Washington Post Poll
This poll was conducted for The Washington Post by telephone April 17 to 18, 2013 among a random national sample of 588 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 five percentage points. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by SSRS of Media, Pa. Produced for the Washington Post by Capital Insight.
*= less than 0.5 percent
1. As you have probably heard, explosions at the Boston Marathon killed three people and injured more than 100 others. How closely have you been following news about the bombings in Boston, very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not at all closely?
------ Closely ------ ------ Not closely ------- No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not too Not at all opinion
4/18/13 80 38 41 20 12 8 -
Trends for comparison:
“Suicide bombings in Russia”
4/5/10* 36 10 26 64 24 40 *
“The recent terrorist bombings in Bali, Indonesia”
10/24/05* 44 13 31 55 26 29 1
“Terrorist bombings in London, England (July 7, 2005)”
7/10/05* 76 36 40 23 17 6 1
“Terrorist bombings in Madrid, Spain”
3/21/04* 69 34 35 30 18 12 1
“Terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center
in New York and the Pentagon in Washington
9/17/01* 96 74 22 4 3 1 *
*Pew Research Center
2. How much confidence do you have in the ability of the U.S. government to prevent terrorist attacks against Americans in this country: a great deal, a good amount, a fair amount or none?
------- Confident ------- ---- Not confident --- No
NET Grt.deal Good amt. NET Fair amt. None opinion
4/18/13 43 15 28 57 42 15 1
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
3. How concerned are you about the possibility there will be more major terrorist attacks in the United States – is that something that worries you a great deal, somewhat, not too much or not at all?
------- Concerned ------- ---- Not concerned ---- No
NET Grt.deal Somewhat NET Not much At all opinion
4/18/13 69 32 37 30 20 10 1
9/7/08 64 18 46 36 23 13 *
9/7/07 66 25 41 34 23 10 *
9/7/06 74 29 45 25 17 8 *
8/21/05 66 24 42 33 23 10 1
7/21/05 73 30 43 27 17 10 *
9/8/04 RV 73 25 47 27 20 7 1
9/7/03 71 25 46 29 20 9 *
3/20/03 76 29 47 24 16 8 1
2/16/03 72 27 45 27 18 9 1
9/8/02 74 22 52 26 19 7 0
7/15/02 73 29 44 27 20 7 *
4/21/02 73 30 43 26 18 9 *
3/10/02 70 23 47 30 21 9 1
12/19/01 70 27 43 29 22 8 1
10/15/01 77 35 43 23 14 9 0
10/9/01 82 36 46 18 12 6 *
10/7/01 81 41 40 18 13 4 1
9/27/01* 83 43 39 17 12 5 *
9/11/01 87 49 38 12 7 4 1
6/13/97 62 21 41 38 24 14 *
6/2/97 63 22 41 37 28 9 *
8/5/96 74 31 43 26 18 8 *
4/20/95 78 38 40 21 16 5 1
*9/27/01 and previous: "How concerned are you about the possibility there will be more major terrorist attacks in this country."
4. How concerned are you about the possibility there will be a major terrorist attack in your own community where you live – is this something that worries you a great deal, somewhat, not too much or not at all?
------- Concerned ------- ---- Not concerned ---- No
NET Grt.deal Somewhat NET Not much At all opinion
4/18/13 40 13 27 60 27 32 *
9/11/01 42 16 26 58 33 25 *
5. Did you, personally, do any of the following because of the bombing…? [Insert item]
4/18/13 – Summary Table
Yes No No opinion
a. Stay home from work or leave early 5 95 *
b. Watch or listen to broadcast news reports 79 21 *
c. Pray for the victims and their families 77 22 *
d. Change your daily plans or activities in any way 6 94 *
Trend for comparison: Did you, personally, do any of the following because of today’s (9/11/01) attacks…?
9/11/01 – Summary table
Yes No No opinion
a. Stay home from work or leave early 31 69 *
b. Watch or listen to broadcast news reports 99 1 0
c. Pray for the victims and their families 91 8 *
d. Change your daily plans or activities in any way 53 47 0
6. Have you had any difficulty concentrating on your job or your normal activities because of the way you feel about the bombing in Boston?
Yes No No opinion
4/18/13 9 91 *
10/3/01* 31 68 1
9/17/01* 49 50 1
*Pew Research Center: “the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon”
7. Since Monday’s bombings in Boston, have you or has anyone in your household started avoiding crowded places such as shopping malls because of the chance of terrorism, or not?
----------- No ------------ No
Yes NET Considering Not cons. opinion
4/18/13 8 92 7 85 *
10/24/01* 14 86 11 75 *
10/21/01 8 91 12 79 1
*ABC News: “Since September 11th”
8. Which worries you more: that the government (will not go far enough to investigate terrorism because of concerns about constitutional rights), or that it (will go too far in compromising constitutional rights in order to investigate terrorism)?
Will not go Will go Neither No
far enough too far (vol.) opinion
4/18/13 41 48 5 6
Compare to: Which worries you more: (that Obama/Bush will not go far enough to investigate terrorism because of concerns about constitutional rights), or (that Obama will go too far in compromising constitutional rights in order to investigate terrorism)?
Will not go Will go Neither No
far enough too far (vol.) opinion
1/15/10* 63 27 6 4
1/8/06** 48 44 6 2
* “Obama”
** “Bush”
9. Which comes closer to your view – the terrorists will always find a way to launch major attacks no matter what the U.S. government does, or the U.S. government can eventually prevent all major attacks if it works hard enough at it?
Terrorist will Government can eventually No
always find a way prevent all major attacks opinion
4/18/13 66 30 4
9/11/11* 58 40 2
8/14/11 59 37 4
1/10/10 60 39 1
9/9/07 57 40 3
9/2/06 57 41 2
9/4/02 60 37 3
*2011 and previous: CNN/ORC, Gallup and CNN/USA Today/Gallup
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