ABC News/Washington Post Poll, September 2007

This poll, fielded September 27-30, 2007, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the current presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. A national sample of 1,114 adults was surveyed, including an oversample of African Americans, for a total of 212 African Americans respondents. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way George W. Bush was handling his job as president, and whether they approved of the way he was handling of the situation in Iraq, health care, the federal budget deficit, the economy, and the United States campaign against terrorism. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way the Republicans in Congress and the Democrats in Congress were doing their jobs. Opinions were sought on the amount that Congress had accomplished that year, and whether Democrats or Republicans in Congress could be trusted more to do a better job handling the situation in Iraq, health care, the United States campaign on terrorism, the economy, and the federal budget deficit. Several questions were asked about the war in Iraq, including whether the war in Iraq was worth fighting, whether the United States should keep military forces in Iraq until civil order is restored, whether an increase in United States forces in Iraq made the situation there better, whether the pace of troop reduction in Iraq should be increased, and whether a funding request for the war should be approved by Congress. Respondents were also asked how closely they were following the 2008 presidential race, for whom they would vote if the 2008 presidential primary were held that day, their opinion of the candidates, and whether they would vote for specific candidates if they won their party's nomination. Several questions also addressed Hillary Clinton including whether her views on issues were too liberal, whether she would take the presidency in a different direction than her husband if elected, whether her campaign was engaging in improper fund raising, and whether respondents felt comfortable with the idea of Bill Clinton as a first gentleman. Other topics included whether the respondent considered her or himself to be a feminist, quality of health care, health care costs, whether the cigarette tax should be increased to support federal spending on children's health insurance, and whether respondents approved of the way Bill Clinton handled his job as president while in office. Demographic information includes voter registration status and participation history, sex, age, race, income, marital status, religious preference, religious service attendance, education level, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), political philosophy, political party affiliation, and whether the respondent or anyone in the home was a military veteran.