Archive: Post Polls
Sarah Palin: new chapter, same challenges
If Sarah Palin's book tour is an opening salvo in a run for the presidency in 2012, she faces a steep uphill climb: a majority of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll say they would "definitely not vote for her." Most - 60 percent - in the new...
By Jon Cohen | November 16, 2009; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (239)
Americans: restrict their pay
New federal rules on compensation at companies that accepted bailout money are likely to get a warm public reception: in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, more than seven in 10 Americans say they support such limits, most of them "strongly" so. The new restrictions, as reported by the New...
By Jon Cohen | October 21, 2009; 03:13 PM ET | Comments (16)
Assessing Obama's accomplishments
Amid the mixed public reviews of President Obama's handling of health care and the economy in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll stands one more even split, this one on how much the president has accomplished in his nine months in office. About half (49 percent) say Obama has done...
By Jennifer Agiesta | October 20, 2009; 10:40 AM ET | Comments (32)
Balancing the government's role on health care
Health care reform's most controversial element - the creation of a government-sponsored insurance plan to compete with private health insurers - centers on the eternal Washington conflict that defines party lines on so many issues: How much of a role should the government play? In the latest Washington Post-ABC News...
By Jennifer Agiesta | October 19, 2009; 05:26 PM ET | Comments (14)
Post-ABC poll: few partisan fissures on Iran nukes
Americans overwhelmingly see Iran's nuclear program as geared toward the development of atomic weaponry, and more than eight in 10 support direct diplomatic talks to try to resolve the situation, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. As negotiators from the United States, France and Russia meet with Iran...
By Jon Cohen | October 19, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (96)
New WaPo Va Gov poll: The Crosstabs
There is a brand new Washington Post poll on Virginia governor's race: see the poll story and the questionnaire. Below are some crosstabs on the head-to-head for the state's top job. Want others? Tell us in the comments section, and we'll do our best to provide. Deeds McDonnell All likely...
By Jon Cohen | October 8, 2009; 02:56 PM ET | Comments (1)
The Home Front on the Public Option
The 13 senators who yesterday voted against both government-sponsored health insurance plans represent populations whose support for health reform improves significantly when the plan does not include just such an option. Among those living in states represented by the 13* Senate Finance Committee members opposing both amendments, a majority in...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 30, 2009; 12:40 PM ET | Comments (26)
Anti-War Stirrings Greet Call For More Troops
Fewer than half of all Americans see the war in Afghanistan as an essential front in the campaign against terrorism and just a quarter backs Admiral Michael Mullen's call to send more troops there, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. A slim majority, 51 percent, say the war...
By Jon Cohen | September 15, 2009; 02:30 PM ET | Comments (31)
Union Members Likely a Friendly Audience for Obama
President Obama is likely to be in friendly territory at today's AFL-CIO Convention, as this week's Washington Post-ABC News poll finds union members and householders to be among his strongest boosters. Overall, nearly seven in 10 (68 percent) union members have a favorable impression of the president and 57 percent...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 15, 2009; 11:45 AM ET | Comments (0)
The Perilous Public Option
The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll highlights the potential political impact - both positive and negative - of the battle over what has come to be known as the public option, a government-created health insurance plan to compete with private insurers. Such a plan adds to the challenge of passing...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 14, 2009; 06:30 PM ET | Comments (2)
Icing the Next Meltdown?
With President Obama taking to Wall Street to sell his overhaul of the financial regulatory system, there is little public confidence that the government is enacting measures to lower the odds of another financial crisis, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Overall, 49 percent say they are confident...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 14, 2009; 02:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
The Word on Barack Obama
Nearly eight months into Barack Obama's presidency, Americans' perceptions of him are mostly positive, but the administration's efforts at health reform inspire a more critical reaction, with more describing their feelings about the proposed changes with a negative word (43 percent) than a positive one (31 percent) according to a...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 8, 2009; 11:41 AM ET | Comments (7)
Political Views Prove a Sharp Divider on Energy Policy
On two controversial issues set to come before Congress after their August recess -- a health-care overhaul and energy policy -- the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll finds public opinion sharply riven by partisan leanings. On energy, the political climate is far more favorable to the proposals coming from President...
By Jennifer Agiesta | August 28, 2009; 03:14 PM ET | Comments (3)
To Investigate, or not Investigate
Public interest in a look-back at the Bush administration's treatment of terrorism suspects has waned, but there is now majority support for investigations into the possibility the CIA withheld required information from Congress, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Most Americans, 54 percent, say the new administration should...
By Jon Cohen | July 29, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (3)
Blue Dogs on Health Care: Why So Blue?
The House's Blue Dog Democrats have voiced loud objections to the costs of health care reform efforts working their way through several committees, ultimately causing President Obama and their party's congressional leadership to pull back on the deadline they had set for passing a plan. As Chris Cillizza pointed out...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 29, 2009; 10:11 AM ET | Comments (24)
Biden's Watchdog Role May Have Bite
Vice President Biden, the anointed "Sheriff" of the stimulus is well rated generally in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, with public opinion riven by the views of the administration's economic programs as well as the usual sharp partisan lines. Overall, 55 percent approve of the way the Vice President...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 27, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (10)
New Palin Numbers
Here are some of the change numbers on Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's (R) behind today's Washington Post poll story about a new low in her favorability rating. Palin favorability in Washington Post-ABC News polls %favorable (% strongly favorable) Post-Conv.* Now Change in pts. All 58% (35%) 40% (20%) -18 (-15)...
