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?
Sept 24-30	All	Dem.	Ind.	Rep.	Men	Women
Right direction	36%	20	30	61	43	31
Wrong track	52%	72	52	25	45	58
Don't know/Unsure	12%	9	18	14	12	12
Last April 12-19	All	Dem.	Ind.	Rep.	Men	Women
Right direction	55%	35	51	77	60	50
Wrong track	32%	49	34	14	30	34
Don't know/Unsure	13%	17	15	9	10	17

How would you rate the job George W. Bush is doing as President—excellent, good, only fair, or poor?
Sept 24-30	All	Dem	Ind.	Rep.	Men	Women
Excellent	16%	3	7	36	22	11
Good	28%	18	35	40	29	28
Only fair	29%	36	41	17	24	33
Poor	26%	43	16	6	24	27
Don't know/Unsure	1%	1	1	2	2	1
Last April 12-19	All	Dem	Ind	Rep.	Men	Women
Excellent	28%	6	23	52	32	24
Good	34%	32	36	37	33	35
Only fair	21%	33	21	9	20	23
Poor	16%	28	15	2	14	17
Don't know/Unsure	1%	1	4	0	1	2

As you know, there will be an election for President next year. If the election were held today, and George Bush were the Republican candidate, would you vote for him or would you vote for his Democratic opponent, or someone else?
	All	Dem.	Ind.	Rep.	Men	Women
Bush	36%	11	27	72	43	30
Democrat	29%	51	11	7	23	33
Someone else	17%	21	26	8	15	19
Unsure	18%	17	35	13	18	18

Now, if his Democratic opponent were…[rotate list] … who would you vote for?
Bush	41%	Bush	41	Bush	43	Bush	41
Al Gore	40%	Hillary Clinton	39	Joe Lieberman	31	Howard Dean	24
Someone else	12%	Someone else	11	Someone else	15	Someone else	15
Unsure	7%	Unsure	9	Unsure	11	Unsure	19
Bush	42	Bush	41	Bush	53	Bush	39
John Kerry	26	Richard Gephardt	25	Al Sharpton	11	Wesley Clark	24
Someone else	14	Someone else	16	Someone else	26	Someone else	15
Unsure	18	Unsure	17	Unsure	10	Unsure	22
Bush	41
John Edwards	20
Someone else	17
Unsure	21

Would you say the U.S. military effort in Iraq has gone better or worse than you expected?
Sept 24-30	All	Dem.	Ind.	Rep.	Men	Women
Better	36%	25	37	37	40	32
Worse	47%	62	41	43	42	52
Same (don't read)	12%	7	18	13	15	9
Don't know (don't read)	5%	5	4	7	3	7
Last April 12-19	All	Dem.	Ind.	Rep.	Men	Women
Better	80%	70	83	89	80	80
Worse	7%	13	4	1	6	8
Same (don't read)	9%	11	8	8	13	6
Don't know (don't read)	4%	7	3	2	2	6

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?
	Party				President's approval				Gender
Sept 24-30	All	Dem.	Ind.	Rep	Excel- lent	Good	Fair	Poor	Men	Women
Right thing	54%	34	52	80	97	84	36	15	62	47
Mistake	40%	59	40	15	2	10	51	82	33	45
Don't know	6%	7	8	5	2	6	12	3	4	8
Last April 12-19	All	Dem	Ind.	Rep	Excel- lent	Good	Fair	Poor	Men	Women
Right thing	67%	49	66	86	97	84	45	11	73	62
Mistake	23%	40	26	6	2	7	37	79	20	27
Don't Know	10%	10	8	8	2	9	19	10	8	12

Which are you following more closely—the war in Iraq or the status of the economy?
	All	18-29	30-34	45-59	Over 60
Iraq	27%	21	27	30	24
Economy	38%	51	41	38	30
Neither (vol.)	2%	6	3	1	2
Both (vol.)	33%	23	28	31	44

In deciding who to vote for for President, which is more important to you, the candidate's position on… or …?
	All	Men	Women
foreign policy and the war in Iraq	23%	24	23
the economy	50%	50	49
neither	2%	2	2
both	23%	22	24
don't know	2%	2	3

Contacts:
Rick Thigpen, academic associate, 609-394-0888.
Steve Salmore, research professor of political science: 973-292-3633.
Peter Woolley, coordinator: 973-443-8725

Radio actuality line: (201) 692-2846.

For more information, please call (201) 692-7032.

see also:

Survey Analysis
Salmore's Analysis
Thigpen's Analysis
Survey Details