Washington Post-ABC News Poll: Bush and Iraq
Monday, December 20, 2004 | | | | This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone December 16-19, 2004 among 1,004 randomly selected adults nationwide. Margin of sampling error for overall results is plus or minus three percentage points. Fieldwork by TNS of Horsham, Pa. *= less than 0.5 percent 1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president? Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat? ---------Approve--------- --------Disapprove------- No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opin.
12/19/04 48 27 21 49 12 38 2
10/20/04 All 50 30 20 46 11 35 4
LV 50 33 17 48 10 38 2
RV 50 30 20 46 11 35 3
10/17/04 LV 54 35 19 45 9 36 2
10/16/04 LV 54 35 19 44 10 34 2
10/15/04 LV 54 35 19 44 10 34 2
10/3/04 LV 53 36 17 46 11 34 1
9/26/04 All 50 33 18 45 13 32 5
LV 53 38 15 46 10 35 1
RV 52 35 17 46 13 32 5
9/8/04 All 52 35 17 43 11 32 5
RV 52 38 14 45 11 33 3
8/29/04 All 50 31 19 47 13 34 3
RV 52 33 19 47 13 35 1
8/1/04 All 47 28 18 49 13 36 5
RV 48 29 19 51 13 38 2
7/25/04 All 50 32 19 47 13 34 3
RV 51 33 18 47 13 34 2
7/11/04 48 31 17 50 11 39 2
6/20/04 All 47 30 17 51 13 39 1
RV 48 32 15 51 12 40 1
5/23/04 47 31 17 50 14 36 3
4/18/04 51 33 18 47 13 34 1
3/7/04 50 32 18 48 12 36 2
2/11/04 50 30 21 47 14 34 2
1/18/04 58 35 24 40 9 30 2
12/21/03 59 39 21 38 15 23 3
12/14/03 57 37 20 39 10 29 5
12/7/03 53 32 21 40 13 27 7
11/16/03 57 34 23 39 11 28 4
10/29/03 56 30 26 42 13 29 2
10/13/03 53 33 20 43 13 29 4
9/30/03 54 34 20 44 15 29 2
9/13/03 58 35 23 40 14 27 2
9/7/03 56 34 22 41 13 28 4
8/11/03 59 37 22 37 14 23 4
7/10/03 59 35 24 38 13 25 3
6/22/03 68 45 23 29 11 18 4
4/30/03 71 50 22 26 17 9 3
4/16/03 74 52 22 23 9 14 3
4/9/03 77 58 19 20 6 14 4
4/3/03 71 54 16 25 7 19 4
3/23/03 68 NA NA 27 NA NA 4
3/20/03 67 NA NA 28 NA NA 5
3/2/03 62 38 23 35 13 22 4
2/23/03 60 NA NA 34 NA NA 6
2/9/03 64 42 21 34 14 20 3
2/1/03 62 41 21 34 13 22 4
1/28/03 62 43 19 36 13 23 2
1/27/03 59 39 21 37 15 22 4
1/20/03 59 36 23 38 16 22 2
12/15/02 66 37 28 32 12 20 2
11/4/02 LV 67 45 23 31 12 20 1
11/3/02 LV 67 45 22 32 12 20 1
11/2/02 LV 67 47 20 32 9 23 1
10/27/02 All 67 39 28 29 13 16 4
LV 68 47 21 30 14 16 3
9/26/02 67 42 25 30 12 18 3
9/8/02 71 42 28 27 12 15 3
7/28/02 69 39 31 28 14 14 3
7/15/02 72 42 31 25 12 13 2
6/17/02 74 42 32 22 9 13 4
6/9/02 77 41 36 20 9 11 3
5/19/02 76 48 28 22 8 13 3
4/21/02 78 47 31 20 9 10 2
3/28/02 79 49 30 18 8 10 3
3/10/02 82 52 30 16 9 7 2
1/27/02 83 56 27 14 7 7 3
12/19/01 86 64 22 12 6 6 2
11/27/01 89 69 21 9 4 5 1
11/6/01 89 65 24 9 5 4 2
10/9/01 92 76 16 6 3 3 1
9/27/01 90 70 20 6 3 3 4
9/13/01 86 63 23 12 5 6 2
9/9/01 55 26 29 41 20 22 3
8/12/01 61 28 33 31 14 17 8
7/30/01 59 28 30 38 17 22 3
6/3/01 55 27 28 40 18 22 6
4/22/01 63 33 30 32 16 16 5
3/25/01 58 NA NA 33 NA NA 8
2/25/01 55 NA NA 23 NA NA 22 2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bush is handling (ITEM)? 12/19/04 - Summary Table Approve Disapprove No op.
