Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #6834

Geography Surveyed: Continental United States
Data Collected: 09/08/2005
Release Date: 09/09/2005 8:32 AM ET
Sponsors: KABC-TV Los Angeles, KATU-TV Portland, KEYE-TV Austin, KFOR-TV Oklahoma City, KGTV-TV San Diego, KING-TV Seattle, KJRH-TV Tulsa, KPIX-TV San Francisco, KPNX-TV Phoenix, KPRC-TV Houston, KSDK-TV St. Louis, KSL-TV Salt Lake City, KTHV-TV Little Rock, KUSA-TV Denver, KVBC-TV Las Vegas, KWCH-TV Wichita, KXAS-TV Dallas, KXTV-TV Sacramento, WABC-TV New York, WBIR-TV Knoxville, WBTV-TV Charlotte, WBZ-TV Boston, WCAU-TV Philadelphia, WCPO-TV Cincinnati, WCSC-TV Charleston, WCSH-TV Portland, WDIV-TV Detroit, WFLA-TV Tampa, WFMY-TV Greensboro, NC, WFOR-TV Miami, WGRZ-TV Buffalo, WHAS-TV Louisville, WHO-TV Des Moines, WKMG-TV Orlando, WKRG-TV Mobile-Pensacola, WKYC-TV Cleveland, WLNE-TV Providence, WLTX-TV Columbia, SC, WMAR-TV Baltimore, WNEP-TV Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, WOAI-TV San Antonio, WPTV-TV West Palm Beach, WRGB-TV Albany, WSLS-TV Roanoke, WTLV-TV Jacksonville, WTVD-TV Raleigh, WUSA-TV Washington, DC, WXIA-TV Atlanta, WXIN-TV Indianapolis, WYTV-TV Youngstown, WZZM-TV Grand Rapids

11 DAYS AFTER KATRINA, GOVT HAS YET TO ERASE AMERICA'S FIRST IMPRESSION: Though the skies over the Gulf Coast are filled with helicopters, the streets are filled with soldiers, the displaced are largely sheltered, debit cards are being issued to the dispossessed, the water is receding and power has been restored in some areas, a majority of Americans today still say that the federal government is not doing enough to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina, a majority still disapprove of the President's personal response to the situation, and a majority still say that the government's response has been "surprisingly disorganized," according to SurveyUSA's latest nationwide tracking poll of 1,200 adults conducted 9/8/05. On the day that Congress approved an additional $50 Billion in federal aid to the region, the number of Americans who say New Orleans should be rebuilt with public money went down, and the number who say New Orleans should not be rebuilt went up.

Context: SurveyUSA has interviewed 1,200 adults nationwide on each of the past 9 days, since New Orleans filled with water, asking the identical questions. Completely crosstabbed tracking data is available for every question. There are limitations to conducting opinion polling in response to news events that are rapidly changing, but SurveyUSA has done its best here to create a series of "freeze-frame" snapshots that preserve, to the best of any pollster's ability, what America was thinking on each of the days following the storm. Those portions of the Gulf Coast without telephone service are under-represented in this survey.

1
  Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

Is the federal government doing too much? Not enough? Or just the right amount to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina?

7% Too Much
54% Not Enough
36% Right Amount
3% Not Sure

2
  Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.4 percentage points.

At this hour, are local officials on the Gulf Coast prepared? ... Or unprepared to respond to the challenge that is before them?

14% Prepared
77% Unprepared
9% Not Sure

3
  Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

Has the government's response to the hurricane been ... surprisingly organized? About what you would expect given the size of the damage? Or, surprisingly disorganized?

9% Surprisingly Organized
39% About What You Would Expect
51% Surprisingly Disorganized
1% Not Sure

4
  Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

Thinking just about the President of the United States ... Do you approve or disapprove of President Bush's response to Hurricane Katrina?

42% Approve
53% Disapprove
5% Not Sure

5
  Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

In general, when coastal areas are damaged by hurricanes, should those areas be rebuilt with public money? Rebuilt with private money? Or should they not be rebuilt?

31% Rebuilt With Public Money
41% Rebuilt With Private Money
19% Not Rebuilt
9% Not Sure

6
  Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.9 percentage points.

Now focusing specifically on the City of New Orleans, which is below sea level: should the city of New Orleans be rebuilt with public money? Rebuilt with private money? Or should the city not be rebuilt?

27% Rebuilt With Public Money
33% Rebuilt With Private Money
35% Not Rebuilt
6% Not Sure

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  Statement of Methodology
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