Washington Post-Pew Research Center Poll
This poll was conducted for The Washington Post and the Pew Research Center by telephone May 2, 2011, among a random national sample of 654 adults, including users of both conventional and cellular phones. The results from the full survey have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.5 percentage points. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by Abt-SRBI of New York.
*= less than 0.5 percent
1. All in all, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the way things are going in this country today?
Satisfied Dissatisfied No opinion
5/2/11 32 60 7
3/14/11* 22 73 5
2/7/11 26 68 5
1/9/11 23 71 6
12/5/10 21 72 7
11/7/10 23 69 8
9/26/10 30 63 7
9/6/10 25 71 5
7/27/10 27 64 9
5/16/10 28 64 7
4/26/10 29 66 5
4/5/10 31 63 6
3/21/10 25 69 5
3/14/10 23 71 7
2/9/10 23 71 6
1/10/10 27 69 4
11/8/09 25 67 7
10/4/09 25 67 7
9/15/09 30 64 7
8/27/09 28 65 7
8/17/09 28 65 7
7/26/09 28 66 6
6/14/09 30 64 5
5/12/09 34 58 8
4/21/09 23 70 7
1/11/09 20 73 7
*3/14/11 and previous from Pew Research Center; partial trend listed.
2. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president?
-------- Approve -------- ------- Disapprove ------ No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opinion
5/2/11 56 29 27 38 14 24 6
4/17/11* 47 27 21 50 12 37 3
3/13/11 51 27 24 45 12 33 4
1/16/11 54 30 23 43 15 28 3
12/12/10 49 24 25 47 15 32 4
10/28/10 50 27 23 45 11 34 5
10/3/10 50 26 24 47 13 34 3
9/2/10 46 24 22 52 14 38 3
7/11/10 50 28 22 47 12 35 3
6/6/10 52 30 22 45 12 33 4
4/25/10 54 31 23 44 11 33 3
3/26/10 53 34 20 43 8 35 3
2/8/10 51 29 22 46 12 33 3
1/15/10 53 30 24 44 13 32 2
12/13/09 50 31 18 46 13 33 4
11/15/09 56 32 23 42 13 29 2
10/18/09 57 33 23 40 11 29 3
9/12/09 54 35 19 43 12 31 3
8/17/09 57 35 21 40 11 29 3
7/18/09 59 38 22 37 9 28 4
6/21/09 65 36 29 31 10 22 4
4/24/09 69 42 27 26 8 18 4
3/29/09 66 40 26 29 9 20 5
2/22/09 68 43 25 25 8 17 7
*4/17/11 and previous from Washington Post-ABC News polls
3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling [ITEM]?
5/2/11 - Summary Table
-------- Approve -------- ------- Disapprove ------ No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opinion
a. The economy 40 18 22 55 16 39 4
b. The situation
in Afghanistan 60 28 32 29 15 14 11
c. The threat of
terrorism 69 42 27 21 9 12 10
Trend:
a. The economy
-------- Approve -------- ------- Disapprove ------ No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opinion
5/2/11 40 18 22 55 16 39 4
4/17/11* 42 23 19 57 11 46 2
3/13/11 43 22 21 55 13 41 2
1/16/11 46 22 24 51 13 38 2
12/12/10 43 21 22 54 15 39 3
10/28/10 RV 44 21 23 54 15 39 3
10/28/10 LV 42 23 19 55 10 45 2
10/3/10 45 22 23 53 13 41 2
9/2/10 41 20 21 57 13 44 2
7/11/10 43 20 23 54 13 41 4
6/6/10 50 26 24 49 12 37 2
4/25/10 49 24 25 49 10 39 2
3/26/10 45 23 22 52 12 40 3
2/8/10 45 22 23 53 15 38 2
1/15/10 47 22 24 52 13 39 1
12/13/09 46 23 24 52 12 40 2
11/15/09 51 26 25 47 12 36 2
10/18/09 50 29 22 48 13 35 1
9/12/09 51 28 24 46 13 33 2
8/17/09 52 27 25 46 13 33 2
7/18/09 52 29 23 46 10 35 3
6/21/09 56 28 28 41 13 27 3
4/24/09 58 31 28 38 13 25 4
3/29/09 60 34 25 38 12 26 3
2/22/09 60 NA NA 34 NA NA 6
*4/17/11 and previous from Washington Post-ABC News polls
b. The situation in Afghanistan
-------- Approve -------- ------- Disapprove ------ No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opinion
5/2/11 60 28 32 29 15 14 11
