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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Saturday, August 6, 2005
SIXTY-ONE PERCENT OF AMERICANS DISAPPROVE OF THE WAY PRES. BUSH
IS HANDLING IRAQ
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THIRTY-EIGHT PERCENT SAY TROOPS SHOULD BE BROUGHT HOME IN LESS
THAN A YEAR; 12 PERCENT SAY NOW
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SIXTY-FOUR PERCENT SAY WAR HAS NOT MADE AMERICANS SAFER
New York-Sixty-one percent of Americans polled disapprove of the way President George W. Bush is handling the situation in Iraq; just 34 percent approve, according to the latest Newsweek Poll conducted Tuesday, Aug. 2 to Thursday, Aug. 4. This is Bush's lowest rating on Iraq and the first time it has dropped below 40 percent in the Newsweek Poll. And half (50%) of those polled say the United States is losing ground in its efforts to establish security and democracy in Iraq; just 40 percent say the U.S. is making progress there.
While 26 percent of those polled say they support keeping large numbers of U.S. military personnel in Iraq for as long as it takes to achieve U.S. goals there, 38 percent say they would support keeping troops there less than a year; 13 percent say one to two years and 12 percent volunteered that troops should be brought home now.
A 51-percent majority disapprove of the way Bush is handling his job as president overall, an increase from 48 percent in the March 17-18, 2005 Newsweek Poll. Fifty-one percent approve of the way Bush is handling terrorism and homeland security, a drop of six points from the March poll; 41 percent disapprove. Fifty-four percent of Americans polled say they are dissatisfied with the way things are going in the United States at this time, according to the latest Newsweek Poll. Just over a third say they are satisfied.
In general, 28 percent say the war in Iraq has made Americans safer from terrorism; 64 percent say it has not, the poll shows. In the wake of the London attacks, 45 percent of those polled say it's very likely that Islamic extremists will carry out major terrorist attacks against U.S. cities, buildings or national landmarks in the near future; 37 percent say it's somewhat likely and 10 percent say it's not too likely, the poll shows.
In other matters, 31 percent approve of Bush's handling of federal funding for stem cell research, while 52 percent disapprove. And 47 percent approve of Bush's handling of appointments to the Supreme Court; 35 percent disapprove.
On other Washington topics, 47 percent of Americans polled say that Bush's nominee for the U.S. Supreme Court John Roberts should be confirmed; 24 percent say he shouldn't be confirmed and 29 percent say they don't know.
And when asked about the reports that White House adviser Karl Rove may have leaked classified information about Valerie Plame, a CIA agent, 45 percent say, from what they've heard or read about Rove's involvement in the case, that they believe he is guilty of a serious crime; 18 percent say he is not guilty of a serious offense and 37 percent say they don't know, the poll shows.
When asked about how Bush is handling certain aspects of his job, 52 percent disapprove of the way Bush is handling the economy; 40 percent approve. Forty-six percent disapprove of the way he's handling the country's energy policy; 34 percent approve and 48 percent disapprove of the way he's handling the environment while 39 percent approve.
For this Newsweek Poll, Princeton Survey Research Associates International interviewed 1,004 adults aged 18 and older on August 2-4, 2005. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points. This poll is part of the August 15 issue of Newsweek, on newsstands Monday, August 8. To interview Chief of Correspondents Marcus Mabry on the poll, call Jan Angilella at 212-445-5638.
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