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Survey Reports
September 19, 2001
American Psyche Reeling From Terror Attacks
Questionnaire
PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE & THE PRESS
POST-TERRORIST ATTACK
FINAL TOPLINE
September 13 - 17, 2001
N=1200
Q.1 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president? [IF
DK ENTER AS DK. IF DEPENDS PROBE ONCE WITH: Overall do you approve or disapprove of the way
George W. Bush is handling his job as president? [IF STILL DEPENDS ENTER AS DK]
Approve Disapprove Don't Know
Mid-September, 2001 80 9 11=100
Early September, 2001 51 34 15=100
August, 2001 50 32 18=100
July, 2001 51 32 17=100
June, 2001 50 33 17=100
May, 2001 53 32 15=100
April, 2001 56 27 17=100
March, 2001 55 25 20=100
February, 2001 53 21 26=100
Q.2 How closely have you been following news about the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center
in New York and the Pentagon in Washington -- very closely, fairly closely, not too closely, or
not at all closely?
July 1996 June 1995 Jan 1991
74 Very closely 69 58 67
22 Fairly closely 23 32 28
3 Not too closely 6 8 4
1 Not at all closely 2 2 1
* Don't know/Refused * * 0
100 100 100 100
Q.3 Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is dealing with the terrorist attacks on
the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington?
85 Approve
6 Disapprove
9 Don't know/Refused
100
Q's 3a-3f ASKED SEPTEMBER 14 - 17, 2001 ONLY [N=868]:
Q.3a How good a job has George W. Bush done in SPEAKING TO THE NATION about the terrorist
attacks... excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
45 Excellent
38 Good
10 Only fair
4 Poor
3 Don't Know/Refused
100
Q.3b What about Secretary of State Colin Powell...How good a job has he done in SPEAKING TO
THE NATION about the terrorist attacks... excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
43 Excellent
35 Good
9 Only fair
2 Poor
11 Don't Know/Refused
100
Q.3c How good a job has New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani done in SPEAKING TO THE NATION
about the situation in New York City after the terrorist attacks... excellent,
good, only fair, or poor?
58 Excellent
29 Good
5 Only fair
1 Poor
7 Don't Know/Refused
100
ASK FORM 1 ONLY [N=416]:
Q.3dF1 Do you favor or oppose taking military action, including the use of ground
troops, to retaliate against whoever is responsible for the terrorist attacks?
82 Favor
8 Oppose
10 Don't Know/Refused
100
Q.3eF1 Once their mission starts, how long do you think it will take for U.S. forces to kill or capture
those responsible for the terrorist attacks? Will it be a mater of days, weeks, months or years?
7 Days
11 Weeks
31 Months
38 Years
2 Never (VOL)
11 Don't Know/Refused
100
ASK FORM 2 ONLY [N=452]:
Q.3fF2 Do you favor or oppose taking military action, including the use of ground troops, to retaliate
against whoever is responsible for the terrorist attacks, even if it means that U.S. armed forces
might suffer thousands of casualties?
77 Favor
9 Oppose
14 Don't Know/Refused
100
ASK ALL:
Q.4 In general, how would you rate the job the press has done in covering the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon -- excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
Jan 1991
56 Excellent 36
33 Good 42
6 Only fair 15
3 Poor 5
2 Don't know/Refused 2
100 100
Q.5 In your opinion, which TV network is doing the best job of covering the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon? (READ AND ROTATE)
Jan 1991
14 ABC 12
11 NBC 7
7 CBS 7
24 CNN 61
12 The Fox News Cable Channel --
5 MSNBC --
1 CNBC --
9 All/None/Other --
17 Don't Know/Refused 13
100 100
Q.6 Have you yourself felt depressed by the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the
Pentagon?
Jan 1991
71 Yes 50
27 No 49
2 Don't Know/Refused 1
100 100
Q.7 Have you had any difficulty concentrating on your job or your normal activities because of the
way you feel about the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon?
BASED ON THOSE ANSWERING "YES" IN Q.6
Sept 2001 Jan 1991
49 Yes 59 30
51 No/Don't Know 41 70
100 100 100
(N=845)
Q.8 Have you had any trouble sleeping because of the way you feel about the terrorist attacks on the
World Trade Center and the Pentagon?
BASED ON THOSE ANSWERING "YES" IN Q.6
Sept 2001 Jan 1991
33 Yes 42 26
67 No/Don't Know 58 74
100 100 100
(N=845)
Q.9 I'd like to ask you a few questions about how you feel when you are watching coverage of the
terrorist attacks on TV. For each statement that I read tell me if you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree. (INSERT ITEM; ROTATE) Do you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, or strongly disagree with that statement?
Strongly Strongly
Agree Agree Disagree Disagree DK/Ref
a. I can't stop watching
news about the terrorist attacks 24 39 30 4 3=100
January, 1991 11 39 48 2=100
b. I feel sad when watching TV
coverage of the terrorist attacks 47 45 5 1 2=100
January, 1991 22 52 25 1=100
c. It's frightening to watch the
terrorist attacks 33 44 19 2 2=100
January, 1991 17 50 32 1=100
d. It tires me out to watch
coverage of the terrorist attacks 12 33 43 8 4=100
January, 1991 6 28 64 2=100
Q.10 As a result of the terrorist attacks are you (INSERT ITEM; ROTATE)?
