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NBC/WSJ Poll
NBC News/Wall Street Journal
Study #6057
HART/MCINTURFF
NBC News/Wall Street Journal
October 2005

1. All in all, do you think that things in the nation are generally headed in the right direction, or do you feel that things are off on the wrong track?

                                  10/05
Headed in the right direction        28
Off on the wrong track               59
Mixed (VOL)                          10
Not sure                              3

3a. In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job that George W. Bush is doing as president?

                                  10/05
Approve                              39
Disapprove                           54
Not sure                              7

4. What is your preference for the outcome of the 2006 congressional elections--a Congress controlled by Republicans or a Congress controlled by Democrats?

                                  10/05+
Republican-controlled Congress       39
Democrat-controlled Congress         48
Not sure                             13

7. I'm going to read you several issues. For each one, please tell me whether you think that the worst is still ahead, that we are slowly putting the worst behind us with a long way to go, that we are quickly putting the worst behind us and better times are near, or that we have turned the corner and better times are here.

THIS TABLE HAS BEEN RANKED BY THE PERCENTAGE WHO SAY THE WORST IS STILL AHEAD
The Worst
Is Still
Ahead
We Are Slowly
Putting The
Worst Behind
Us With A Long
Way To Go
We Are Quickly
Putting The
Worst Behind
Us And Better
Times Are Near
We Have
Turned The
Corner And
Better Times
Are Here
Not
Sure
Energy and fuel prices *..... 69 22 3 2 4 [158]
Gas prices ** ............... 61 30 6 1 2 [162]
* Asked of one-half the respondents (FORM A).
** Asked of one-half the respondents (FORM B).

9. As you may know, President Bush recently nominated Harriet Miers to serve as a justice on the Supreme Court. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose Harriet Miers' serving as a justice on the Supreme Court, or do you not know enough about her to say?

Strongly support................. 11 [164]
Somewhat support..................16
Somewhat oppose...................10
Strongly oppose...................11
Do not know enough to say.........51
Not sure ..........................1
JOHN ROBERTS – SEPTEMBER 9-12, 2005 As you may know, President Bush recently nominated John Roberts to serve as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court. Do you strongly support, somewhat support, somewhat oppose, or strongly oppose John Roberts' serving as the next Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, or do you not know enough about him to say?

10. Based on what you have heard so far, do you think that Harriet Miers is qualified or not qualified to be a Supreme Court justice, or do you not know enough about her to say?

Qualified.........................29 [165]
Not qualified.....................24
Do not know enough to say.........46
Not sure ......................... 1

11. I'm going to read you several things about Harriet Miers. For each one, please tell me whether this makes you feel more positive about Harriet Miers sitting on the Supreme Court, less positive, or does it make no difference to you either way?

THIS TABLE HAS BEEN RANKED BY THE PERCENTAGE WHO SAY MORE POSITIVE
More Positive Less Positive No Difference Either Way Not Sure
She was the first woman to be president of the Texas Bar Association 47 10 42 1 [166]
She has been named one of America's one hundred most powerful lawyers 45 14 39 2 [169]
She has worked for President Bush as his personal lawyer for many years, previously while he was governor of Texas, and most recently as White House counsel 24 40 35 1 [167]
She has not previously served as a judge 8 50 40 2 [168]
Her positions on many legal issues facing the Court are unknown. 8 52 37 3 [170]

12. When it comes to appointing people to positions in the government, which of the following things do you think President Bush puts greater emphasis on?

A: Personal friendships and partisan loyalty, OR
B: Competence and qualifications to do the job.
        A: Personal friendships/partisan loyalty................54 [171]
        B: Competence/qualifications to do the job..............37
        Depends/some of both (VOL)...............................6
        Not sure ................................................3

13. Recently, a series of charges have been raised against public officials. For each one I mention, please tell me whether this is nothing more than the usual kind of partisan political charge that has little merit, or whether you think this charge indicates potential illegal activity.

Usual Political Charge/Has Little Merit Indicates Potential Illegal Activity Depends/Some Of Both (VOL) Not Sure
Congressman Tom DeLay being indicted for illegal use of corporate contributions to political campaigns 24 65 4 7 [172]
Senator Bill Frist's sale of stock in a company his family runs just before the value of the stock declined 28 57 3 12 [173]

Turning to the war in Iraq . . .
14. When it comes to the war in Iraq, do you think that removing Saddam Hussein from power was or was not worth the number of U.S. military casualties and the financial cost of the war?

                                  10/05
Worth it.............................40
Not worth it.........................51
Depends (VOL).........................4
Not sure..............................5

15. Do you think that the United States should maintain its current troop level in Iraq to help secure peace and stability, or should the United States reduce its number of troops once new elections have been held?

                             10/05
Maintain current troop level.........34
Reduce number of troops .............58
Depends/some of both (VOL) .......... 3
Not sure..............................5

16. And do you feel more confident or less confident that the war in Iraq will come to a successful conclusion?

                                  10/05
More confident.......................35
Less confident.......................56
Depends/some of both (VOL)........... 4
Not sure..............................5

The Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll was based on nationwide telephone interviews of 807 American adults, conducted Oct. 8-10 by the polling organizations of Peter Hart and Bill McInturff.

The sample was drawn in the following manner: 300 geographic points were randomly selected proportionate to the population of each region and, within each region, by size of place. Individuals were selected by a method that gave all telephone numbers, listed and unlisted, an equal chance of being included.

One adult, 18 years or older, was selected from each household by a procedure to provide a balance of respondents by sex. The data's margin of error is plus or minus 3.4 percentage points. Sample tolerances for subgroups are larger.

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