Hot Topics
Survey Reports
June 15, 2005
Supreme Court's Image Declines as Nomination Battle Looms
Questionnaire
PEW RESEARCH CENTER FOR THE PEOPLE & THE PRESS
JUNE 2005 NEWS INTEREST INDEX / MEDIA UPDATE
FINAL TOPLINE
JUNE 8-12, 2005
N=1,464
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]
Dis- Don't
Approve approve know
June, 2005 42 49 10=100
May, 2005 43 50 7=100
Late March, 2005 49 46 5=100
Mid-March, 2005 45 46 9=100
February, 2005 46 47 7=100
January, 2005 50 43 7=100
2004
December, 2004 48 44 8=100
Mid-October, 2004 44 48 8=100
August, 2004 46 45 9=100
July, 2004 46 46 8=100
June, 2004 48 43 9=100
May, 2004 44 48 8=100
Late April, 2004 48 43 9=100
Early April, 2004 43 47 10=100
Late March, 2004 47 44 9=100
Mid-March, 2004 46 47 7=100
February, 2004 48 44 8=100
Mid-January, 2004 56 34 10=100
Early January, 2004 58 35 7=100
2003
December, 2003 57 34 9=100
November, 2003 50 40 10=100
October, 2003 50 42 8=100
September, 2003 55 36 9=100
Mid-August, 2003 56 32 12=100
Early August, 2003 53 37 10=100
Mid-July, 2003 58 32 10=100
Early July, 2003 60 29 11=100
June, 2003 62 27 11=100
May, 2003 65 27 8=100
April 10-16, 2003 72 22 6=100
April 9, 2003 74 20 6=100
April 2-7, 2003 69 25 6=100
March 28-April 1, 2003 71 23 6=100
March 25-27, 2003 70 24 6=100
March 20-24, 2003 67 26 7=100
March 13-16, 2003 55 34 11=100
February, 2003 54 36 10=100
January, 2003 58 32 10=100
2002
December, 2002 61 28 11=100
Late October, 2002 59 29 12=100
Early October, 2002 61 30 9=100
Mid-September, 2002 67 22 11=100
Early September, 2002 63 26 11=100
Late August, 2002 60 27 13=100
August, 2002 67 21 12=100
Late July, 2002 65 25 10=100
July, 2002 67 21 12=100
June, 2002 70 20 10=100
April, 2002 69 18 13=100
Early April, 2002 74 16 10=100
February, 2002 78 13 9=100
January, 2002 80 11 9=100
2001
Mid-November, 2001 84 9 7=100
Early October, 2001 84 8 8=100
Late September, 2001 86 7 7=100
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
QUESTION 2 PREVIOUSLY RELEASED
Now, a different kind of question
ASK ALL:
I.1 If "6" represents a very liberal position in politics and "1" represents a very conservative position, where on
this scale of 6 to 1 would you rate (INSERT ITEM; ROTATE ITEMS a. AND b. WITH ITEM c.
ALWAYS LAST)? Again, 6 is very liberal and 1 is very conservative, and you can use any number in
between. [IF ANSWERS "DON'T KNOW"/"NEVER HEARD OF" DO NOT PROBE.]
Based on Those Who Could Rate
-- Conservative -- ---- Liberal ---- Never heard of/
1 2 3 4 5 6 DK/Refused (N)
a. The Republican Party 27 27 22 11 7 6=100 9% (1,332)
b. The Democratic Party 5 6 21 24 22 22=100 10% (1,329)
c. Yourself 11 14 31 20 15 9=100 7% (1,377)
Early Sept, 2004 15 13 30 17 12 13=100 8%
Mid-March, 2004 12 12 30 20 14 12=100 6%
Mid-January, 2004 15 15 27 18 14 11=100 5%
January, 2000 15 16 31 16 10 12=100 8%
May, 1999 13 12 30 20 11 14=100 7%
September, 1996 17 10 31 18 13 11=100 6%
September, 1988 14 15 29 20 12 10=100 6%
Newsweek: 1984 16 9 31 19 12 13=100 6%
QUESTION 3 HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE
ASK ALL:
Q.4 Now I'd like your opinion of some groups and organizations in the news. (First,) would you say your
overall opinion of... (INSERT ITEM; RANDOMIZE) is very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly
UNfavorable, or very unfavorable? (INTERVIEWERS: PROBE TO DISTINGUISH BETWEEN
"NEVER HEARD OF" AND "CAN'T RATE")
------Favorable------ ----Unfavorable---- Never Can't
Total Very Mostly Total Very Mostly Heard of Rate