a. The economy 46 51 3
b. The situation in Iraq 42 57 1
c. The US campaign against terrorism 53 43 3
d. Social Security 38 52 9
e. Health care 37 56 7 Trend: a. The economy Approve Disapprove No opinion
12/19/04 46 51 3
9/26/04 RV 47 50 4
8/29/04 RV 45 52 3
7/25/04 47 50 3
6/20/04 46 53 1
5/23/04 44 54 2
4/18/04 44 54 2
3/7/04 39 59 1
2/11/04 44 54 2
1/18/04 51 47 2
12/21/03 51 44 5
11/16/03 48 49 3
10/29/03 45 53 2
10/13/03 45 52 2
9/13/03 42 56 3
9/7/03 44 51 5
8/11/03 45 51 5
7/10/03 47 49 4
4/30/03 52 45 3
2/9/03 47 49 4
2/1/03 44 52 4
1/28/03 46 49 4
1/27/03 47 47 5
1/20/03 43 53 4
1/5/03 50 43 7
12/15/02 50 46 4
11/4/02 LV 53 45 2
11/3/02 LV 52 46 2
11/2/02 LV 55 43 2
10/27/02 51 43 6
10/27/02 LV 53 44 3
9/26/02 51 47 3
9/8/02 57 40 4
7/28/02 57 39 4
7/15/02 58 38 3
4/21/02 64 33 3
1/27/02 62 34 4
12/19/01 67 27 6
11/6/01 72 23 5
9/9/01 48 48 4
7/30/01 52 45 3
6/3/01 53 41 6
4/22/01 55 38 7
3/25/01 50 42 8 b. The situation in Iraq Approve Disapprove No opinion
12/19/04 42 57 1
9/26/04 RV 47 50 3
8/29/04 RV 47 51 2
7/25/04 45 53 2
6/20/04 44 55 2
5/23/04 40 58 2
4/18/04 45 54 1
3/7/04 46 53 1
2/11/04 47 52 1
1/18/04 55 42 2
12/21/03 60 39 2
12/14/03 58 38 4
11/16/03 48 48 4
10/29/03 47 51 2
10/13/03 51 47 2
9/29/03 50 47 3
9/13/03 52 46 2
9/7/03 49 47 4
8/24/03 56 37 7
8/11/03 56 41 3
7/10/03 58 41 2
6/22/03 67 30 2
4/30/03 75 22 2 Compare to: The situation with Iraq and Saddam Hussein 3/27/03 69 26 5
3/23/03 71 26 3
3/20/03 65 29 5
3/17/03 64 29 7
3/9/03 55 38 8
2/23/03 55 39 6
2/9/03 61 37 2
2/5/03 61 32 7
2/1/03 61 35 3
1/28/03 58 38 4
1/27/03 57 40 3
1/20/03 50 46 4
12/15/02 58 37 5
11/4/02 LV 56 40 4
11/3/02 LV 57 40 4
11/2/02 LV 56 41 3
10/27/02 57 38 5
9/26/02 58 39 3
9/14/02 65 31 4
8/29/02 52 36 12 c. The US campaign against terrorism Approve Disapprove No opinion
12/19/04 53 43 3
9/26/04 RV 59 38 3
8/29/04 RV 60 37 3
7/25/04 57 40 4
6/20/04 50 48 2
5/23/04 58 39 4
4/18/04 63 35 2
3/7/04 63 34 3
2/11/04 64 34 2
1/18/04 66 33 2
12/21/03 70 28 2
10/29/03 63 35 2
10/13/03 66 30 4
9/13/03 70 27 3
9/7/03 67 28 5
4/30/03 79 19 2
2/9/03 74 23 4
2/1/03 75 21 3
1/27/03 72 26 2
1/20/03 71 25 4
12/15/02 79 20 1
11/4/02 LV 76 22 1
11/3/02 LV 77 22 3
11/2/02 LV 78 21 2
10/27/02 All 74 23 4
10/27/02 LV 78 20 2
9/26/02 70 28 2
9/8/02 74 24 2
7/28/02 81 17 2
7/15/02 83 15 2
5/19/02* 79 19 3
4/21/02* 81 18 2
3/10/02* 88 10 2
1/27/02 88 10 2
12/19/01* 89 9 2
10/15/01* 92 5 3
*Asked very/somewhat follow-up d. Social Security Approve Disapprove No opinion
12/19/04 38 52 9
4/18/04 41 51 8
3/7/04 38 55 7
10/29/03 40 46 14
9/13/03 43 46 11
4/30/03 49 38 13
12/15/02 49 38 13
9/26/02 42 43 15
7/15/02 54 35 11
1/27/02 54 28 18
9/9/01 41 50 9
7/30/01 46 48 6
6/3/01 46 40 14 e. Health care Approve Disapprove No opinion
12/19/04 37 56 7
8/29/04 RV 39 55 6
7/25/04 38 53 9
6/20/04 39 57 4 Compare to: The cost, availability and coverage of health insurance 4/18/04 33 61 5
3/7/04 32 62 6
2/11/04 32 62 6
1/18/04 37 55 8
12/21/03 34 56 10
10/29/03 28 63 9
10/13/03 30 60 10
9/13/03 32 61 7
4/30/03 34 57 9
1/28/03 40 47 13
1/20/03 36 51 13
12/15/02 33 58 9 36. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Donald Rumsfeld is handling his job as Secretary of Defense? Approve Disapprove No opinion
12/19/04 35 53 12 37. Do you think (Rumsfeld should continue as Secretary of Defense in Bush's second term), or do you think (Bush should replace Rumsfeld with a new Secretary of Defense)? Rumsfeld should continue Bush should No
as Secretary of Defense replace Rumsfeld opinion
12/19/04 36 52 11 3. All in all, considering the costs to the United States versus the benefits to the United States, do you think the war with Iraq was worth fighting, or not? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat? ----Worth fighting---- ----Not worth fighting--- No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly op.
