Tuesday, February 13, 2007 : Today's National Polls

Today's polls are compiled by NationalJournal.com staff
and gathered in conjunction with The Hotline.
Questions and polling press releases should be directed
to polls@nationaljournal.com.

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CBS NEWS
President Bush, Congress, Iraq

Conducted 2/8-11/07; surveyed 1,142 adults; margin of error +/-3% (release, 2/12).

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Approve                     32% 71%  6% 26%
Disapprove                  59  19  86  64
Don't know/NA                9  10   8  10

Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Right direction             26% 56%  7% 21%
Wrong track                 68  35  89  73
Don't know/NA                6   9   4   6

What do you think is the most important problem facing this country today?

                                All Rep Dem Ind
War in Iraq                     31% 25% 34% 32%
Economy/Jobs                     9   5  10   9
Health care                      8   8  10   6
Immigration                      4   8   2   4
Terrorism                        4   8   1   4
Poverty/Homelessness             3   4   3   3
Education                        3   2   2   4
Politicians/Government           3   3   3   3
The President/G.W. Bush          3   1   6   2
Moral values/Family values       3  10   1   1
Environment                      2   1   2   3
Foreign policy                   2   1   1   2
Defense/Military                 2   1   2   1
Foreign aid/Attn. to domestic    2   1   2   2
Miscellaneous social issues      2   1   1   3
Religious values                 2   4   1   1
Other                           12  12  14  13
Don't know/NA                    5   4   5   6

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling foreign policy?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Approve                     28% 67%  6% 21%
Disapprove                  61  26  83  66
Don't know/NA               11   7  11  13

How about the economy? Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the economy?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Approve                     38% 75% 15% 32%
Disapprove                  55  19  80  57
Don't know/NA                7   6   5  11

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the situation with Iraq?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Approve                     27% 57%  6% 23%
Disapprove                  68  36  90  70
Don't know/NA                5   7   4   7

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling the campaign against terrorism?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Approve                     44% 78% 24% 39%
Disapprove                  49  18  71  51
Don't know/NA                7   4   5  10

Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Approve                     32% 33% 32% 31%
Disapprove                  52  57  48  51
Don't know/NA               16  10  20  18

How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad or very bad?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Very good                    8% 19%  2%  7%
Fairly good                 52  63  43  51
Fairly bad                  27  14  35  29
Very bad                    12   3  19  12
Don't know/NA                1   1   1   1

Do you think the economy is getting better, getting worse or staying about the same?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Better                      15% 32%  5% 13%
Worse                       34  14  50  35
Same                        49  52  44  51
Don't know/NA                2   2   1   1

Over the coming year, do you think President George W. Bush and the Democrats in Congress will or will not be able to work together?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Will be able                33% 43% 25% 33%
Will not be able to         60  52  64  61
Don't know/NA                7   5  11   6

Do you think it is better for the country to have a President who comes from the same political party that controls Congress or do you think it is better to have a President from one political party and the Congress controlled by another?

                                All Rep Dem Ind
Better when same party          33% 43% 35% 25%
Better parties are different    47  38  47  54
Don't know/NA                   20  19  18  21

Think about the things the new Congress has done during the past month since it took office. Is there any one thing that Congress has done in the past month that stands out in your mind?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Iraq war                     8%  7%  8%  8%
Minimum wage                 7   5   9   7
Non-binding resolution       3   3   3   4
They've done nothing         3   3   2   3
Speaker Pelosi               2   0   2   2
Bickered/Argued              1   2   1   2
Other                        6   8   7   4
Can't name anything/NA      70  72  68  70

(Asked of Form A half-sample) Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Even when they have some objections or reservations, Republicans in Congress should cooperate and support President George W. Bush's legislative proposals in order to give them a chance.

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Agree                       40% 68% 23% 38%
Disagree                    53  27  69  55
Don't know/NA                7   5   8   7

(Asked of Form B half-sample) Do you agree or disagree with the following statement: Even when they have some objections or reservations, Congress should cooperate and support President George W. Bush's legislative proposals in order to give them a chance.

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Agree                       39% 67% 24% 31%
Disagree                    54  23  73  61
Don't know/NA                7  10   3   8

In general, is your opinion of the Democrats in Congress favorable or not favorable?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Favorable                   54% 23% 85% 48%
Not favorable               35  70  10  32
Don't know/NA               11   7   5  20

In general, is your opinion of the Republicans in Congress favorable or not favorable?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Favorable                   41% 73% 18% 39%
Not favorable               49  22  76  43
Don't know/NA               10   5   6  18

When deciding what to do about Iraq, how much do you think the Bush administration should take into account the views of Congress -- a lot, some, not much or not at all?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
A lot                       51% 32% 61% 54%
Some                        42  55  34  40
Not much                     3   6   2   2
Not at all                   3   5   2   2
Don't know/NA                1   2   1   2

When deciding what to do about Iraq, how much do you think the Bush administration should take into account the views of most Americans -- a lot, some, not much or not at all?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
A lot                       62% 41% 77% 63%
Some                        30  45  18  31
Not much                     5  11   4   2
Not at all                   2   3   0   2
Don't know/NA                1   0   1   2

(Asked of registered voters) In deciding how to vote for President next year, how much will your vote be influenced by a candidate's position on the war? 1. It is the single most important issue; or 2. it is important, but so are other issues or 3. it won't influence my vote.