4/17/11* 44 17 27 49 17 31 7
1/16/11 49 19 30 41 17 24 10
12/12/10 45 17 28 46 16 30 10
7/11/10 45 20 25 45 14 31 10
4/25/10 56 20 36 36 16 20 7
3/26/10 53 25 29 35 15 20 12
1/15/10 50 22 28 45 18 27 6
12/13/09 52 24 28 44 13 32 4
11/15/09 45 23 23 48 16 32 6
10/18/09 45 22 23 47 17 31 7
9/12/09 55 23 33 37 17 21 7
8/17/09 60 25 35 33 14 19 7
7/18/09 62 33 29 30 13 17 8
4/24/09 63 NA NA 26 NA NA 11
*4/17/11 and previous from Washington Post-ABC News polls
c. The threat of terrorism
-------- Approve -------- ------- Disapprove ------ No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opinion
5/2/11 69 42 27 21 9 12 10
2/8/10* 56 28 28 39 14 25 5
1/15/10 55 31 23 42 14 28 4
11/15/09 53 31 22 41 14 27 6
9/12/09 55 31 24 34 12 23 11
6/21/09 57 NA NA 36 NA NA 7
4/21/09** 57 NA NA 26 NA NA 17
*6/21/09 to 2/8/11 from Washington Post-ABC News poll
**Pew Research Center
4. Regardless of what you think about the original decision to use military force in Afghanistan, do you now believe that the United States will definitely succeed, probably succeed, probably fail, or definitely fail in achieving its goals in Afghanistan?
--------- Succeed ---------- ---------- Fail -----------
NET Definitely Probably NET Probably Definitely No opinion
5/2/11 64 19 44 26 20 6 10
12/5/10* 49 9 40 39 30 9 11
7/20/10 59 14 45 33 26 7 8
3/14/10 58 12 46 29 22 7 12
12/13/09 59 11 48 32 25 7 10
1/11/09 62 13 49 29 23 6 9
*12/5/10 and previous from Pew Research Center
5. Do you think the U.S. should keep military troops in Afghanistan until the situation has stabilized, or do you think the U.S. should remove troops as soon as possible?
Keep troops Remove No
in Afghanistan troops opinion
5/2/11 47 48 4
4/3/11* 44 50 6
12/5/10 44 47 8
7/11/10 47 42 11
6/20/10 53 40 6
5/5/10 48 45 7
9/15/09 50 43 7
6/09 57 38 5
9/08 61 33 6
4/08 50 44 6
2/08 61 32 7
5/07 50 42 7
*4/3/11 and previous from Pew Research Center
6. How much if anything, have you heard about the U.S. military strike that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan. Have you heard a lot, a little or nothing at all?
A lot A little Nothing at all
5/2/11 68 28 4
7a. (ASK IF HEARD) How did you FIRST learn about the news that Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. military forces? Was it from (talking with someone), (the radio), (television), (a newspaper) or (the Internet)?
7b. (ASK IF TELEVISION) Did you hear this on (a cable news channel, such as CNN, Fox Cable news or MSNBC), (a network news broadcast on ABC, CBS or NBC) or (a local television news broadcast in your area)?
7c. (ASK IF TALKING) Were you talking (in person) or (over the phone)?
7d. (ASK IF INTERNET) Was this (through social networking like Facebook or Twitter), (in an email) or (on a news website or blog)?
BASED ON TOTAL 6/7a/7b/7c/7d
Talking with someone NET 15
In person 8
Over the phone 7
Other (VOL.) 1
The radio 6
Television NET 58
Cable news channel 20
Network news broadcast 23
Local news broadcast 12
Other (VOL.) 2
Don’t know/Refused (VOL.) 1
A newspaper 3
The Internet NET 11
Through social networking 6
On a news website or blog 5
In an email *
Other (VOL.) *
Other (VOL.) 2
Heard nothing about it 4
8. Now that Osama bin Laden has been killed, do you think that the terrorism threat is mostly over or do you think we will have to take further military actions to reduce the threat of terrorism to the United States?