By Jon Cohen | July 24, 2009; 09:32 AM ET | Comments (21)
Obama Earns High Marks as Commander in Chief
President Obama is broadly viewed as a good commander in chief and earns high marks for his handling of the situation in Afghanistan, suggesting his foreign policy skills remain insulated from the heat he's begun to take on big domestic issues, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Assessing...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 22, 2009; 12:01 AM ET | Comments (0)
Sotomayor's Smooth Ride
President Obama's nominee to the Supreme Court continues to win about 2 to 1 support among the public, including broad majorities of Democrats and independents, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Nearly six in 10 (58 percent) say the Senate should vote to confirm federal judge Sonia Sotomayor,...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 21, 2009; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (3)
Democratic Rifts on Budget, Economy
The Obama administration's delayed release of the Mid-Session Budget Review fits the timeline for previous releases in transition years, but the move buys extra time at an opportune moment for the president. The new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that on the two issues directly addressed by the report -...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 20, 2009; 06:30 PM ET | Comments (1)
Obama's Shrinking Approval on Health Care
With Congress' work on a health care reform package underway, support for the President who pressed for quick action on the plan is fading among two critical constituencies according to the new Washington Post-ABC News poll - political independents and women. Barack Obama's approval rating on the issue in the...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 20, 2009; 12:32 PM ET | Comments (23)
Moonwalking
Most Americans say the country's broad-scale effort to land a man on the moon 40 years ago was worth it, but there's wider skepticism of the overall space program, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Overall, 70 percent call the moon-landing worth its costs, with big majorities across...
By Jon Cohen | July 19, 2009; 06:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Union Members on Health Care Reform
This week's political main event is taking place at Sonia Sotomayor's Supreme Court confirmation hearings over on the Hill, but over at the White House, Pres. Obama is pressing on with his health care agenda by meeting with union leaders on the status of that legislation. But while their leadership...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 13, 2009; 06:57 AM ET | Comments (2)
Republican Prospects: Then and Now
The Republican Party's successful wooing of several strong candidates for Congress may be giving party insiders reason to hope for a better return at the ballot box next November than they've earned in each of the previous two cycles, but compared with data collected four years ago - at about...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 8, 2009; 12:11 PM ET | Comments (11)
On Global Warming, Obama Cools Among Liberals
A majority approve of Obama's handling of global warming so far (54 percent), however, his approval on the issue has declined since the 100-day-mark of his presidency (61 percent said they approved in April). In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, much of the drop comes among liberals: in April,...
By Jennifer Agiesta | June 25, 2009; 01:51 PM ET | Comments (4)
On Gay Marriage, A Near Even Split
Support for legal gay marriage has increased dramatically over the past three years, and for the first time, those in favor outnumber those opposed, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Nearly half (49 percent) of all Americans in the new poll said they favor legal marriage for same-sex...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 30, 2009; 06:10 PM ET | Comments (1)
Auto Bankruptcy: The Demographic Divisions
Chrylser's likely bakruptcy filing today may inspire more hope than mourning among the American public, more than four in 10 of whom said bankruptcy would be a "good thing" for the ailing auto industry. Fewer, three in 10, said the move would be a positive for the economy overall. Both...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 30, 2009; 12:11 PM ET | Comments (0)
Obama @100: The Crosstabs
One hundred days after taking office, Barack Obama continues to hold high public ratings, and at 69 percent approval in this week's Washington Post-ABC News poll, he edges out his recent predecessors. George W. Bush was at 63 percent at this point in 2001, Bill Clinton at 59 percent in...
By Jon Cohen | April 29, 2009; 04:22 PM ET | Comments (0)
Swine Flu: Is Obama Crisis Ready?
The outbreak of swine flu and the public alarm it has caused have brought on the first non-economic domestic crisis of President Obama's young tenure, and according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll out Sunday, the president inspires widespread trust among the public in his ability to handle a crisis....
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 28, 2009; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
Public: Maybe Auto Bankrupcy Not a Bad Thing
Potential bankruptcy of one of the major U.S. automakers would roil Detroit, but few Americans think it would clearly hurt the auto industry or necessarily be a bad thing for the country's economy, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. Only about one in five of those polled (21...
By Jon Cohen | April 27, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (7)
Biden: 100-Day Report Card
Joe Biden checks in after about 100 days as vice president as a popular figure, but far less so than his new boss, President Barack Obama. Overall, 57 percent of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll said they have a favorable view of Biden, the former senator from...
By Jon Cohen | April 27, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (3)
Torture: The Memos and Partisan Reaction
President Obama's decision to release Bush administration memos on controversial interrogation techniques highlights the sharp partisan divisions lurking beneath Obama's high approval ratings. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds most approve of the way Obama is handling the U.S. campaign against terrorism, including nearly four in 10 Republicans, but...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 26, 2009; 12:01 AM ET | Comments (0)
Post-ABC: Afghanistan
Afghanistan, the subject of today's multi-national meeting in The Hague, poses a major foreign policy challenge to the Obama administration, one that includes convincing a divided American public about the best way forward. According to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, Americans are about evenly split on whether the United...
