FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE TABLE 1 CURRENT RATINGS OF PRESIDENT, SENIOR CABINET MEMBERS AND PARTIES IN CONGRESS How would you rate the job (READ ITEM) are/is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor? Excellent Pretty Only Not Poor Good Fair Sure % Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice 11 36 26 21 6 47 47 President George W. Bush 5 21 27 46 1 26 73 Democrats in Congress 4 27 41 23 4 31 64 Vice President Dick Cheney 4 18 27 47 5 21 74 Republicans in Congress 3 18 43 33 3 21 76 House Speaker Nancy Pelosi 3 31 31 20 15 34 51 Defense Secretary Robert Gates 2 28 38 18 15 30 55 Congress 1 23 45 28 3 24 72 House Minority Leader John Boehner 1 18 37 12 32 19 49 Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid 1 19 33 17 30 20 49 Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell 1 19 31 13 36 20 44 *Positive = excellent or pretty good **Negative = only fair or poor POSITIVE RATINGS Soon After 9/11 TABLE 2 POSITIVE RATINGS: S SINCE 9/11/01: SUMMARY Feb. 2003 April 2003 Feb. 2004 Nov. 2004 Feb. 2005 April 2005 Nov. 2005 Mar 2006 Sept. 2006 Feb. 2007 April 2007 % President George W. 88 52 70 51 50 48 44 34 36 38 32 28 26 Bush Vice President 69 45 55 41 48 45 37 30 30 30 29 25 21 Dick Cheney Secretary of State Condoleezza ** ** ** ** ** 52 54 52 51 55 46 45 47 Rice ** Not Applicable. The question was not asked July 2007
TABLE 3 PRESIDENT BUSH'S OVERALL JOB RATING Not Sure s Excluded "How would you rate the overall job President George W. Bush is doing as president excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?" 2007 July 26 73 April 28 70 February 32 67 2006 November 31 67 October (10/25) 34 63 October (10/13) 34 64 September 38 61 August 34 65 July 34 65 June 33 67 May 29 71 April 35 63 March 36 64 February 40 58 January 43 56 2005 November 34 65 August 40 58 June 45 55 April 44 56 February 48 51 2004 November 50 49 October 51 49 September 45 54 August 48 51 June 50 49 April 48 51 February 51 48 2003 December 50 49 October 59 40 August 57 41 June 61 36 April 70 29 February 52 46 2002 December 64 35 November 65 33 August 63 37 May 74 25 April 75 23 February 79 20 January 79 19 2001 December 82 17 November 86 12 October 88 11 August 52 43 June 50 46 May 59 35 March 49 38 February 56 26
TABLE 4 RATINGS OF VICE PRESIDENT DICK CHENEY "And how would you rate the job Vice President Cheney is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 21 74 April 25 68 February 29 67 2006 September 30 64 June 31 65 March 30 67 2005 November 30 65 August 35 60 June 38 56 April 37 60 February 45 52 2004 November 48 50 October 47 51 August 40 54 June 42 49 April 36 52 February 41 48 2003 December 42 47 October 42 44 August 42 45 June 49 40 April 55 36 February 45 44 2002 December 50 37 November 52 39 October 54 37 September 52 37 August 45 43 April 55 31 March 59 29 February 57 31 2001 October 69 20 July 39 52 TABLE 5 RATINGS OF SECRETARY OF DEFENSE ROBERT GATES Not Sure s Excluded And how would you rate the job Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor? 2007 July 30 55 April 29 55 February 32 52
TABLE 6 RATINGS OF SECRETARY OF STATE CONDOLEEZZA RICE "And how would you rate the job Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 47 47 April 45 50 February 46 48 2006 September 55 42 June 52 43 March 51 44 2005 November 52 41 August 57 37 June 52 41 April 54 39 February 52 40 TABLE 7 RATINGS OF HOUSE SPEAKER NANCY PELOSI "And how would you rate the job House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 34 51 April 30 56 February 38 45 TABLE 8 RATINGS OF SENATE MAJORITY LEADER HARRY REID "And how would you rate the job Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 20 49 April 22 52 February 23 47 2006 September 23 52 June 19 54 March 19 53 2005 August 24 47 ***Prior to February, 2007, Sen. Reid was the Senate Minority Leader **Negative = only fair or poor
