Americans Split on Bush Handing of War on Terrorism

According to a recently released Harris Interactive Poll, public perceptions in the US of the job President Bush is doing in handling the war on terrorism are somewhat better than public perceptions of how he is handling events in Iraq. The public is split, 49% to 48%, on the job the president is doing in handling the war on terrorism, compared to a 58% negative, 40% positive rating on handling Iraq.

These public perceptions are very polarized by party. Eighty-seven percent (87%) of Republicans, but only 26% of Democrats and 40% of Independents, give the president positive marks for his handling of the war on terrorism.

The public is also fairly evenly split as to what is the primary objective of the war on terrorism - killing or capturing terrorists or making America safer - although, of course, the two are closely related. Forty percent (40%) think that it is mainly about catching or killing terrorists and those who plan and organize terrorism. Thirty-six percent think it is mainly about making America safer and less likely to be attacked.

How would you rate the job President Bush is doing handling the war on terrorism?

Base: All adults

Do you think of the war on terrorism as being...?

Base: All adults

How successful do you think the war on terrorism has been in terms of...?

Base: All adults

While these two objectives are similar, more people think that the war on terrorism has been successful in making America safer than in catching or killing terrorists. Forty-five percent (45%) of all adults think that the war on terrorism has been successful in making America safer. Only 32% think that the war on terrorism has been successful in catching or killing terrorists and those who plan terrorism.

These are some of the results of a nationwide survey of 2,376 adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive(r) between November 17th and 23rd, 2003.