Here Are The Results of SurveyUSA News Poll #6800

Geography Surveyed: Continental United States
Data Collected: 09/06/2005
Release Date: 09/07/2005 8:30 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

Marked Progress in American Reaction to Katrina Response: The number of Americans who say the Federal Government is not doing enough to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina dropped 6 points overnight and 14 points since last Friday, from 68% on 9/2 to 54% today, according to SurveyUSA's latest daily tracking poll of 1,200 adults nationwide, conducted 9/6/05 for its media clients around the country. The number of Americans who say the Federal Government is doing "just the right amount" to help Katrina victims is up 11 points from 9/2, from 26% then to 37% today. The number of Americans who say the government's response has been "surprisingly disorganized" is comparatively flat, at 48% today, down 4 points from a high of 52% on 9/4. The number of Americans who approve of President Bush's response to the hurricane jumped 5% overnight, from 38% on 9/5 to 43% on 9/6. A majority of Americans, 52%, still today disapprove of the President's response, down slightly from 55% on 9/4.

Context: SurveyUSA has interviewed 1,200 adults nationwide each of the past 7 days, since New Orleans filled with water, asking the identical questions. Completely crosstabbed tracking data is available. 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?

6% Too Much
54% Not Enough
37% Right Amount
3% Not Sure

2
   Asked of 1200 Adults
  Credibility Interval for this question = ± 2.5 percentage points.

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

16% Prepared
76% Unprepared
8% 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
42% About What You Would Expect
48% 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?

43% Approve
52% 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?

36% Rebuilt With Public Money
38% Rebuilt With Private Money
17% 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?

32% Rebuilt With Public Money
31% Rebuilt With Private Money
32% Not Rebuilt
4% Not Sure

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   Statement of Methodology
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