FDU PublicMind - January 15, 2009 Release

Background Memo

The most recent survey by Fairleigh Dickinson University’s PublicMind was conducted by telephone from Jan. 2 through Jan. 11, 2009 using a randomly selected sample of 1170 registered voters statewide. The sampling error for 1170 randomly selected respondents is +/- 3 percentage points at the 95 percent level of confidence. Sample error for subgroups varies with the size of the subgroup. Survey results are also subject to nonsampling error. This kind of error, which cannot be measured, arises from a number of factors including, but not limited to, non-response (eligible individuals refusing to be interviewed), question wording, the order in which questions are asked, and variations among interviewers. All PublicMind interviews are conducted by professionally trained interviewers using a CATI (Computer Assisted Telephone Interviewing) system. Random selection is achieved through computerized random-digit dialing. This technique gives every person with a land-line phone number (including those with unlisted numbers) an equal chance of being selected. Results are mathematically weighted to match known demographics.

The questions included in this release are as follows:

Question US1: In your opinion, do you believe that the country is moving in the right direction or do you believe it has gotten off on the wrong track?

Question US2: In general, do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as President?

Question US3: In general, do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his transition to President?

Question US4: Six months from now do you expect the economy will be better, worse, or about the same?

Question US5: Given what you have heard or read at this point, do you approve or disapprove of the government’s efforts to deal with the financial crisis?

Question US6: Given what you have heard or read at this point, do you support or oppose the government’s plans to loan money to American car makers like General Motors and Chrysler?

Question US7: Who or what is most responsible for the current financial problems of the auto-makers…READ?

Wall Street and the bad economy
The company management
The unions
Foreign competition

Question US8: Now, turning to Iraq… How well is the U.S. military effort in Iraq going…?

Very well
Fairly well
Not too well
Not at all well

Question US9: Considering everything, do you think the United States did the right thing in going to war with Iraq, or do you think it was a mistake?

Question: On a different subject, do you approve or disapprove of the job George W. Bush is doing as President?

Question: Do you approve or disapprove of the way he is handling the economy?Do you approve or disapprove of the way Bush is doing dealing with the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon?

Question: Do you approve of the United States taking military action against Iraq to try and remove Saddam Hussein from power?