CBS News/New York Times Monthly Poll, January 2004

This poll, conducted January 12-15, 2004, is part of a series of monthly polls that solicit public opinion on political and social issues. Views were sought on the 2004 presidential campaign, as well as President George W. Bush and his handling of the presidency, the economy, the situation with Iraq, and the campaign against terrorism. A series of questions addressed whether President Bush was a strong leader, whether he was more interested in protecting the interests of ordinary Americans or large corporations, whether world leaders respected him, and whether he legitimately won the 2000 presidential election. Respondents were asked about the condition of the national economy, whether things were better or worse than five years ago, whether reductions in federal taxes enacted since 2001 were good for the economy, and whether the county was going in the right direction. Several questions asked about the amount of progress made by the Bush administration in improving the economy, reducing the cost of prescription drugs for the elderly, preserving Social Security and Medicare, improving public schools, and protecting the United States from terrorism, and the effect of its policies on taxes, jobs, and the United States image in the Arab world. Views were also sought on the Bush administration's handling of the war with Iraq, whether it focused too much on Iraq and not enough on al Qaeda terrorists, whether it hid any information about the possible existence of weapons of mass destruction in Iraq, whether the war with Iraq made the United States safer from terrorism, and whether it was worth the human and economic costs. Respondents were also polled on how much attention they paid to the 2004 presidential campaign, whether they planned to vote for President Bush or a Democratic candidate, who they expected to win, which issue they most wanted candidates to discuss, and whether it was appropriate for presidential candidates to discuss the role of religion in their lives. Respondents were asked who the Democratic party should nominate as its presidential candidate, the main reason respondents wanted that person to be nominated, and whether they planned to vote in a Democratic or Republican primary. Opinions were solicited on Vice-President Dick Cheney, the Republican and Democratic parties, the United States Congress, and Democratic presidential nominees Carol Moseley-Braun, Wesley Clark, Howard Dean, John Edwards, Dick Gephardt, John Kerry, Dennis Kucinich, Joe Lieberman, and Al Sharpton. Additional topics addressed included immigration, government spending on space exploration, mandatory testing of students in public schools, and the likelihood that respondents would watch President Bush's State of the Union address the following week. Background variables include sex, age, ethnicity, marital status, religion, religiosity, education, household income, number of telephone lines in household, political party affiliation, political orientation, and voter participation and registration history.