Approve Disapprove No opin.
12/15/00: 72 26 2
2. From what you've heard or read about it, do you approve or disapprove of the U.S. Supreme Court's decision rejecting the recount in Florida?
Approve Disapprove No opinion
12/15/00 50 48 2
3. As a result of this ruling, do you have a higher opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court, a lower opinion, or hasn't your opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court changed?
Higher Lower No Change No opin.
12/15/00 11 30 57 2
12/10/00* 15 25 58 3
*As a result of its order stopping the recount, do you have a higher opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court, a lower opinion, or hasn't your opinion of the U.S. Supreme Court changed?
4. Do you think the majority in the U.S. Supreme Court that ruled in Bush's favor did so mainly on the law and evidence in the case, or mainly because it wanted to help Bush become president?
Mainly on law Mainly to No
and evidence help Bush opin.
12/15/00 59 34 7
5. What about the minority in the U.S. Supreme Court that ruled in Gore's favor - do you think it did so mainly on the law and evidence in the case, or mainly because it wanted to help Gore become president?
Mainly on law Mainly to No
and evidence help Gore opin.
12/15/00 60 29 11
6. How confident are you that the votes in Florida have been counted accurately - very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident or not confident at all?
------Confident------- ------Not Confident----- No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not too Not at all opin.
12/15/00 42 23 18 57 17 40 1
12/10/00 46 24 22 53 23 30 1
12/3/00 51 26 25 47 16 31 2
11/26/00 56 27 30 39 18 21 5
11/16/00* 50 19 31 46 18 28 4
11/12/00* 59 21 38 38 20 18 3
* "will be"
7. Do you think this situation reveals serious problems in this country's system of electing the president, or do you think it's just the kind of thing that can happen in a very close election?
Problem in system Happens in close election No opinion
12/15/00 53 45 2
12/10/00 49 50 2
12/3/00 43 54 3
11/12/00 32 65 3
8. Which comes closest to describing the way you feel about the outcome of this election: enthusiastic; satisfied but not enthusiastic; dissatisfied but not angry, or angry?
------Satisfied------- -----Dissatisfied----- No
NET Enthus. Satis. NET Dissat. Angry opin.
12/15/00 49 14 35 50 37 12 1
9. Do you think voting rules in presidential elections should continue to be set individually by states and counties, or should the federal government establish voting rules for all states and counties?
Rules set by Rules set by No
state/county federal govt opin.
12/15/00 35 61 3
10. Would you support or oppose a federal law (READ ITEM):
12/15/00
Support Oppose No opin.
a. Requiring the same design and layout 88 10 2
for all election ballots
b. Outlawing so-called punch-card ballots 64 29 8
c. Requiring all states and counties to use 87 12 1
one kind of voting machine
d. Creating standard rules for how and when 86 11 3
recounts are done
e. Setting a single poll closing time 64 32 4
across the entire country
11. For future presidential elections, would you support or oppose changing to a system in which the president is elected by direct popular vote, instead of by the electoral college?
Support Oppose No opin.
12/15/00 62 33 5
12. (ASK IF SUPPORT IN Q.11) What if that meant presidential candidates paid less attention to the smaller states - in that case would you support or oppose changing from the electoral college to direct popular vote?
Support Oppose No opin.
12/15/00 68 28 4
13. Do you consider Bush to have been legitimately elected as president, or not?
Yes No No opin.
12/15/00 55 42 3
12/10/00* 71 27 1
12/3/00 73 23 4
11/26/00 76 19 5
*12/10 and previous: "If this ends with Bush winning the presidency, will you consider him…"
14. Do you think the election situation has put Bush in a stronger position to lead the country, a weaker position, or hasn't it made much difference in that?
Stronger Weaker No diff. No opin.
12/15/00 13 40 44 3
15. Who do you personally want to become the next president - (Al Gore) or (George W. Bush)?
Neither Other No
Gore Bush (vol.) (vol.) opin.
12/15/00 47 39 9 2 2
12/10/00 39 47 9 2 3
12/3/00 43 46 10 * 1
11/26/00 42 43 10 2 3
11/16/00 44 43 10 2 2
11/12/00 44 45 6 1 4
*12/10 and previous: "Who do you…"
16. When Bush takes office in January, do you think he should work mainly with the Republicans in Congress to implement his policies, or work with both Republicans and Democrats to try and reach a compromise?
Work mainly with Work with both No
Republicans Reps/Dems opin.
12/15/00 4 94 2
17. Do you think Bush should or should not appoint some Democrats to his cabinet?
Should appoint Should not appoint No
Democrats Democrats opin.