By Jon Cohen | March 31, 2009; 01:13 PM ET | Comments (0)
Ambassador-in-Chief
As Barack Obama heads out on his first European trip as president, more than six in 10 Americans approve of the way he's handling international affairs, and over four in 10 think the country's image abroad has already improved under the new administration. The perceived turnaround in America's image in...
By Jon Cohen | March 31, 2009; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Michelle Obama's Formidable Favorables
More than three-quarters of Americans hold a positive view of First Lady Michelle Obama, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, with nearly half saying they have a "strongly favorable" opinion. Since the inauguration, Michelle Obama's overall favorable rating has risen slightly, up four points to 76 percent, while...
By Jennifer Agiesta | March 31, 2009; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (4)
Pointing the Finger at Big Business
The Obama administration's rejection of turnaround plans from General Motors and Chrysler comes amid widespread public antipathy toward the country's large corporations for their role in the economic slowdown. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 80 percent of Americans say large business corporations deserve "a great deal" or a...
By Jon Cohen | March 30, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (1)
Cheney Lookback
Dick Cheney wrapped up his tenure as vice president with an approval rating a hair below that of the broadly unpopular president he served, winning the support of just 30 percent of Americans in a January Washington Post-ABC News poll. (President Bush finished up at 33 percent in Post-ABC polling.)...
By Jon Cohen | March 16, 2009; 12:02 PM ET | Comments (0)
Stem Cells - Back by Popular Demand
Updated, 11:15 a.m. Eager to turn the page on downbeat coverage of the economy, President Obama appears poised to tackle an issue that's had consistent and broad public support - reversing his predecessor's restrictions on federally-funded stem cell research. But while lifting these limits has widespread support, the move will...
By Jon Cohen | March 9, 2009; 11:15 AM ET | Comments (1)
As Stocks Tumble, So Does Retirement Security
As the Dow Jones Industrial Average continues its downward spiral, there is deep public unease about fully-funded retirements as people's savings are now more tied to stock market performance than at any time in the past two decades. Just 14 percent in last week's Washington Post-ABC News poll said they...
By Jennifer Agiesta | March 2, 2009; 01:35 PM ET | Comments (0)
Post Poll: High Anxiety Act
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows Americans' feelings of financial insecurity have risen significantly since mid-September, as fears about making mortgage payments have spread and more now see the economy as in a long-term, serious decline. Two-thirds of those polled said they've cut back on their spending, including nearly...
By Jon Cohen | February 25, 2009; 05:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Poll Preview: That Sinking Feeling on the Economy
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds the nation's economic situation has led to widespread stress and heightened worry about being able to afford housing. Nearly six in 10 in the new poll said the current economic situation is a cause of stress in their lives, including more than a...
By Jennifer Agiesta | February 25, 2009; 03:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
Regulating Wall Street: A Popular Prospect
President Obama's pitch this afternoon for reforming regulations on the financial industry will address an issue where the American public is broadly in agreement. A Washington Post-ABC News poll released earlier this week found more than three-quarters of Americans support stricter federal regulations on the way banks and other financial...
By Jennifer Agiesta | February 25, 2009; 02:29 PM ET | Comments (1)
A Vote For the District?
Nearly six in 10 Americans support legislation now under consideration in the Senate giving Washington, D.C. a full voting member in the U.S. House of Representatives, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. About a third of adults nationwide oppose the idea. The Senate is expected to hold a...
By Jennifer Agiesta | February 24, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (20)
Poll Preview: 60% Approve of Obama on Economy
Sixty percent of Americans approve of the way President Obama is handling the nation's economy, a public assessment that's on par with the initial public ratings on the issue for Bill Clinton and George H.W. Bush. George W. Bush started lower, reached the 60 percent mark after 9/11 and ended...
By Jon Cohen | February 23, 2009; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (4)
High Public Doubt Soc. Sec. & Medicare Will Provide
Few Americans are "very confident" that Social Security and Medicare are in shape to provide benefits throughout their retirements, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, adding a lack of public trust to the problems today's White House summit must confront as it considers the country's future financial obligations....
By Jon Cohen | February 23, 2009; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (10)
Deficit Concern Jumps ... Among the GOP
Deep public worry about the federal budget deficit has jumped since December, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, upping the ante on the White House's fiscal responsibility summit that kicks off later this morning. Among those adults aged 40 and up, almost all express concern, and 68 percent...
By Jon Cohen | February 23, 2009; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (64)
First Command: Public Views on Troop Increase
Barack Obama today authorized sending an additional 17,000 U.S. troops to Afghanistan, marking his first big move as commander in chief and his first presidential decision without clear majority support. Most Americans consider winning in Afghanistan essential to success in the broader war against terrorism, but in the latest Washington...
By Jon Cohen | February 17, 2009; 07:23 PM ET | Comments (3)
Stimulus: Down to Details
As negotiations heat up over the massive federal stimulus package, newly-released results from last week's Washington Post-ABC News poll detail the public's priorities for the plan. Of 12 specific items tested in the poll, the ones at the top of the list are extending unemployment insurance and health care coverage...
