Wednesday, August 15, 2007 : Today's National Polls

Today's polls are compiled by NationalJournal.com staff
and gathered in conjunction with The Hotline.
Questions and polling press releases should be directed
to polls@nationaljournal.com.

Please click here for links to other recently released national polls.

GALLUP/USA TODAY
President Bush, WH 2008

Conducted 8/3-5/07; surveyed 1,012 adults; margin of error +/-3% (release, 8/15). A response of * indicates less than 0.5 percent.

Do you approve or disapprove of the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

Approve                     34%
Disapprove                  62
No opinion                   4

Do you approve or disapprove of the way ________ are handling their job?

The Republicans in Congress:

Approve                     29%
Disapprove                  64
No opinion                   7

The Democrats in Congress:

Approve                     37%
Disapprove                  55
No opinion                   7

Next, we'd like to get your overall opinion of some people in the news. As I read each name, please say if you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of these people -- or if you have never heard of them. (rotated)

Al Gore:

Favorable                   48%
Unfavorable                 46
No opinion                   6

Fred Thompson:

Favorable                   31%
Unfavorable                 20
Never heard of              32
No opinion                  17

Mitt Romney:

Favorable                   22%
Unfavorable                 31
Never heard of              30
No opinion                  17

Commander of U.S. forces in Iraq, General David
 Petraeus:

Favorable                   47%
Unfavorable                 21
Never heard of              16
No opinion                  16

Do you think the United States made a mistake in sending military forces to Afghanistan or not?

Yes                         25%
No                          70
No opinion                   5

(Asked of Form A half-sample) Would you favor or oppose sending additional U.S. troops to Afghanistan to fight al-Qaida and Taliban terrorist operations in that country?

Favor                       56%
Oppose                      38
No opinion                   6

(Asked of Form B half-sample) Would you favor or oppose moving U.S. troops from Iraq to Afghanistan in order to fight al-Qaida and Taliban terrorist operations in Afghanistan?

Favor                       52%
Oppose                      37
No opinion                  10

(Asked of Form A half-sample) How good of a job do you think this equipment does in protecting the U.S. troops from injury -- excellent, good, only fair or poor?

Excellent                    8%
Good                        33
Only fair                   34
Poor                        18
No opinion                   7

(Asked of Form B half-sample) How good of a job do you think the Defense Department has done in getting this equipment to the troops in a timely manner -- excellent, good, only fair or poor?

Excellent                    2%
Good                        24
Only fair                   37
Poor                        30
No opinion                   7

Suppose the United States had actionable intelligence about terrorist operations in Pakistan and the Pakistani government was not taking action against the terrorists. Would you favor or oppose the United States taking military action against the terrorists in Pakistan?

Favor                       52%
Oppose                      42
No opinion                   6

(Asked of those who favor the United States taking military action against terrorists in Pakistan) Do you think U.S. should take this military action -- only if the government of Pakistan supported it, or should the U.S. take military action regardless of whether or not the government of Pakistan supported it? (rotated)

Favor military action against terrorists
 in Pakistan                                52%
Favor, only if government of Pakistan
 supported it                               19
Favor, regardless of whether or not
 the government of Pakistan supported it    30
Favor, unsure                                3
Oppose military action against terrorists
 in Pakistan                                42
No opinion                                   6

How closely are you following the news about the collapse of a major highway bridge in Minneapolis -- very closely, somewhat closely, not too closely or not at all?

Very closely                31%
Somewhat closely            47
Not too closely             16
Not at all                   6
No opinion                   *

How concerned are you about the safety of bridges over which you regularly travel -- very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned or not concerned at all?

Very concerned              37%
Somewhat concerned          30
Not too concerned           22
Not concerned at all        10
Doesn't apply (vol.)         2
No opinion                   *

(Asked of Form A half-sample) Do you think the bridge collapse in Minneapolis is an isolated incident or an indication that the nation's transportation system has serious problems?

Isolated incident                           37%
Indication systems had serious problems     57
No opinion                                   6

(Asked of Form B half-sample) Would you favor or oppose the U.S. Congress passing legislation to spend over 100 billion dollars to repair and rebuild the nation's bridges?

Favor                       73%
Oppose                      22
No opinion                   5