12/15/00 87 7 6
18. Although the court stopped the official recount in Florida, the ballots are public documents, which means that the news media could hire experts to conduct their own recount there. How confident would you be in the accuracy of such a recount - very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident or not confident at all?
------Confident------- ------Not Confident------- (VOL) No
NET Very Somewhat NET Not Too Not at All Depends opin.
12/15/00 47 15 32 49 19 30 1 2
19. (ASKED ONLY OF THOSE WHO SAY BUSH IS LEGITIMATE PRESIDENT) Suppose there is an unofficial recount in Florida and the results indicate that Gore should have won the presidential election. Would you consider Bush to have been legitimately elected as president, or not?
Yes No No opin.
12/15/00 84 12 4
20. I'm going to read you a few names. For each, please tell me if you have a
favorable or unfavorable impression of that person or group, or perhaps you
don't know enough to say.
12/15/00
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
Al Gore 66 28 6
George W. Bush 56 36 8
The Republican party 54 35 11
The Democratic party 64 25 11
Dick Cheney 55 23 22
Ralph Nader 37 36 27
Bill Clinton 56 40 4
Colin Powell 70 10 19
Compare to:
Al Gore
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
Registered Voters:
10/15/00 44 37 20
9/6/00 59 32 9
7/23/00 53 37 10
6/11/00 46 38 16
General Population:
12/15/00 66 28 6
7/23/00 54 35 11
6/11/00 45 35 20
4/2/00 47 35 19
2/27/00 50 40 10
10/31/99 56 38 6
9/2/99 50 40 10
6/6/99 52 34 14
3/14/99 54 33 14
2/14/99 53 31 17
8/21/98 55 30 15
7/12/98 54 26 20
4/4/98 54 27 19
1/31/98 52 29 19
1/30/98 51 30 19
1/25/98 55 29 16
1/24/98 54 30 15
1/19/98 48 36 17
10/13/97 45 40 15
9/10/97 49 33 19
4/24/97 53 29 19
3/9/97 56 29 15
3/19/95 57 27 16
10/31/94 41 37 22
5/15/94 58 27 15
3/27/94 57 25 18
11/14/93 56 28 15
8/23/92 RV 52 19 29
7/19/92 RV 55 12 33
George W. Bush
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
Registered Voters:
10/15/00 46 34 21
9/6/00 58 31 11
7/23/00 61 30 9
6/11/00 54 29 17
General Population:
12/15/00 56 36 8
7/23/00 62 29 9
6/11/00 50 28 22
4/2/00 50 31 19
2/27/00 49 39 11
10/31/99 69 24 8
9/2/99 61 23 16
6/6/99 54 15 30
3/14/99 54 14 32
2/14/99 51 13 36
1/19/98 34 13 53
The Republican Party
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
12/15/00 54 35 11
1/16/00 53 37 10
Trend*:
Never heard of/
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
1/10/00 53 41 6
1/10/00 LV 56 39 5
11/21/99 50 44 6
5/2/99 47 44 9
2/21/99 45 46 9
2/13/99 40 54 5
2/8/99 45 47 8
1/10/99 40 52 8
12/20/98 31 57 12
12/16/98 43 47 10
10/29/97 50 42 8
9/1/96 RV 50 45 5
8/18/96 RV 55 41 4
8/7/96 RV 51 44 5
4/10/96 52 41 7
4/19/95 52 42 6
7/8/92 RV 53 39 8
*Gallup
The Democratic Party
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
12/15/00 64 25 11
1/16/00 56 35 9
Trend*:
Never heard of/
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
1/10/00 61 33 6
1/10/00 LV 58 37 5
11/21/99 51 41 8
5/2/99 53 37 10
2/21/99 55 37 8
2/13/99 56 38 6
2/8/99 57 37 6
1/10/99 57 35 8
12/20/98 57 30 13
12/16/98 58 32 10
10/29/97 54 39 7
9/1/96 RV 60 36 4
8/18/96 RV 55 41 4
8/7/96 RV 57 38 5
4/10/96 55 38 7
4/19/95 51 43 6
7/8/92 RV 54 38 8
*Gallup
Dick Cheney
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
Registered Voters:
9/6/00 42 20 38
7/29/00 34 11 55
General Population:
12/15/00 55 23 22