By Jon Cohen | January 26, 2009; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (5)
Accountability and the Doubt Factor
President Obama's early orders and directives to encourage openness of executive branch records won plaudits from good-government advocates, but may meet skepticism from many Americans. A recent Washington Post-ABC News poll found majorities doubt the government will be more transparent on one of the public's top priorities: the economy. Most...
By Jennifer Agiesta | January 22, 2009; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
On Torture
A majority of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll oppose the use of torture in terrorism investigations, backing Barack Obama's pledge that "under my administration, the United States does not torture." But there's an even split on whether he should investigate whether laws were broken in the way...
By Jon Cohen | January 21, 2009; 12:59 PM ET | Comments (25)
WaPo-ABC poll on Gitmo
In ordering a suspension of legal action against suspected terrorists being held at the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Barack Obama starts out on a popular path, albeit one without particularly widespread or bipartisan support. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 53 percent of Americans said the...
By Jon Cohen | January 21, 2009; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (7)
Getting to Know Michelle Obama
The public has warmed considerably to the soon-to-be first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, since her husband clinched the Democratic nomination for president last June. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds Mrs. Obama viewed positively by 72 percent of Americans, up from 48 percent when she was...
By Jennifer Agiesta | January 20, 2009; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
The President-Elect and the Pastor
Barack Obama's pick of evangelical pastor Rick Warren to deliver the invocation at tomorrow's inauguration was initially met by a torrent of criticism, but it's unlikely to spark broad controversy - most Americans support the idea. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 61 percent said they back the President-elect's...
By Jon Cohen | January 19, 2009; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (2)
Bush Approval: A Last Look
As George W. Bush's final days as president dawn, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds him leaving behind one of the lowest final approval ratings in history and a wounded Republican Party. Bush's final approval mark stands at 33 percent in the new poll, above his career low of...
By Jennifer Agiesta | January 18, 2009; 04:45 PM ET | Comments (3)
The Real Politics of Hope
Barack Obama's election has already contributed to one major change in public attitudes - optimism for the year ahead is now higher among Democrats, sharply lower among Republicans. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, most Democrats said they are hopeful about what 2009 has in store for them personally...
By Jennifer Agiesta | December 31, 2008; 06:00 AM ET | Comments (14)
The Wide Reach of A Faltering Job Market
New unemployment figures from the Department of Labor show average new jobless claims for the past four weeks up more than 200,000 from a year ago to their highest level since Dec. 1982. The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll found job cuts reaching a broad swath of Americans: nearly two...
By Jennifer Agiesta | December 18, 2008; 04:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
The British Are Going
With Gordon Brown pledging today to end Britain's military role in Iraq by May 31, the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll finds 70 percent of Americans want President-elect Barack Obama to make good on his campaign promise to withdraw most U.S. troops from Iraq within the next 16 months. And...
By Jennifer Agiesta | December 17, 2008; 01:58 PM ET | Comments (0)
Poll Player: The Latest from the Post-ABC Poll
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll out yesterday touched on several key post-election measures: approval of Obama's transition and the impact of Rod Blagojevich's arrest, approval of President Bush and the path forward in Iraq and Afghanistan, and the ongoing efforts of the Big Three automakers to secure government-backed loans....
By Jennifer Agiesta | December 16, 2008; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
The Big Divisons on the Big Three
Majority opposition to a government backed bailout of the Big Three automakers appears to be settled. After three rounds of proposals, 55 percent in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll said they oppose a $14 billion loan plan for the troubled industry, about the same proportion as opposed requests for...
By Jennifer Agiesta | December 16, 2008; 11:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Voters: Election Should Have Ended Nov. 4
Election 2008 officially ended today as 538 presidential electors met in state capitals to cast their votes, but if it were up to all the voters, the election would have been over on Nov. 4 when 131 million pulled the lever. In a Washington Post-ABC News poll on the eve...
By Jon Cohen | December 15, 2008; 06:00 PM ET | Comments (2)
Obama Sails Over Scandal
Public ratings of Barack Obama are unscathed by the scandal swirling around Illinois governor Rod Blagojevich's apparent effort to trade off his power to appoint Obama's successor to the U.S. Senate, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll. More than three-quarters of Americans approve of the way Obama is...
By Jon Cohen | December 15, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (70)
Poll: Auto Bailout Wrong Way
Most Americans oppose the revised plan the Big Three pitched last week in Washington, putting the Congress and the president and the president-elect on the wrong side of public opinion on the matter, at least in the short-run. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 54 percent said they oppose...
By Jon Cohen | December 8, 2008; 02:05 PM ET | Comments (6)
Presidential Debates: The Verdict is In
The verdict on this year's presidential debates is in, and according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll, fewer than half of voters said the three face-offs altered their views of the candidates. Among those who did change their views, Barack Obama appears to have earned the biggest boost from...
By Jennifer Agiesta | October 19, 2008; 12:01 AM ET | Comments (10)
In the Margins
The nominating conventions are over, but their impact is starting to emerge in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll out today. Here's a look at how the new race stacks up to exit poll results from the previous two presidential contests. Each row shows the margin among that group for...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 8, 2008; 08:56 PM ET | Comments (5)
The Enthusiasm Gap: Filling the Stands
When Barack Obama's campaign announced that he would deliver his acceptance speech at Invesco Field at Mile High, tickets for the event were completely snapped up by supporters a mere 24 hours after they were made available. John McCain's marquee event this week, his Friday appearance in Dayton, Ohio which...