12/19/04 42 31 11 56 10 47 2
10/3/04 LV 49 34 15 48 11 37 3
9/26/04 LV 48 36 12 50 7 43 2
RV 46 35 12 51 8 42 3
9/8/04 RV 51 38 13 45 10 34 4
8/29/04 RV 48 34 14 50 11 39 2
7/25/04 49 36 13 48 11 37 3
6/20/04 47 32 14 52 13 39 2
5/23/04 48 35 13 50 13 37 1
5/6/04 49 NA NA 47 NA NA 5
4/18/04 51 47 2
3/7/04 52 44 3
2/11/04 48 50 2
1/18/04 56 41 3
12/21/03 59 39 2
12/14/03 53 42 5
11/16/03 52 44 4
10/29/03 54 44 2
10/13/03 54 44 2
9/13/03 61 37 2
9/7/03 54 42 4
8/24/03 57 37 5
8/11/03 61 35 4
7/10/03 57 40 3
6/22/03 64 33 3
4/30/03 70 " " 27 " " 4
Gulf War:
2/2/92* 66 NA NA 32 NA NA 2
7/28/91 67 30 3
6/2/91 70 26 3
3/4/91 86 " " 13 " " 1
*2/2/92 and previous: "the Persian Gulf war"; 3/4/91: "this war 4. Again thinking about the goals versus the costs of the war, so far in your opinion has there been an acceptable or unacceptable number of U.S. military casualties in Iraq? Acceptable Unacceptable No opinion
12/19/04 27 70 3
6/20/04 29 71 1
4/18/04 33 65 2
1/18/04 34 62 4
12/21/03 37 60 4
11/16/03 33 64 3
10/29/03 35 62 3
10/13/03 37 60 3
9/13/03 43 55 2
9/7/03 38 57 5
8/11/03 42 53 5
7/10/03 44 52 3
6/22/03 51 44 5
4/9/03 66 28 6
4/3/03 62 32 5
3/27/03 58 34 9 5. Do you think (the United States should keep its military forces in Iraq until civil order is restored there, even if that means continued U.S. military casualties); OR, do you think (the United States should withdraw its military forces from Iraq in order to avoid further U.S. military casualties, even if that means civil order is not restored there)? Keep forces Withdraw forces No opinion
12/19/04 58 39 3
6/20/04 57 42 1
5/23/04 58 40 2
4/18/04 66 33 1
11/16/03 62 34 4
10/29/03 58 38 3
9/13/03 65 32 3
8/24/03 69 27 4
7/10/03 72 26 2 6. Do you think the war with Iraq has or has not contributed to the long-term security of the United States? IF YES: Has it contributed to the long-term security of the United States a great deal, or somewhat? ----------Contributed---------- Has No
NET Great deal Somewhat not opin.
12/19/04 51 27 23 46 4
10/3/04 LV 53 32 22 42 4
9/26/04 LV 54 36 18 43 3
RV 54 36 18 42 4
9/8/04 RV 57 36 22 40 3
8/29/04 RV 54 33 20 42 4
7/25/04 51 32 19 45 3
6/20/04 51 28 23 46 2
5/23/04 54 30 24 43 3
4/18/04 57 33 24 40 3
3/7/04 57 29 29 40 3
2/11/04 58 32 26 38 4
1/18/04 59 34 25 38 3
12/21/03 62 34 29 34 4
7/10/03* 62 33 29 35 3
*"did or did not" 7. (HALF SAMPLE) Do you think the United States is or is not making significant progress in establishing a democratic government in Iraq? Is making Is not making No
significant progress significant progress opinion
12/19/04 48 44 8
6/20/04 50 48 3
5/23/04 38 57 5 8. (HALF SAMPLE) Do you think the United States is or is not making significant progress toward restoring civil order in Iraq? Is making Is not making No
significant progress significant progress opinion
12/19/04 44 49 7
6/20/04 51 48 1 As you may know, elections for a new national government in Iraq are scheduled for late January. (ROTATE ORDER ASKED FOR Q9 and Q10) 9. Do you think Iraq is or is not ready for these elections to be held? Ready Not ready No opinion
12/19/04 34 58 8 10. Do you think the Iraqi elections should be (held as scheduled), or (put off until a later date)? Held as Put off until No
scheduled a later date opinion
12/19/04 60 34 6 11. Do you think these will be honest elections with a fair and accurate vote count, or not? Honest Not honest No opinion
12/19/04 36 54 10 12. How confident are you that these elections will produce a stable government that can rule Iraq effectively - very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not confident at all? --------Confident-------- -----Not confident---- No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not too At all opin.
12/19/04 44 6 38 54 29 25 2
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