                                All Rep Dem Ind
Most important                  14% 12% 16% 13%
Important, but so are others    73  71  74  73
Won't influence                 13  17  10  12
Don't know/NA                    0   0   0   2

In deciding how to vote for President next year, would you say you will: 1. only consider voting for a candidate who supports the Iraq war; or 2. only consider voting for a candidate who opposes the Iraq war or 3. it will depend on other issues?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Only supports                9% 22%  0%  6%
Only opposes                15   3  30  11
Other issues                75  74  69  83
Don't know/NA                1   1   1   0

Which comes closer to your opinion: Iran is a threat to the United States that requires military action now, Iran is a threat that can be contained with diplomacy now or Iran is not a threat to the United States at this time?

                                All Rep Dem Ind
Threat requiring action now     21% 35% 12% 19%
Threat that can be contained    57  53  62  57
Not a threat at this time       14   7  19  15
Don't know/NA                    8   5   7   9

What about Iraq? How would you say things are going for the U.S. in its efforts to bring stability and order to Iraq? Would you say things are going very well, somewhat well, somewhat badly or very badly?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Very well                    1%  3%  0%  1%
Somewhat well               24  50   7  22
Somewhat badly              32  29  34  34
Very badly                  40  15  58  41
Don't know/NA                3   3   1   2

Would you say the situation in Iraq is getting better, getting worse or is it staying about the same?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Getting better              10% 26%  2%  6%
Getting worse               46  24  61  49
Staying the same            41  48  36  43
Don't know/NA                3   2   1   2

From what you have seen or heard about the situation in Iraq, what should the United States do now -- should the U.S. increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq , keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now, decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq or remove all its troops from Iraq?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Increase                    26% 55%  8% 22%
Keep the same number        17  19  14  18
Decrease                    23  11  34  22
Remove all troops           28   9  38  32
Don't know/NA                6   6   6   6

How much longer do you think the United States troops will have to remain in Iraq -- for less than a year, one to two years, two to five years or will U.S. troops have to stay in Iraq for longer than five years?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Less than a year            16% 10% 20% 18%
One to two years            29  29  28  29
Two to five years           25  32  23  23
Longer than five years      22  22  22  24
Don't know/NA                8   7   7   6

Regardless of whether you think taking military action in Iraq was the right thing to do would you say that the U.S. is very likely to succeed in Iraq, somewhat likely to succeed, not very likely to succeed or not at all likely to succeed in Iraq?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Very likely                 13% 29%  4%  9%
Somewhat likely             37  48  28  39
Not very likely             26  15  34  26
Not at all likely           21   5  30  23
Don't know/NA                3   3   4   4

Do you favor or oppose sending more than 20,000 additional U.S. troops to Iraq in order to try and gain control of Baghdad and some other areas?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Favor                       33% 62% 11% 32%
Oppose                      63  32  87  63
Don't know/NA                4   5   2   5

What do you think George W. Bush is trying to do now in Iraq is he making major changes to US strategy and tactics in Iraq, minor changes or no changes to US strategy and tactics in Iraq?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Major changes               24% 40% 14% 22%
Minor changes               38  44  33  40
No changes                  27   9  42  28
Don't know/NA               11   7  11  10

What do you think the Democrats in Congress are trying to do now in Iraq increase the number of U.S. troops in Iraq, keep the same number of U.S. troops in Iraq as there are now, decrease the number of U.S. troops in Iraq or are the Democrats in Congress trying to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Increase                     5%  5%  3%  7%
Keep the same number        10   6   9  15
Decrease                    37  30  46  32
Remove all troops           37  53  34  27
Doing nothing (vol.)         1   1   0   1
Don't know/NA               10   5   8  18

As you may know, President George W. Bush has begun sending more than 20,000 additional troops to Iraq. Once all the additional troops arrive, how long do you think it will take to determine whether or not the increase has been successful at improving the situation in Iraq will it take less than three months, three to six months or more than six months to determine?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Less than three months      13%  7% 14% 15%
Three to six                29  32  25  29
Six or more                 53  56  56  48
Never (vol.)                 2   1   2   2
Don't know/NA                3   4   3   6

In your opinion, do you think that the war between the United States and Iraq is likely to lead to a larger war between other countries in the Middle East?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Yes, likely                 59% 40% 74% 59%
No, not likely              34  54  20  33
Don't know/No answer         7   6   6   8

Which of these comes closest to your opinion? 1. Congress should block all funding for the war in Iraq, or 2. Congress should block funding for additional troops being sent to Iraq, but allow funding for troops currently there or 3. Congress should allow all funding for the war in Iraq?

                                All Rep Dem Ind
Block all funding                8%  3% 12%  9%
Block funding for more troops   45  24  65  43
Should allow all funding        42  69  20  42
Don't know/NA                    5   4   3   6

(Asked of Form C half-sample) Do you think Congress should or should not pass a symbolic or non binding resolution against sending additional troops to Iraq?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Should pass resolution      44% 26% 57% 47%
Should not                  45  65  29  43
Don't know/NA               11   9  14  10

(Asked of Form D half-sample) Do you think Congress should or should not pass a non binding resolution against sending additional troops to Iraq?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Should pass resolution      43% 20% 61% 41%
Should not                  45  70  27  46
Don't know/NA               12  10  12  13

Can the U.S. military be effective now in lessening the fighting between groups of Iraqis, or is that something the U.S. military cannot do much about?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Can be effective            25% 39% 15% 23%
Cannot do much about        67  52  78  69
Don't know/NA                8   9   7   8

In order to help provide stability in Iraq, do you think the U.S. should request the support of neighboring countries in the Middle East, such as Iran and Syria, even if the governments in those countries have been unfriendly or hostile to the U.S. in the past?

                            All Rep Dem Ind
Yes                         46% 40% 49% 49%
No                          46  54  42  44
Don't know/NA                8   6   9   7