Approval Ratings of Powell, Cheney, Rumsfeld and Ashcroft All
Climb after Saddam Hussein’s Capture, According to National Harris Poll
Rochester, NY—December 20, 2003— A Harris Poll conducted before and
after the announcement of the capture of Saddam Hussein on the morning of
December 14th finds that the good news gave a significant boost to
the approval ratings of four key cabinet members. Comparing their ratings in the
first part of the poll, which was conducted by telephone on December 10 to 13,
with the second part, conducted on December 14 to 16, we found that:
- Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld’s ratings improved from 47% positive,
44% negative to 57% positive and 38% negative.
- Attorney General John Ashcroft’s ratings improved from 41% positive, 45%
negative to 51% positive, 37% negative.
- Secretary of State Colin Powell’s ratings improved from 66% positive,
27% negative to 74% positive, 22% negative.
- Vice President Dick Cheney’s ratings improved from 36% positive, 49%
negative to 42% positive, 47% negative.
We don’t know whether these up-ticks in approval will be maintained or if
they are just short-term blips.
While these four cabinet members significantly benefited from the good news,
this Harris Interactive poll found only a slight improvement in the president’s
ratings, up from 48% positive, 51% negative to 50% positive, 49% negative. And
these are the worst ratings Harris Interactive has reported for the president
since September 11, 2001, and the highest negative ratings (and virtually equal
to the lowest positive ratings) that we have reported since President Bush took
office in January 2001.
The survey was conducted by telephone with a nationwide sample of 993 adults.
The importance of issues
This survey finds little change in the importance of issues which the public
thinks the government should address. In reply to an open-ended, unprompted
question, the economy (28%) and "the war" (17%) continue to head the
list of important issues to address, followed by health care (16%), employment
or jobs (12%), education (11%), Iraq (7%), homeland security (7%), Medicare
(6%), defense (6%) and terrorism (5%). Health care is now at its highest point
since 2001.
For more information and complete data tables for this survey, please go to http://www.harrisinteractive.com/harris_poll/index.asp?PID=427
Methodology
The Harris Poll® was conducted by telephone within the United
States between December 10 and16, 2003 among a nationwide cross-section of 993
adults (ages 18+). Figures for age, sex, race, education, number of adults and
number of voice/telephone lines in the household were weighted where necessary
to align them with their actual proportions in the population.
In theory, with a probability sample of this size, one can say with 95
percent certainty that the results have a statistical precision of ±3
percentage points of what they would be if the entire adult population had been
polled with complete accuracy. Unfortunately, there are several other possible
sources of error in all polls or surveys that are probably more serious than
theoretical calculations of sampling error. They include refusals to be
interviewed (non-response), question wording and question order, interviewer
bias, weighting by demographic control data and screening (e.g., for likely
voters). It is impossible to quantify the errors that may result from these
factors.
These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National
Council on Public Polls.
About Harris Interactive®
Harris Interactive (www.harrisinteractive.com) is a worldwide market
research and consulting firm best known for The Harris Poll®,
and for pioneering the Internet method to conduct scientifically accurate
market research. Headquartered in Rochester, New York, U.S.A., Harris
Interactive combines proprietary methodologies and technology with expertise in
predictive, custom and strategic research. The Company conducts international
research through wholly owned subsidiaries—London-based HI Europe
(www.hieurope.com) and Tokyo-based Harris Interactive Japan—as well as
through the Harris Interactive Global Network of local market- and
opinion-research firms, and various U.S. offices. EOE M/F/D/V
To become a member of the Harris Poll OnlineSM and be invited to
participate in future online surveys, visit www.harrispollonline.com.
Press Contact:
Nancy Wong
Harris Interactive
585-214-7316
nwong@harrisinteractive.com
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