a. The Republican Party 48 11 37 44 20 24 0 8=100
December, 2004 52 15 37 42 17 25 0 6=100
June, 2004 51 12 39 40 14 26 0 9=100
Early February, 2004 52 14 38 42 16 26 * 6=100
June, 2003 58 14 44 33 10 23 0 9=100
April, 2003 63 14 49 31 10 21 * 6=100
December, 2002 59 18 41 33 11 22 * 8=100
July, 2001 48 11 37 42 15 27 * 10=100
January, 2001 56 13 43 35 13 22 * 9=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 53 11 42 40 12 28 0 7=100
August, 1999 53 8 45 43 12 31 * 4=100
February, 1999 44 7 37 51 15 36 0 5=100
January, 1999 44 10 34 50 23 27 0 6=100
Early December, 1998 46 11 35 47 20 27 * 7=100
Early October, 1998 (RVs) 52 9 43 42 14 28 0 6=100
Early September, 1998 56 9 47 37 11 26 * 7=100
March, 1998 50 10 40 43 12 31 * 7=100
August, 1997 47 9 38 47 11 36 * 6=100
June, 1997 51 8 43 42 11 31 1 6=100
January, 1997 52 8 44 43 10 33 * 5=100
October, 1995 52 10 42 44 16 28 * 4=100
December, 1994 67 21 46 27 8 19 * 6=100
July, 1994 63 12 51 33 8 25 * 4=100
May, 1993 54 12 42 35 10 25 0 11=100
July, 1992 46 9 37 48 17 31 * 6=100
b. The Democratic Party 52 12 40 39 13 26 * 9=100
December, 2004 53 13 40 41 14 27 * 6=100
June, 2004 54 12 42 36 11 25 0 10=100
Early February, 2004 58 14 44 37 9 28 * 5=100
June, 2003 54 11 43 38 10 28 0 8=100
April, 2003 57 13 44 36 11 25 * 7=100
December, 2002 54 15 39 37 10 27 * 9=100
July, 2001 58 18 40 34 10 24 * 8=100
January, 2001 60 18 42 30 9 21 1 9=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 60 16 44 35 12 23 * 5=100
August, 1999 59 14 45 37 9 28 * 4=100
February, 1999 58 11 47 37 11 26 0 5=100
January, 1999 55 14 41 38 12 26 0 7=100
Early December, 1998 59 18 41 34 10 24 0 7=100
Early October, 1998 (RVs) 56 11 45 38 9 29 * 6=100
Early September, 1998 60 13 47 33 8 25 * 7=100
March, 1998 58 15 43 36 10 26 * 6=100
August, 1997 52 11 41 42 10 32 0 6=100
June, 1997 61 10 51 33 8 25 * 6=100
January, 1997 60 13 47 35 7 28 * 5=100
October, 1995 49 9 40 48 11 37 0 3=100
December, 1994 50 13 37 44 13 31 * 6=100
July, 1994 62 13 49 34 7 27 * 4=100
May, 1993 57 14 43 34 9 25 0 9=100
July, 1992 61 17 44 33 9 24 * 6=100
c. Congress 49 6 43 40 10 30 * 11=100
June, 2004 56 7 49 33 7 26 * 11=100
July, 2001 57 7 50 32 8 24 * 11=100
March, 2001 56 6 50 36 10 26 1 7=100
January, 2001 64 10 54 23 5 18 1 12=100
September, 2000 (RVs) 61 8 53 32 5 27 * 7=100
August, 1999 63 8 55 34 7 27 * 3=100
June, 1999 56 9 47 39 9 30 * 5=100
February, 1999 52 4 48 44 8 36 0 4=100
January, 1999 48 7 41 45 15 30 0 7=100
Early December, 1998 52 11 41 41 12 29 0 7=100
Early October, 1998 (RVs) 62 7 55 33 8 25 0 5=100
Early September, 1998 66 7 59 27 5 22 0 7=100
October, 1997 53 5 48 44 11 33 0 3=100
August, 1997 50 6 44 44 11 33 0 6=100
June, 1997 52 4 48 42 8 34 0 6=100
May, 1997 49 5 44 42 10 32 * 9=100
February, 1997 52 6 46 40 9 31 * 8=100
January, 1997 56 6 50 40 8 32 * 4=100
June, 1996 45 6 39 50 12 38 * 5=100
April, 1996 45 6 39 50 13 37 0 5=100
January, 1996 42 4 38 54 16 38 * 4=100
October, 1995 42 4 38 55 13 42 0 3=100
August, 1995 45 5 40 47 13 34 * 7=100
June, 1995 53 8 45 42 11 31 * 5=100
February, 1995 54 10 44 37 10 27 0 9=100
July, 1994 53 7 46 43 9 34 * 4=100
May, 1993 43 8 35 48 13 35 0 9=100
November, 1991 51 7 44 43 9 34 0 6=100
March, 1991 66 16 50 26 7 19 0 8=100
May, 1990 59 6 53 34 9 25 1 6=100
May, 1988 64 8 56 28 5 23 0 8=100
January, 1988 64 6 58 29 4 25 0 7=100
May, 1987 74 10 64 20 4 16 * 6=100
January, 1987 59 7 52 31 8 23 0 10=100
June, 1985 67 9 58 26 5 21 * 7=100
d. The Supreme Court 57 8 49 30 8 22 * 13=100
