CBS News Monthly Poll #1, August 2003

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Summary

This poll, conducted August 11-12, 2003, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit opinions on political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of Presi...

This poll, conducted August 11-12, 2003, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit opinions on political and social issues. Respondents were asked to give their opinions of President George W. Bush and his overall job performance, as well as his handling of the situation with Iraq, foreign policy issues, and the economy. Questions related to the United States involvement in Iraq addressed whether removing Saddam Hussein from power and the result of the war with Iraq was worth the human and economic costs, how well things were going for the United States in its efforts to bring stability and order to Iraq, whether the United States was in control of events in Iraq, respondents' level of confidence that the United States would eventually find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, whether it mattered if weapons of mass destruction were found, respondents' level of confidence in the United States' ability to capture or kill Saddam Hussein, and whether the United States had won the war if Hussein was not captured or killed. Views were also sought on whether respondents considered Saudi Arabia to be an ally, friendly but not an ally, unfriendly, or an enemy of the United States. Respondents were asked about the most important issue facing the United States, the condition of the national economy and whether it was improving, getting worse, or staying the same, whether the economy and job market were better or worse than two years ago, the degree of progress made by the Bush administration on improving the economy and creating new jobs, whether the respondent's financial situation was better or worse than two years ago, the condition of the respondent's own state's economy, and how concerned respondents were that a member of their household would lose his or her job in the next year. Specific questions concerning the economy addressed the overall condition of the stock market, expected changes in the stock market, the impact of the stock market on the condition of the national economy, the effects of the new tax cuts on the stock market, the likelihood that the new tax cuts would create more jobs, whether the respondent had received a tax rebate check for the current year, whether the tax rebate money was spent, used to pay bills, or saved or invested, and whether the respondent and his or her spouse currently had any money invested in the stock market. Additional questions addressed whether the respondent would vote to recall his or her state's governor if given the chance, and whether Hollywood celebrities should become involved in politics. Background variables include age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, religion, education, 2002 household income, political orientation, political ideology, whether the respondent voted in the 2000 presidential election, and for whom they voted (Al Gore, George W. Bush, Pat Buchanan, or Ralph Nader).Cf: http://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR03917.v3

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