Yes No DK/Ref
a. reading newspapers more closely 46 54 *=100
January, 1991 51 48 1=100
b. keeping the TV or radio tuned to
the news 81 19 *=100
January, 1991 81 18 1=100
c. checking the Internet for news
updates 33 66 1=100
d. considering canceling an airplane trip 24 73 3=100
January, 1991 14 85 1=100
e. considering canceling a trip to
a major city 21 77 2=100
January, 1991 11 89 0=100
f. praying more 69 30 1=100
January, 1991 65 35 0=100
Q's 10g-10if ASKED SEPTEMBER 14 - 17, 2001 ONLY [N=868]:
Q.10g In order to curb terrorism in this country, do you think it will be necessary for the average person
to give up some civil liberties, or not?
L.A. Times
April March April
1997 1996 1995
55 Yes, it will be necessary 29 30 49
35 No, it will not be necessary 62 65 43
10 Don't Know/Refused 9 5 8
100 100 100 100
Q.10h What concerns you more right now? That the government will fail to enact strong, new anti-
terrorism laws, or that the government will enact new anti-terrorism laws which excessively
restrict the average person's civil liberties?
L.A. Times
April
1995
39 Fail to enact strong laws 40
34 Enact laws that restrict civil liberties 44
10 Neither (VOL) 4
17 Don't Know/Refused 12
100 100
Q.10i Would you favor or oppose the following measures to curb terrorism: (READ AND ROTATE)
Favor Oppose DK/Ref
a. Requiring that all citizens carry a national
identity card at all times to show to a police
officer on request 70 26 4=100
b. Allowing the CIA to contract with criminals in
pursuing suspected terrorists overseas 67 22 11=100
c. Allowing the CIA to conduct assassinations overseas
when pursuing suspected enemies of the U.S. 67 22 11=100
d. Allowing the U.S. government to take legal
immigrants from unfriendly countries to internment
camps during times of tension or crisis 29 57 14=100
e. Allowing the U.S. government to monitor your
personal telephone calls and e-mails 26 70 4=100
f. Allowing the U.S. government to monitor your credit
card purchases 40 55 5=100
Q.11 How many children between and including the ages of five and twelve, if any, are living in your
household?
Jan 1991
71 None 73
14 One 14
15 More than one 13
* Don't know/Refused --
100 100
IF HAVE CHILD BETWEEN FIVE AND TWELVE IN THE HOUSEHOLD (Q11=2,3) [N=331]:
Q.12 (Has/have) your (child/children) been following news about the terrorist attacks closely?
Jan 1991
48 Yes 69
51 No 29
1 Don't Know/Refused 2
100 100
Q.13 Have you been trying to restrict how much coverage of the terrorist attacks your (child/children)
(watch/watches)?
Jan 1991
54 Yes 30
46 No 69
* Don't Know/Refused 1
100 100
Q.14 (Has/have) your (child/children) expressed any fears about the terrorist attacks?
Jan 1991
46 Yes 43
54 No 57
0 Don't Know/Refused *
100 100
ASK ALL:
Q.15 How have you been getting most of your news about the terrorist attacks? From television, from
newspapers, from radio, from magazines, or from the Internet? [ACCEPT TWO ANSWERS:
IF ONLY ONE RESPONSE IS GIVEN, PROBE FOR ADDITIONAL RESPONSE]
IF RESPONDENT ANSWERED '1' TELEVISION AS EITHER FIRST OR SECOND RESPONSE
IN Q15 (Q15A=1 or Q15B=1)
Q.16 Do you get most of your news about the terrorist attacks from network TV news, from local TV
news, or from cable news networks such as CNN, MSNBC, and the Fox News Channel?
[ACCEPT TWO ANSWERS BUT DO NOT PROBE]
Early
Sept Feb Oct Jan Jan Sept Jan Sept Jan
2001 2001 1999 1999 1996 1995 1994 1993 1993
90 Television 74 76 80 82 88 82 83 83 83
30 Network TV news 20 20 22 -- -- -- -- -- 39
17 Local TV news 26 25 31 -- -- -- -- -- 30
45 Cable news 34 35 35 -- -- -- -- -- 38
2 Other 1 1 2 -- -- -- -- -- 2
2 Don't know * 1 * -- -- -- -- -- 1
11 Newspapers 45 40 48 42 61 63 51 60 52
14 Radio 18 16 19 18 25 20 15 17 17
* Magazines 6 4 5 4 8 10 10 9 5
5 Internet 13 10 11 6 -- -- -- -- --
1 Other (VOL) 1 2 2 2 2 1 5 3 1
1 Don't know/Refused * 1 * * * 1 1 * 1
ASK ALL:
Q.17 Do you or any of your friends or relatives know someone who is missing, hurt or killed in the
attacks on the World Trade Center, the Pentagon, or the plane crash outside of Pittsburgh?
20 Yes
79 No
1 Don't Know/Refused
100
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