By Jennifer Agiesta | August 28, 2008; 06:12 PM ET | Comments (3)
New Data: Impact of Biden
Barack Obama's choice of Joe Biden as his running mate is unlikely to shake-up the presidential horse race. In a new Washington Post-ABC News poll completed last night, three-quarters of voters said picking Biden would not sway their votes one way or the other. And about as many said they...
By Jon Cohen | August 23, 2008; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (1423)
The Congressional Approval Limbo
How low can it go? Just 23 percent in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll approve of the job the nation's legislative body has done. More than seven in 10 disapprove. Overall, this is the worst assessment in Post-ABC polling since just before the Republicans took control in 1994. Neither...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 15, 2008; 07:10 PM ET | Comments (5)
New Low for Bush Approval
Another month, another new low for George W. Bush: Just 28 percent in the new Post-ABC poll approve of the way the president is handling his job. This marks a new career low in Post polling, and is the 40th consecutive month his ratings have been under 50 percent. His...
By Jon Cohen | July 15, 2008; 10:25 AM ET | Comments (0)
Feeling Their Finances
Americans may be pretty down about the state of the nation's economy, but a new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds their assessment of their own finances to be substantially less dire: More than six in 10 now say they feel at least somewhat financially secure, even as many have anxiety...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 15, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
New Poll Highlights: The War on the War
The new Washington Post-ABC News poll suggests that even with broad public doubts about the nation's success so far in Iraq and Afghanistan, managing the nation's military could be one of Barack Obama's main hurdles in the race for the White House. Two groups stand out in the crosstabs from...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 14, 2008; 05:48 PM ET | Comments (16)
The Flip-flopping Flap
The flap over Barack Obama's recent public statements about his policy positions on Iraq and the FISA bill have led many to wonder whether the Illinois senator will be able to hold on to liberal Democrats he won over in the primaries while also wooing the independents and moderates who...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 10, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (36)
Navigating the Playing Field on Immigration
Sen. John McCain's trip to Latin America this week--his third foreign trip since clinching the Republican nomination--has brought immigration back to the forefront of the presidential campaign. As McCain hits Mexico City today and both candidates step up their efforts to reach out to Hispanic voters, a number of surveys...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 3, 2008; 02:07 PM ET | Comments (0)
McCain Courts Public Opinion
Sen. John McCain took up the cause of conservative judges this morning, announcing at a meeting of the National Sherriff's Association that if elected, he would appoint justices who mirror the views of Supreme Court Chief Justice John G. Roberts and Justice Antonin Scalia. His attention to the issue is...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 1, 2008; 02:39 PM ET | Comments (3)
SCOTUS: DC Gun Law
In a 5-4 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court today overturned a 32-year-old District of Columbia law limiting private gun ownership, for the first time expressly extending the Constitution's Second Amendment to private citizens. That ruling is also a split decision with respect to where the public stands on these issues....
By Jon Cohen | June 26, 2008; 10:49 AM ET | Comments (35)
Heating Up on Energy
As the debate over energy and environmentalism between John McCain and Barack Obama gets hotter than a D.C. afternoon in August, recent polling on the issue shows the public broadly prefers Obama to handle related issues, but both have proposed policies that appear to garner widespread support. In the latest...
By Jennifer Agiesta | June 24, 2008; 06:17 PM ET | Comments (0)
Post-Primary Views of Clinton
In the first Washington Post-ABC News poll since she ended her presidential bid, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's favorability ratings have rebounded after reaching a campaign low-point in April. After dipping toward the end of the long Democratic nomination battle, Clinton's favorability rating is once again in positive territory: 54 percent...
By Jennifer Agiesta | June 20, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (68)
The Better Halves
As Americans wade through the glut of information about the presumptive presidential nominees of each party, they also get to know the candidates' better halves. A new Washington Post-ABC News poll shows both Cindy McCain and Michelle Obama hold net positive favorable ratings, but many have yet to form opinions...
By Jennifer Agiesta | June 18, 2008; 07:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
About Those Independents...
The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll hints that the 2008 presidential election could mark the year independents reclaim their status as a swing group. After Karl Rove's 2004 strategy attempted to circumvent independents by focusing on the GOP base, independents appear to be back in the driver's seat. In this...
By Jennifer Agiesta | June 17, 2008; 03:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
SCOTUS Gitmo Ruling
Most Americans oppose last week's U.S. Supreme Court ruling that detainees at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba should be able to challenge their incarcerations in the civilian court system. In the new Washington Post-ABC News poll, 61 percent said non-citizens suspected of terrorism should not have these rights under the U.S. Constitution;...
By Jon Cohen | June 17, 2008; 12:19 PM ET | Comments (0)
McCain vs. Obama on Personal Attributes
Six months before the general election, public perceptions of the relative strengths and weaknesses of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain and Democratic front-runner Barack Obama are relatively static, though recent shifts on leadership, empathy and personal ethics hint at the battles to come. The two months of campaigning in the...