Mostly Take further No
over military actions opinion
5/2/11 5 85 9
1/13/02* 5 92 3
*Pew Research Center: “If Osama bin Laden is captured or killed … terrorism threat will be…”
9. Regardless of the long-term impact, how worried are you, if at all, that the terrorist group al Qaeda will attempt a major terrorist attack against the United States as retaliation for bin Laden’s death – is this something that worries you a great deal, somewhat, not so much or not at all?
-------- Worried -------- ------ Not worried ------- No
NET Grt.deal Somewhat NET Not so much At all opinion
5/2/11 67 22 45 32 20 12 1
10. How much confidence do you have in the ability of the U.S. government to prevent further terrorist attacks against Americans in this country: a great deal, a good amount, only a fair amount, or none at all?
------- Confident ------- ---- Not confident --- No
NET Grt.deal Good amt. NET Fair amt. None opinion
5/2/11 61 22 40 37 31 7 1
9/2/10* 44 12 32 56 45 11 *
9/7/07 49 15 34 50 40 10 1
9/7/06 46 15 31 53 43 10 1
1/26/06 50 19 31 49 39 11 *
9/11/05 41 14 27 59 41 18 *
8/21/05 42 14 28 57 43 15 *
9/8/04 RV 52 16 35 47 39 8 1
9/7/03 45 14 31 55 48 7 1
9/8/02 50 12 38 49 43 6 *
7/15/02 46 13 33 54 45 9 *
6/9/02 44 14 30 55 44 11 *
5/19/02 46 17 29 52 42 10 2
3/10/02 55 18 38 44 39 5 *
1/27/02 57 18 40 42 37 6 1
11/27/01 63 24 39 36 32 5 1
11/6/01 52 17 35 47 40 7 1
9/11/01 66 35 31 32 30 2 1
6/2/97 35 10 26 62 52 10 3
8/5/96 35 12 23 65 49 16 *
5/14/95 36 12 24 63 51 12 1
4/20/95 37 13 24 62 51 11 1
6/28/93 59 22 37 41 32 8 1
4/3/89 46 16 30 54 38 16 *
*9/2/10 and previous from Washington Post-ABC News polls
11. How much do you think bin Laden’s death will (READ ITEM)? Do you think it will help a great deal, somewhat, not much or hardly at all?
Summary Table – 5/2/11
------Help------- ---------Not help--------
Great Some- Not Hardly Won’t No
NET deal what NET much at all (vol.) opin.
a. contribute to long-term
peace and stability in
the Mideast 51 12 39 45 20 22 3 4
b. contribute to the
long-term security of
the United States 68 22 46 30 16 13 1 2
Compare to*: How much do you think Saddam's capture will do to (READ ITEM)? Do you think it will help a great deal, somewhat, not much or hardly at all?
Summary Table – 12/14/03
------Help------- ---------Not help--------
Great Some- Not Hardly Won’t No
NET deal what NET much at all (vol.) opin.
a. contribute to long-term
peace and stability in
the Mideast 70 24 46 28 14 13 2 2
b. contribute to the
long-term security
of the United States 65 23 42 34 16 15 2 2
*Washington Post-ABC News poll
12. Does Osama bin Laden’s death make you more confident or less confident that the U.S. can achieve its goals in the war in Afghanistan, or doesn’t it affect your views either way?
More confident Less confident Doesn’t affect either way No opinion
5/2/11 46 5 45 3
13. How much credit, if any, do you think (INSERT) should get for the killing of Osama bin Laden – a great deal of credit, some, not much or none at all?
Summary Table – 5/2/11
-------- Credit ------- ----- No credit ----- No
NET Great deal Some NET Not much None opinion
a. Barack Obama 76 35 41 21 13 8 2
b. George W. Bush 51 15 36 46 15 31 3
c. The U.S. military 97 86 10 2 * 2 2
d. The CIA and other U.S. 89 66 23 6 3 3 5
intelligence agencies
14. Is your impression that the government of Pakistan (mostly helped) or (mostly hurt) U.S. efforts to find Osama bin Laden, or don’t you know enough to say?
Mostly helped Mostly hurt Don’t know enough to say No opinion
5/2/11 8 34 54 3
15. Please tell me if each of the following does or does not describe your own feelings about the death of Osama bin Laden, or not? The first is [ITEM]. Does this describe your own personal feelings about the death of Osama bin Laden, or not?
Summary Table – 5/2/11
Yes No No opinion
a. Relieved 72 26 2
b. Proud 60 36 3
c. Happy 58 37 4
d. Afraid 16 83 1
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