7/29/00 29 10 60
Ralph Nader
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
Registered Voters:
9/6/00 31 29 39
7/23/00 30 28 42
General Population:
12/15/00 37 36 27
7/23/00 29 27 44
Bill Clinton
------Favorable------ -----Unfavorable------ No
Net Strngly Smewht Net Strngly Smewht opinion
12/15/00 56 NA NA 40 NA NA 4
7/23/00 44 23 21 50 36 13 6
6/6/99* 52 NA NA 44 NA NA 4
2/14/99 57 32 25 40 29 11 3
1/30/99 54 35 19 42 30 12 3
9/28/98 48 NA NA 47 NA NA 5
8/23/98 45 NA NA 49 NA NA 6
8/21/98 56 NA NA 40 NA NA 4
8/19/98 39 NA NA 57 NA NA 4
7/12/98 54 NA NA 40 NA NA 6
5/12/98 54 NA NA 42 NA NA 4
4/4/98 55 NA NA 39 NA NA 6
2/18/98 56 NA NA 41 NA NA 3
1/30/98 60 NA NA 35 NA NA 6
1/25/98 54 NA NA 42 NA NA 5
1/24/98 51 NA NA 44 NA NA 5
1/19/98 59 NA NA 35 NA NA 6
1/12/98 59 NA NA 33 NA NA 7
10/13/97 59 NA NA 37 NA NA 4
9/10/97 57 NA NA 38 NA NA 5
3/9/97 60 NA NA 38 NA NA 3
9/4/96 RV 58 NA NA 38 NA NA 4
6/30/96 56 NA NA 38 NA NA 5
10/30/95 54 NA NA 41 NA NA 6
7/17/95 59 NA NA 38 NA NA 3
6/8/95 53 NA NA 43 NA NA 4
3/19/95 55 NA NA 42 NA NA 3
10/31/94 51 NA NA 44 NA NA 5
5/15/94 57 NA NA 40 NA NA 3
3/27/94 59 NA NA 37 NA NA 4
1/23/94 60 NA NA 32 NA NA 8
11/14/93 58 NA NA 37 NA NA 5
11/11/93 52 NA NA 43 NA NA 6
8/8/93 56 NA NA 39 NA NA 5
4/26/93 59 NA NA 29 NA NA 12
2/23/93 59 NA NA 30 NA NA 11
1/17/93 68 NA NA 20 NA NA 11
10/18/92 LV 56 NA NA 36 NA NA 8
9/27/92 LV 55 NA NA 36 NA NA 9
8/23/92 RV 54 NA NA 36 NA NA 10
7/19/92 RV 58 NA NA 23 NA NA 18
7/8/92 52 NA NA 33 NA NA 15
6/7/92 41 NA NA 38 NA NA 21
3/18/92 37 NA NA 37 NA NA 26
3/11/92 39 NA NA 31 NA NA 30
2/2/92 37 NA NA 24 NA NA 39
1/27/92 23 NA NA 11 NA NA 66
10/21/91 13 NA NA 9 NA NA 78
* Post poll
Colin Powell
Favorable Unfavorable No opinion
General Population:
12/15/00 70 10 19
9/10/97 73 6 21
4/24/97 75 6 19
10/30/95 59 12 29
7/17/95 65 9 27
6/6/95 59 10 30
3/19/95 66 7 27
10/31/94 63 8 29
11/14/93 68 7 25
21. Now I'm going to read you the names of some institutions in American society. Please tell me how much confidence you, yourself, have in each one: a great deal, quite a lot, some, or very little.
12/15/00
A great Quite Very None No
deal a lot Some little (VOL) opin.
The military 46 29 17 5 * 2
The U.S. Supreme Court 31 25 28 12 2 2
The Clinton Administration 23 20 29 23 3 1
Congress 20 25 39 12 1 3
The news media 9 15 43 29 2 1
The incoming Bush 18 19 32 22 2 7
administration
Trend where available:
[*Post/Kaiser/Harvard]
A great Quite Very None No
deal a lot Some little (VOL) opin.
a. The military
12/15/00 46 29 17 5 * 2
12/4/95* 32 38 22 7 * 1
11/10/91 47 31 15 6 - 1
10/21/91 40 31 21 8 - *
1/27/91 53 32 11 4 - 1
9/9/90 42 30 20 6 - 1
12/18/83 32 34 23 10 - 1
9/20/81 26 26 29 17 - 3
b. The U.S. Supreme Court
12/15/00 31 25 28 12 2 2
12/4/95* 13 26 41 16 2 2
10/21/91 19 25 38 17 - 2
1/27/91 20 28 38 13 - 2
9/9/90 22 24 36 17 - 2
9/20/81 23 28 29 16 - 4
c. The Clinton Administration
12/15/00 23 20 29 23 3 1
12/4/95* 9 16 36 33 5 1
d. Congress
12/15/00 20 25 39 12 1 3
12/4/95* 4 10 41 41 3 1
11/10/91 7 10 39 43 - 1
10/21/91 8 12 44 35 - 1
1/27/91 12 16 49 22 - 1
9/9/90 11 14 47 26 - 1
12/18/83 9 17 43 29 - 2
9/20/81 14 22 41 21 - 3
e. The news media
12/15/00 9 15 43 29 2 1
12/4/95* 6 14 40 37 2 1
11/10/91 16 21 38 25 - 1
22. Who do you trust to do a better job coping with the main problems the nation faces over the next few years, George W. Bush or the Republicans in Congress?