By Jennifer Agiesta | May 14, 2008; 05:21 PM ET | Comments (14)
A Democratic Edge on Top Issues
The economy and the situation in Iraq have long been the public's top two priorities for this year's presidential election, and on both, more Americans said they think a Democratic president would do a better job handling the issue than a Republican. By nearly 20-point margins, Americans would choose an...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 25, 2008; 01:44 PM ET | Comments (14)
Unfavorables on the Rise
As the 2008 presidential nomination battle makes its final stop in the Northeast today, opinions about the major players in the race have begun to head south. As the Post has noted, the percentage rating each of the three presidential candidates unfavorably has climbed since voting began in January according...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 22, 2008; 10:24 AM ET | Comments (0)
McCain's Temperament
Presumptive Republican nominee John McCain's temperament came under close scrutiny in Michael Leahy's big piece in yesterday's paper, and his disposition may be a factor in the November election. Nearly half of voters in the new Post-ABC poll believe his temperament would hamper the Arizona senator in the White House....
By Jon Cohen | April 21, 2008; 10:13 AM ET | Comments (29)
White Catholics on 2008
Pope Benedict XVI did not expect to fly into an America still captivated by a heated election, but his arrival in Washington comes just a week before a crucial Democratic primary and amid increasingly heated general election rhetoric. Catholics make up about a quarter of all voters in the United...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 16, 2008; 11:16 AM ET | Comments (0)
Iraq: Public Opinion Five Years In
Five years after the start of the Iraq war, American public opinion has solidified around the notion that the war was not worth fighting and that the United States is not making significant progress toward restoring civil order there. For more than three years, majorities in Washington Post-ABC News polling...
By Jennifer Agiesta | March 19, 2008; 12:02 PM ET | Comments (0)
SCOTUS: 2nd Amendment
As the Supreme Court takes up an historic guns case, a new Washington Post poll shows nearly three-quarters of Americans believe the 2nd amendment extends to individuals, that gun rights are not limited to "militias." A thornier question, however, is how this privilege stacks up with governmental interest in controlling...
By Jon Cohen | March 18, 2008; 11:30 AM ET | Comments (3)
Toe to Toe on Issues and Attributes
A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds each of the two contenders for the Democratic nomination for president holding an edge over presumptive Republican nominee John McCain if the general election were held today. And digging deeper on a contest between McCain and the Democrats' delegate leader, Barack Obama,...
By Jennifer Agiesta | March 5, 2008; 06:03 PM ET | Comments (16)
Veepstakes
With the Democratic race for the nomination forging ahead and Mike Huckabee attempting to keep the Republican race alive, Behind the Numbers looks ahead to the next big moment in the presidential race: the veepstakes. The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll asked Democrats and Republicans whom they would most like...
By Jennifer Agiesta | March 4, 2008; 04:56 PM ET | Comments (9)
Should Clinton Fight On?
Conventional wisdom says Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton's gaping deficit in the delegate race has led to a set of make or break primaries in Texas and Ohio today, but does the public agree? A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds that should she win one of these two states, 67...
By Jennifer Agiesta | March 3, 2008; 07:59 PM ET | Comments (0)
Satisfying the Democratic Electorate
They try, and they try, but can Democratic voters get any satisfaction? More than seven in 10 likely voters in the Ohio and Texas Democratic primaries said they'd be satisfied with each of the remaining candidates as the party's nominee, according to new Washington Post-ABC News state polls. About four...
By Jennifer Agiesta | February 22, 2008; 01:54 PM ET | Comments (138)
March Madness
With the Democratic presidential nomination fight barreling towards March 4, two new surveys out today from the Washington Post and ABC News show an extremely close contest in Texas and a narrow Clinton edge in Ohio. Barack Obama resoundingly defeated Clinton in Maryland, Virginia and Wisconsin by cutting into her...
By Jennifer Agiesta | February 21, 2008; 05:12 PM ET | Comments (0)
Which 'Super' Do You Choose?
It's the motherlode of presidential primaries vs. the perfect season this week, and neither is a clear winner in the hearts of Americans according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll out today. About four in 10 adults said they are more excited about the Super Bowl, while nearly the...
By Jennifer Agiesta | January 31, 2008; 11:30 PM ET | Comments (12)
The Economic Primaries
Just how do the presidential contenders stack up on the economy, the election's top concern? The picture is clearer on the Democratic side, where Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton had the edge as the candidate best able to handle the economy in the most recent Post-ABC poll. And as it is...
By Jennifer Agiesta | January 23, 2008; 12:47 PM ET | Comments (3)
Change I Am
It's hardly surprising that "change" is the election's "it" word. After all, more than three-quarters of Americans think the country is headed in the wrong direction and two-thirds feel "strongly" that the next president should not follow George W. Bush's lead. But just what does "change" mean? The latest Post-ABC...
By Jon Cohen | January 17, 2008; 04:49 PM ET | Comments (0)
New Year, New Low for Bush
George W. Bush's approval rating has hit a new low-point in Post-ABC polling. In the newly released poll, just 32 percent approve of the way President Bush is handling his job. The summary rating had been stuck at 33 percent from July to December. The president has not enjoyed an...
By Jon Cohen | January 15, 2008; 05:00 AM ET | Comments (33)
Race, Sex and the Battle for the Democratic Nod
Race and gender are this week's central flash-points in the race for the Democratic nomination. Here are some data from the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll to add to the mix. Clinton's advantages in national polling, which basically evaporated in the new poll, relied on overwhelming support among women. Now,...
