ABC News/Washington Post Republican Convention Opener Poll, August 2004

This poll, conducted August 26-29, 2004, is part of a continuing series of monthly polls that solicit opinions on the presidency and on other political and social issues. Respondents were asked to evaluate the performance of United States President George W. Bush with respect to the campaign against terrorism, the economy, education, health care, the situation in Iraq, taxes, and uniting the country. Respondents were asked to comment on how closely they were following the 2004 United States presidential election, whether they were likely to vote, what, in their opinion, was the key issue, and their preferences among Republican incumbent George W. Bush, Democratic nominee Senator John F. Kerry, and independent candidate Ralph Nader. Specific questions sought to gain the respondents' opinions of Senator Kerry's military service record, certain political ads attacking its legitimacy, and whether the Bush campaign was behind these ads. Additionally, there were questions soliciting respondents' opinions on whether the Bush administration had intentionally misled the country about Iraq, whether the war in Iraq had been worthwhile, and whether they believed the war would improve the long-term security of the United States. In addition, respondents were asked whether they believed it should be legal for homosexuals to marry, and whether the United States Constitution should be amended to make homosexual marriage against the law. Background information includes age, callback receptivity, education, ethnicity, gender, geographic location, income, labor union membership, marital status, military service, political ideology, political party affiliation, religious affiliation, and voting history, including whether and for whom they voted in 2000.