Both equally No
Bush Republicans (vol.) opin.
12/15/00 37 46 8 9
COMPARE TO:
Who do you trust to do a better job coping with the main problems the
nation faces over the next year - Clinton or the Republicans in
Congress?
P>
Both equally Neither No
Clinton Republicans (vol.) (vol.) opin.
1/26/00 45 46 * 7 2
2/14/99 52 35 2 7 3
2/12/99 53 30 3 11 4
1/19/99 50 32 3 8 7
11/7/98 47 38 4 9 2
9/28/98 51 38 2 6 3
9/28/98LV 47 45 1 4 2
8/21/98 48 38 2 9 3
7/12/98 48 38 1 6 6
5/12/98 47 39 3 8 3
1/31/98 52 35 3 4 6
1/19/98 48 40 2 8 2
3/9/97 49 38 4 8 2
1/15/97* 51 37 3 7 2
1/29/95 40 46 4 8 2
1/4/95 30 54 3 9 4
12/15/94 34 49 3 9 6
* "The Clinton administration"
23. I am going to mention four phrases and ask you which one best describes how you feel about the way the federal government works. Do you feel enthusiastic, satisfied but not enthusiastic, dissatisfied but not angry, or angry?
------Positive-------- ------Negative------
Pos. Enthusi- Satis- Neg. Dissat- None/ No
NET astic fied NET isfied Angry Other opin.
12/15/00 59 4 55 39 34 6 NA 1
2/14/99 52 3 48 47 35 12 NA 1
9/28/98 50 4 46 49 36 12 NA 1
9/28/98LV 48 4 44 50 37 14 NA 1
1/19/98 46 2 43 53 45 8 1 *
8/27/97 34 2 33 64 52 11 2 1
3/17/96 29 2 27 70 54 16 NA *
1/4/95 29 2 27 69 53 16 * 1
11/6/94 Reg. 28 2 26 70 49 21 1 1
10/31/94 26 1 25 73 55 18 1 1
10/23/94 28 1 26 71 52 20 * *
10/9/94 25 2 24 72 53 19 2 *
9/11/94 26 2 25 73 53 20 NA *
3/27/94 30 1 29 68 48 20 1 1
2/28/93 33 4 29 66 50 16 * *
7/8/92 23 1 22 76 53 23 * 1
6/7/92 21 1 20 79 58 21 * 1
4/9/92 21 1 20 79 55 24 1 *
3/18/92 22 1 21 77 54 23 1 *
3/11/92 18 1 17 80 60 20 1 1
24. Now I'm going to read you some statements that may or may not describe your own feelings about politics and government. Please tell me whether you agree or disagree with each one.
a. People like me don't have any say about what the government does
--------AGREE-------- -------DISAGREE------- No
Net Strngly Smewht Net Strngly Smewht opinion
12/15/00 38 20 19 61 36 25 1
12/4/95 52 29 23 47 28 19 1
b. Politics and government are so complicated that a person like me can't
really understand what's going on
--------AGREE-------- -------DISAGREE------- No
Net Strngly Smewht Net Strngly Smewht opinion
12/15/00 41 19 22 58 33 25 1
8/1/99 50 26 24 50 28 21 1
c. Voting is a waste of time.
--------AGREE-------- -------DISAGREE------- No
Net Strngly Smewht Net Strngly Smewht opinion
12/15/00 11 6 5 88 77 12 1
8/1/99 16 8 8 83 14 69 *
d. Whatever its faults, the United States still has the best system of government in the world
--------AGREE-------- -------DISAGREE------- No
Net Strngly Smewht Net Strngly Smewht opinion
12/15/00 89 71 18 11 4 7 *
5/6/96 83 NA NA 15 NA NA 2
9/11/94 84 NA NA 12 NA NA 3
4/9/92 85 NA NA 14 NA NA 1
*= less than 0.5 percent
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