By Jennifer Agiesta | January 14, 2008; 04:38 PM ET | Comments (21)
Out on a High Note
Joe Gibbs's tenure with the Redskins has, once again, come to an end, and a new Washington Post poll shows his replacement will have very popular shoes to fill. About six in 10 D.C. adults have a favorable opinion of Gibbs, just 10 percent unfavorable. And in a surprising result...
By Jennifer Agiesta | January 13, 2008; 06:23 PM ET | Comments (0)
About those Democratic pre-election polls
Yesterday's Democratic result is sure to fuel debate among poll-watchers about the accuracy of polls in contests with African American candidates. In several well-known, but long-ago examples, pre-election polls underestimated support for the white candidates in such campaigns. But in the 2006 elections, a strong showing by polls in elections...
By Jon Cohen | January 9, 2008; 12:51 AM ET | Comments (4)
Iowa's Cutting Issues
The new Washington Post-ABC News polls of likely Iowa caucus-goers (Democrats here, Republicans here) found deadlocked contests for the presidential nominations in both parties. But beneath the tight competitions, Democratic and Republican voters' priorities and ranking of top issues could hardly be more different. Among likely Democratic caucus-goers, a preference...
By Jennifer Agiesta | November 30, 2007; 01:00 PM ET | Comments (24)
Shaking Hands, Kissing Babies
Add Purell to the list of campaign essentials in Iowa. A third of likely Democratic caucus-goers said they'd had a conversation with or shaken the hand of one of the Democratic candidates for President according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News Iowa poll. And the candidate who's had the most...
By Jennifer Agiesta | November 21, 2007; 10:05 AM ET | Comments (0)
Black Democrats: A Gender Gap
An interesting trend has emerged as Sen. Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) has solidified her lead in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination. Previous divisions -- by race and by gender -- in Clinton's support seem to be narrowing. Overall, men and women both give Clinton a wide advantage over Sen....
By Jennifer Agiesta | November 13, 2007; 04:09 PM ET | Comments (14)
Democrats on Democrats
President Bush is far from the sole object of Americans' disapproval. In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, the approval rating of the U.S. Congress has dipped to 28 percent, below President Bush's current, career-low, mark of 33. And neither party's members of Congress fare much better. Just 32 percent...
By Jennifer Agiesta | November 7, 2007; 04:06 PM ET | Comments (0)
Most Want Troop Draw-Down
Six in 10 Americans, a new high, want to decrease the number of U.S. forces in Iraq, according to a Washington Post-ABC News poll out this morning. Majorities have wanted to decrease troop levels since late 2005, but this is the first time 60 percent have advocated a draw-down. At...
By Jon Cohen | November 5, 2007; 10:35 AM ET | Comments (3)
Virginia Goes to the Polls, BTN Takes to the Airwaves
As Virginia voters prepare to head to the polls Tuesday for one of the nation's few odd-year statewide elections, a Washington Post poll shows a divided political landscape: one more favorable to Democrats than any since they lost control of the statehouse in 1999. Half of likely voters in Virginia...
By Jennifer Agiesta | November 1, 2007; 06:55 PM ET | Comments (1)
On the Road in Virginia
Nearly a third of Virginians say that traffic and transportation is one of the state's top two issues, and nearly the same number say that traffic in their part of the state has gotten worse in the last five years, according to the latest Washington Post poll. Not surprisingly, perceptions...
By Jennifer Agiesta | October 22, 2007; 05:30 PM ET | Comments (2)
Public Opinion from the Republican Wing
Former Masschusetts governor Mitt Romney last Friday told reporters he spoke for "the Republican wing of the Republican party," echoing a line made famous by Democrats Howard Dean and Paul Wellstone. The quip prompted an uproar among his competitors for the Republican nomination. But the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll...
By Jennifer Agiesta | October 17, 2007; 05:35 PM ET | Comments (0)
The Female Factor
Sen. Hillary Clinton's national lead surged last week in both Post-ABC and AP polling, solidifying her position as the frontrunner for the Democratic nomination. Her sizable advantage raises the prospect of a woman's heading a major party presidential ticket for the first time. Is the potential to make history having...
By Jennifer Agiesta | October 8, 2007; 02:30 PM ET | Comments (0)
Edwards's Outreach
Former senator John Edwards may be banking on the support of the rural, southern, white and male wings of the Democratic Party, but in none of these demographics does Edwards have an advantage over Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama. Overall in the most recent Washington Post-ABC News poll, he trails...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 12, 2007; 06:14 PM ET | Comments (0)
Virginia's Two Warners
Senator John Warner's announcement that he will not seek a sixth term in office virtually cements Virginia's status as a 2008 battleground state. The race to fill Sen. Warner's seat is likely to be one of the hottest in the nation. With Virginia more favorable towards Democrats than it has...
By Jennifer Agiesta | September 4, 2007; 05:36 PM ET | Comments (0)
Iraqi Progress and the American Public
A forthcoming Government Accountability Office report showing that the Iraqi government has made little progress on 18 military and political objectives set forth by Congress could prompt calls for the U.S. to temper its support for the fledgling democracy. According to the July Washington Post-ABC News poll, 67 percent would...
