Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Party Identification
Q: In politics today, do you . . . ?
——————————————2009——————————————————
December January December January
—————With Leaners —————
Consider yourself a Republican 25% 25% 39% 36%
Democrat 32 37 47 53
Independent 38 33
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, latest that of December 2009.
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The Parties Head-to-Head on the Issues
The Democratic Party has lost ground in many areas since last December, and the GOP has gained, especially on issues
relating to the economy and health care, the year’s most visible topics.
Q: Which party could do a better job of . . . ?
Democratic Party Republican Party
Improving the educational system
59% Dec. 2008 24%
45 Dec. 2009 30
Dealing with the economy
58% Dec. 2008 27%
40 Dec. 2009 39
Dealing with the terrorist threat at home
47% Dec. 2008 38%
35 Dec. 2009 42
Improving morality in this country
51% Dec. 2008 31%
37 Dec. 2009 36
Dealing with taxes
52% Dec. 2008 35%
39 Dec. 2009 41
Protecting the environment
64% Dec. 2008 20%
52 Dec. 2009 27
Making wise decisions about
what to do in Iraq
54% Dec. 2008 33%
39 Dec. 2009 34
Reforming the U.S. health care system
62% Dec. 2008 23%
40 Dec. 2009 36
Reducing the federal budget deficit
56% Dec. 2008 26%
34 Dec. 2009 41
Making America more respected in the world
58% Dec. 2008 27%
43 Dec. 2009 35
Generating economic growth
58% Dec. 2008 28%
38 Dec. 2009 41
Making America more competitive
in the world economy
53% Dec. 2008 33%
40 Dec. 2009 37
Making wise decisions about foreign policy
53% Dec. 2008 33%
40 Dec. 2009 39
Source: Ipsos Public Affairs/McClatchy, latest that of December 2009.
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Obama in Decline? Presidential Approval Over Time
Most presidents have seen their approval ratings drop in their first year in office, but Barack Obama’s decline
has been especially sharp. Here we compare President Obama to his Democratic predecessors and separately, to
his recent predecessors from both parties. The approval ratings for the two other Democratic presidents who
experienced some low first-year ratings, Carter and Clinton, both appeared to be on the rise by the end of the
year. As of this writing, Obama’s ratings are not rising.
70
Carter
60
Obama
50
40 Clinton
30
First 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
Month
Note: This graph was composed using Gallup presidential approval data beginning the first month a president took office. When
multiple surveys were conducted in a single month, the last survey of the month was used.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of December 2009.
90
80 George W. Bush
George H. W. Bush
70
Obama
60
50
Clinton
40
30
First 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th 9th 10th 11th 12th
Month
Note: This graph was composed using Gallup presidential approval data beginning the first month a president took office. When
multiple surveys were conducted in a single month, the last survey of the month was used.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of December 2009.
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President Obama and Other Wartime Presidents
We are indebted to Gary Langer, ABC’s ace polling analyst, for the idea for the chart below showing how wartime
presidents fare.
50
40 Johnson George W. Bush
30
20
10
Obama average, January–early December = 58%
0
First 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Year
Note: This graph was composed using yearly averages of presidential approval ratings.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of December 2009.
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Terror Tactics
Q: So far, there has not been another terrorist attack in America since 2001. Is this . . . ?
There has not been another terrorist attack in America since 9/11 mostly because
The government is doing a good job protecting the country 44%
America is inherently a difficult target for terrorists 11
America has been lucky so far 35
Source: Pew Research Center with the Council on Foreign Relations, October–November 2009.
Responses of:
Republicans 17 41
Democrats 82 88
Independents 46 62
Whites 40 63
Blacks 89 86
Hispanics 69 74
Men 48 64
Women 51 69
Note: Data are from the Gallup’s daily tracking, aggregated weekly. The December survey was taken from November 30–December 6, 2009.
The January survey was taken from January 19–25, 2009.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of December 2009.
60
Followed Reports about the Condition
55 of the U.S. Economy closely
50
45
40
Health Care Reform
35 Swine Flu
and Vaccine
30
25
Troops to Afghanistan
20
15
10
Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov
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Health Care Reform: The Latest
Q: Would you advise your member of Congress . . . ? (Gallup)
Q: Overall, given what you know about them, would you say . . . ? (ABC News/Post)
Q: As of right now, do you generally . . . ? (Pew)
—————Gallup——————— ———ABC News/Post——— ————Pew————
Support/Lean Oppose/Lean Support Oppose Favor Oppose
December 46% 48% 44% 51% 35% 48%
November 44 49 48 49 42 39
October 51 41 45 48 34 47
September 50 47 46 48 42 44
Note: The Gallup poll asked about advising your member of Congress “to vote for or against a health care bill this year, or do you not have an
opinion.” The ABC News/Washington Post poll asked about “the proposed changes to health care system being developed by Congress and
the Obama administration.” The Pew poll asked about whether you “favor or generally oppose the health care proposals being discussed in
Congress.” The survey dates for the Pew poll labeled “October” were September 30–October 4.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of December 2009. ABC News/Washington Post, latest that of December 2009. The Pew
Research Center, latest that of December 2009.
Poll Potpourri
Friendly to Religion?
Q: As I name some groups, please tell me whether you feel each one is generally . . .
Friendly to religion Unfriendly
48% The Republican Party 12%
37 The Obama administration 17
29 The Democratic Party 22
14 News reporters/news media 35
12 Scientists 35
11 Hollywood 47
Note: Hollywood category reads “Hollywood and the makers of movies and TV entertainment shows.”
Source: Pew Research Center and Pew Forum on Religion, August 2009.
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Lou Dobbs 2012? Aliens before Peace
Q: For each, please tell me how you feel about them in Q: Which one of the following do you think . . . ?
their current roles—are you . . . ?
Will happen first
Lou Dobbs Cure for cancer found 40%
Favorable 27% End of dependence on oil 27
Unfavorable 23 Signs of life in outer space 12
Source: Bloomberg News, December 2009. Peace in Middle East 8
None will ever happen 7
Source: CBS News for 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair, October 2009.
Party Crashers
Q: Have you . . . ? Weight Watching
Ever crashed a party Attitudes on whether Americans would like to lose
Yes 17% weight or stay at their present weight have almost
No 82 flipped since Gallup asked about it in 1951.
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, December 2009.
Q: Would you like to . . . ?
2009 1951
Lose weight 55% 31%
Put on weight 7 17
Stay at present weight 37 50
More Rushmore Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of November 2009.
Q: If you could add a president to Mount Rushmore,
which one of these would you pick . . . ?
Would add to Mount Rushmore
John F. Kennedy 29%
What Holiday Party?
Ronald Reagan 20 Q: Which one of the following are you most likely to
Franklin Roosevelt 18 do at your company holiday party this year?
Barack Obama 16 What holiday party? 37%
Just show my face 20
Dwight Eisenhower 6
Forget someone’s name 10
Andrew Jackson 2 Take a picture with the boss 7
Lyndon Johnson * Drink way too much 5
Note: * equals less than 1 percent. Kiss a coworker 2
Source: CBS News for 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair, November 2009. Source: CBS News for 60 Minutes/Vanity Fair, November 2009.
5
The editors of the Political Report wish you a happy New Year.
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