a serious offense, or is NOT
guilty of a serious offense?
Current 7/13-17/05(6)
45 Guilty of a serious offense 32
18 Not guilty of a serious offense 23
37 Don't know 45
100 100
(1) Trends from 4/03, 9/02, 6/00-6/01 and 6/95-8/99 from Pew Research
Center; 7/79-6/92 from Gallup.
(2) Full trendline from January 2004 to present; earlier trends
selected. Bush approval figures for 8/25-9/5/01 from Pew Research
Center.
(3) Modified trend wording for certain items. Item b - 3/03 and 4/03
read "The war with Iraq. Item c - 2002 to January 2004 read
"Policies to prevent and minimize terrorism at home".
(4) Trend wording read "In general, do you think going to war with Iraq
has made Americans safer from terrorism, or not?" Trend results
based on registered voters.
(5) Trends before 9/9-10/04 are based on Total Adults. August 1998
trend from Gallup poll. September 2001 through June 2002 trends
from Pew Research Center. January to March 2003 trends from Pew
Research center had a volunteered response, "Already a victim",
included here in the "Don't know" category.
(6) Trend from Pew Research Center. Wording reading "From what you've
heard or read about Karl Rove's involvement in this case (he may
have leaked classified information about a Central Intelligence
Agency agent), do you think that he is guilty of a serious offense
or don't you think so?"
SOURCE Newsweek