July, 2001 70 15 55 20 6 14 * 10=100
March, 2001 72 15 57 20 5 15 * 8=100
January, 2001 68 18 50 21 8 13 1 10=100
October, 1997 77 13 64 18 6 12 * 5=100
May, 1997 72 16 56 22 5 17 0 6=100
July, 1994 80 18 62 16 3 13 * 4=100
May, 1993 73 17 56 18 4 14 0 9=100
November, 1991 72 18 54 21 5 16 0 7=100
May, 1990 65 10 55 25 7 18 1 9=100
January, 1988 79 14 65 13 2 11 * 8=100
May, 1987 76 13 63 17 2 15 * 7=100
Roper, March 1985 64 17 47 28 7 21 8=100
On another subject
Q.5 In making his next appointment to the Supreme Court, should President Bush choose someone who will
make the court more liberal, someone who will make it more conservative, or someone who will keep the
court about the same as it is now?
Clinton
March Gallup
2005 March 1993
28 More liberal 24 29
29 More conservative 28 29
35 About the same as it is now 41 38
8 Don't know/Refused 7 4
100 100 100
Q.6 How important is the president's choice of the next Supreme Court justice to you personally? [READ]
March
2005
47 Very important 38
29 Somewhat important 36
14 Not too important 15
8 Not at all important 8
2 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 3
100 100
QUESTIONS 7 THROUGH 25 HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE
Now, I have a few questions about the political parties
FOR Q.26 THROUGH Q.28, HALF OF RESPONDENTS SHOULD GET THE REPUBLICAN
PARTY FIRST ON ALL QUESTIONS; HALF OF RESPONDENTS SHOULD GET THE
DEMOCRATIC PARTY FIRST ON ALL QUESTIONS.
Q.26 First thinking about social issues such as homosexuality and abortion, has the [INSERT ITEM;
ROTATE] become too conservative, too liberal, or is it about right on social issues such as homosexuality
and abortion? What about [ALTERNATE ITEM]? Has it become too conservative, too liberal, or is it
about right on social issues such as homosexuality and abortion?
Too Too About DK/
Conservative Liberal right Ref
a. The Republican Party 38 13 34 15=100
b. The Democratic Party 13 35 36 16=100
Q.27 Now thinking about economic issues such as taxes and government programs, do you think the [INSERT
ITEM; ROTATE IN SAME ORDER AS Q.26] has become too conservative, too liberal, or is it about
right on economic issues such as taxes and government programs? What about [ALTERNATE ITEM]?
Has it become too conservative, too liberal, or is it about right on economic issues such as taxes and
government programs?
Too Too About DK/
Conservative Liberal right Ref
a. The Republican Party 36 17 33 14=100
b. The Democratic Party 14 33 39 14=100
Q.28 Now thinking about foreign policy and national security issues, do you think the [INSERT ITEM;
ROTATE IN SAME ORDER AS Q.26] is too tough, not tough enough, or about right in its approach to
foreign policy and national security issues? What about [ALTERNATE ITEM]? Do you think it is too
tough, not tough enough, or about right in its approach to foreign policy and national security issues?
Too Not tough About DK/
tough enough right Ref
a. The Republican Party 22 31 35 12=100
b. The Democratic Party 5 46 35 14=100
QUESTIONS 29 THROUGH 36 HELD OR PREVIOUSLY RELEASED
Lastly on a different subject
Q.37 In 1973 the Roe versus Wade decision established a woman's constitutional right to an abortion, at least in
the first three months of pregnancy. Would you like to see the Supreme Court completely overturn its Roe
versus Wade decision, or not?
---------Gallup---------
Jan March Aug Oct
2003 2002 1992 1989
30 Yes 31 36 34 33
63 No 62 60 60 61
7 Don't know/Refused (VOL.) 7 4 6 6
100 100 100 100 100
Next >>