By Jennifer Agiesta | August 30, 2007; 02:05 PM ET | Comments (4)
The Power of the Party's List
Presidential candidates have been known to do many uniquely-Iowa things in hopes of a strong showing in the state's first-in-the-nation caucuses. Visiting the Iowa State Fair's butter cow and dropping in on the ice cream capital of the world are two traditional musts. So is paying up to $100,00 for...
By Jennifer Agiesta | August 7, 2007; 11:35 AM ET | Comments (0)
Surveillance Cameras: Fighting Crime or Invading Privacy?
Are surveillance cameras in public places a helpful tool in solving crimes or are they a modern day Big Brother? Most Americans take the more benign view. Seven in 10 respondents in the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll said they support the increased use of surveillance cameras as a way...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 31, 2007; 12:19 PM ET | Comments (0)
As Congress Goes, So Goes Clinton?
With two sitting senators atop the field of Democratic presidential candidates, what impact will Democrats' souring views on Congress have on the primary contest? The latest Washington Post-ABC News poll hints that it could change the dynamics of the race. Among Democrats who approve of the way the Democrats are...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 27, 2007; 08:14 AM ET | Comments (16)
Approval Highs and Lows
President Bush's job approval has tied its low mark in Washington Post-ABC News polling. Few other presidents have experienced such negative ratings since 1938 and only one has been so consistently on the negative side. But none reached the peak Bush hit one month after 9/11. For more on Bush,...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 24, 2007; 09:26 AM ET | Comments (0)
Debate Prep
The eight candidates for the Democratic nomination for president are getting ready for tonight's debate in Charleston, S.C., but are people preparing to watch? A Washington Post-ABC News poll released today shows that only 31 percent of Democrats and Democratic-leaning independents have tuned in to any of the televised candidate...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 23, 2007; 09:21 AM ET | Comments (0)
Sizing Up the YouTube Vote
Less than a year after Senator George Allen was arguably unseated by a grainy online video, campaigns, activist groups and amateur pundits are flooding Web sites from YouTube to Facebook with political content in the run up to the 2008 presidential election. This new world of viral video and social...
By Jennifer Agiesta | July 19, 2007; 06:26 PM ET | Comments (0)
AG "No Confidence:" Public Perspective
Senate Democrats plan a "no confidence" vote today on U.S. Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, hoping to apply additional pressure on President Bush to make a change at the helm of the Justice Department. And what does the public think? By a wide margin the public disapproves of how Gonzales has...
By Jon Cohen | June 11, 2007; 10:00 AM ET | Comments (0)
Ideology and Support for Stem Cells
After Thursday's 247 to 176 vote in the House, both chambers of Congress have now passed legislation aimed at loosening federal funding restrictions on stem cell research. President Bush has said that he will veto this bill, as he has two prior attempts to ease funding restrictions. In this case,...
By Jennifer Agiesta | June 8, 2007; 04:49 PM ET | Comments (0)
Segmenting the Republican Electorate
In advance of Tuesday night's GOP debate, former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani appears comfortably perched atop the field of Republicans running for president with a double-digit lead. But how solid is his advantage? In the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll, 34 percent of Republicans and Republican-leaning independents said...
By Jennifer Agiesta | June 4, 2007; 07:00 PM ET | Comments (5)
In Their Own Words: The First GOP Debate
Thursday night's nationally televised GOP presidential debate gave many Americans their first look at the full field of declared candidates, and for candidates languishing in polls such events might be their key out of the basement. In the most recent Post-ABC News poll, those more tuned into the '08 race...
By Jennifer Agiesta | May 4, 2007; 11:30 AM ET | Comments (34)
What's in a Word? Amnesty
In Thursday night's Democratic debate - the first of this election cycle - one of the moderators read a question from a viewer in Oregon: "Senator Clinton, if you were currently the president, would you defy the majority of American citizens and offer a form of amnesty for illegal aliens?"...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 30, 2007; 03:21 PM ET | Comments (0)
Earth Day at 37
As the 37th annual observance of Earth Day approaches, just three percent of Americans say the natural environment in the world today is in "excellent" shape. An additional 20 percent say it is in "good" shape, and 41 percent say it is in just "fair" shape. About a third rate...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 20, 2007; 08:00 AM ET | Comments (1)
2008: Attention High, Awareness Low
Months before the first votes are cast, two-thirds of Americans say they are paying close attention to the race for the White House, but few have yet learned much about the candidates' positions on the issues, according to the new Washington Post-ABC News poll . Fred Thompson, who is considering...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 19, 2007; 07:30 AM ET | Comments (8)
In Their Own Words: Independents and War
Political independents have continued to support congressional Democrats even as they have pursued increasingly aggressive strategies to remove troops from Iraq. By a 57 percent to 31 percent margin, independents trust Democrats in Congress to handle the issue of Iraq over President Bush, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News...
By Jon Cohen | April 18, 2007; 08:30 AM ET | Comments (6)
The Democrats at 100 Days
The public's initial rating of the new Democratic majority in Congress is positive, but assessments on their handling of specific issues are generally lower and few think they have accomplished much in their first 100 days in power. Overall, 54 percent in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll approved of...
By Jennifer Agiesta | April 17, 2007; 08:54 AM ET | Comments (1)