TABLE 9 RATINGS OF SENATE MINORITY LEADER MITCH MCCONNELL "And how would you rate the job Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 20 44 February 19 42 **Negative = only fair or poor TABLE 10 RATINGS OF HOUSE MINORITY LEADER JOHN BOEHNER "And how would you rate the job House Minority Leader John Boehner is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 19 49 February 23 46 2006 September*** 24 47 June 22 51 March 23 50 ***Prior to February, 2007, Rep Boehner was the House Majority Leader **Negative = only fair or poor TABLE 11 CONGRESS OVERALL JOB RATING Not Sure s Excluded "How would you rate the overall job the Congress is doing excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?" 2007 July 24 72 April 27 69 February 33 62 2006 September 24 73 May 18 80 February 25 71 January 25 72
TABLE 12 RATINGS OF REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS Not Sure s Excluded "And how would you rate the job Republicans in Congress are doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 21 76 April 22 74 February 26 69 2006 November 24 72 September 24 71 June 25 72 May 20 76 March 27 68 2005 November 27 69 August 32 64 June 37 58 April 36 61 2004 September 38 56 August 40 54 June 39 53 April 35 55 February 40 52 2003 December 37 51 October 40 50 August 41 51 June 45 47 April 52 41 February 43 49 2002 August (low) 41 49 January (high) 58 34 2001 October (high) 67 24 August (low) 37 52 2000 May (low) 33 60 February (high) 38 55 1999 October (low) 32 58 September (high) 39 55 1998 June (low) 31 62 February (high) 44 53 1997 June (low) 31 67 February (high) 38 58 1996 May (low) 29 69 January (high) 33 66 1995 November (low) 35 63 April (high) 42 56
TABLE 13 RATINGS OF DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS Not Sure s Excluded "And how would you rate the job Democrats in Congress are doing excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?" 2007 July 31 64 April 35 58 February 41 52 2006 November 36 57 September 29 67 June 26 70 May 23 72 March 24 70 2005 November 25 70 August 31 65 June 33 61 April 34 64 2004 September 34 60 August 35 58 June 31 59 April 32 57 February 33 58 2003 December 28 61 October 34 56 August 30 60 June 41 51 April 39 52 February 38 54 2002 August (low) 38 54 January (high) 52 40 2001 October (high) 68 24 May (low) 40 51 2000 September (high) 48 44 June (low) 38 52 1999 October (low) 42 50 January (high) 50 47 1998 September (high) 49 47 June (low) 41 53 1997 June (low) 36 60 February (high) 43 54 1996 May (high) 36 62 January (low) 31 68 1995 November (high) 34 64 July (low) 30 66 1994 December 28 70
TABLE 14 RIGHT DIRECTION OR WRONG TRACK No Opinion s, Not Sure s and Decline to Answer s Excluded "Generally speaking, would you say things in the country are going in the right direction or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?" Right Direction Wrong Track 2007 July 19 70 April 26 67 February 29 62 2006 November 31 58 October 27 63 September 31 59 August 26 64 June 28 64 May 24 69 April 27 65 March 31 60 February 32 59 January 33 54 2005 November 27 68 August 37 59 June 38 55 January 46 48 2004 September 38 57 June 35 59 2003 December 35 57 June 44 51 2002 December 36 57 June 46 48 2001 December 65 32 June 43 52 2000 October 50 41 June 40 51 1999 June 37 55 March 47 45 1998 December 43 51 June 48 44 1997 December 39 56 April 36 55 1996 December 38 50 June 29 64 1995 December 26 62 June 24 65 1994 December 29 63 June 28 65 1993 June 21 70 March 39 50 1992 October 15 78 June 12 81 January 20 75 1991 December 17 75 January 58 32 1990 October 20 73 February 48 43
Right Direction Wrong Track 1989 April 35 57 January 50 41 1988 August 49 47 April 34 55 1987 December 52 45 May 36 59 1986 December 41 57 April 62 34 1985 November 63 35 September 49 49 1984 November 71 28 May 42 56 1983 December 47 47 January 33 64 1982 July 31 65 January 50 45 1981 September 59 37 February 42 51 1980 November 32 55
TABLE 13 MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS "What do you think are the two most important issues for the government to address?" Spontaneous, unprompted replies Base: All Adults 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 06 07 07 07 May Jan Feb Aug Dec Dec June Oct Aug June Nov Feb April July (The) war X X X X 12 18 8 35 41 27 33 29 30 27 Healthcare (not Medicare) 10 11 12 15 5 10 14 18 11 12 15 12 15 19 Immigration 2 1 * 1 1 1 2 2 3 20 11 7 9 13 Iraq / (Saddam Hussein) * * 1 - - 11 3 9 6 8 10 10 13 10 The economy (non-specific) 8 9 7 5 32 34 25 28 19 14 12 9 10 10 Education 15 14 21 25 12 11 13 7 8 7 7 7 9 7 Terrorism X X X X 22 17 11 7 7 4 3 9 5 7 Foreign policy (non-specific) 3 5 4 3 2 4 2 3 2 2 2 4 4 7 Taxes 14 16 12 13 6 5 11 8 5 4 5 7 5 5 Gas and oil prices X X X X X X 1 1 10 8 1 1 3 5 Employment/jobs 5 3 4 4 7 8 8 10 3 7 7 4 5 5 Inflation X X X X X X X X 1 2 2 2 1 3 Environment 3 2 3 3 1 3 2 1 3 3 2 4 4 3 Domestic/social issues (nonspecific) 2 3 2 2 2 2 1 2 2 3 1 1 2 3 Human/civil/women's rights 2 1 * 1 1 1 * 1 1 1 1 2 1 3 Social security 6 6 24 16 3 2 4 4 10 5 4 3 4 3 Drugs 8 6 2 5 2 3 3 * 2 1 1 3 2 3 Military/defense 2 2 2 4 4 1 5 3 1 4 3 3 3 2 Honesty/Integrity/Moral Values X X X X X X X 2 2 1 * 1 * 2 Welfare 14 8 4 2 1 1 3 * 3 1 1 1 1 2 (Programs for) the poor/ poverty 3 2 2 3 1 2 3 * 4 4 3 2 2 2 Religion (decline of) * 1 * 1 2 1 1 1 * 1 1 2 2 2 Homeland/domestic security/public safety X X X X 8 9 3 6 2 2 2 3 2 1 Second Amendment (right to bear arms) X * * * * X * * * * * * 2 1 Crime/violence 19 13 8 10 1 2 3 1 3 2 2 2 6 1 School safety X X X X X X 2 * 1 1 * * 2 1 Energy X X X X X X 1 1 4 4 1 2 2 1 Budget/Government spending X X X X X X X X X 5 3 5 2 1 Medicare 4 5 5 6 1 1 4 3 2 1 3 1 2 1 Abortion 2 2 2 6 1 1 1 4 2 1 1 1 2 1 Peace/world peace/nuclear arms 1 3 3 1 2 2 3 * 1 1 1 1 1 1 Family values (decline of) 2 1 2 1 * * 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Bush/president x x x X X x x X x X x * 1 1 National security X X 2 2 6 3 6 5 2 2 2 2 1 1 Homelessness 4 4 3 3 2 2 1 * 1 1 1 2 1 1 Ethics in government * * * * 1 1 1 1 1 1 2 * 1 1 Judicial/Legal Issues X X X X X X X * 2 1 1 1 1 1 Middle East peace process between Palestinians and Israel X X X X 2 2 2 * 1 * 1 * * 1 Disaster relief/hurricane Relief x x x X X x x X x 1 * 1 * 1 Same sex rights X X X X X X X 1 1 2 * 1 * 1 Medical research X X X X X X 2 2 1 * 1 1 * 1 Election/Voter reform X X X X X 1 1 * 1 * * 2 1 * Downsizing government X X X 1 * X X 1 * 1 * 1 1 * AIDS * 1 x * * * 2 x * * * 2 1 * FEMA x x x X X x x X x * x * * * Other 1 8 19 2 19 3 8 8 8 1 6 8 6 6 7 Not sure/refused/no issue 9 12 16 18 11 10 12 9 8 6 9 9 8 5 * = Less than 0.5%, X = Not mentioned as specific issue 1 Including government/politics (nonspecific), housing, Foreign Aid, trade, disability, promoting democracy, race relations, housing, Supreme Court, youth and programs for the elderly (not Medicare/Social Security)
Methodology The Harris Poll was conducted by telephone within the United States between July 6 and 9, 2007 among a nationwide cross section of 1,003 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region, number of adults in the household, size of place (urbanicity) and number of phone lines in the household were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. All surveys are subject to several sources of error. These include: sampling error (because only a sample of a population is interviewed); measurement error due to question wording and/or question order, deliberately or unintentionally inaccurate responses, nonresponse (including refusals), interviewer effects (when live interviewers are used) and weighting. With one exception (sampling error) the magnitude of the errors that result cannot be estimated. There is, therefore, no way to calculate a finite margin of error for any survey and the use of these words should be avoided. With pure probability samples, with 100 percent response rates, it is possible to calculate the probability that the sampling error (but not other sources of error) is not greater than some number. With a pure probability sample of 1,001, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results would have a sampling error of +/-3 percentage points. However that does not take other sources of error into account. These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls. J31728 QA1, QA2, QA3 About Harris Interactive Harris Interactive is the 12th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world s largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiaries Novatris in France and MediaTransfer AG in Germany, and through a global network of independent market research firms. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.to become a member of the Harris Poll Online and be invited to participate in online surveys, register at www.harrispollonline.com. Press Contact: Tracey McNerney Harris Interactive 585-214-7756 Harris Interactive Inc. 07/07