CBS News/New York Times National Poll, March #1, 2012

This poll, fielded March, 2012, and the first of two, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicits public opinion on a range of political and social issues. Respondents were asked whether they approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as president, foreign policy, the economy, and the situation with Iran. Respondents were also asked about the condition of the economy, and whether things in the country were on the right track. Multiple questions addressed the 2012 Republican presidential candidates, including respondents' overall opinions of several of the candidates and their views, as well as their confidence in each candidate's ability to make the right decisions about the economy and health care, and ability to be an effective commander-in-chief of the nation's military. Further questions asked what issues and qualities were most important in deciding who to support for the Republican nomination, what topics they would like to hear the candidates discuss, and which candidate would have the best chance of winning against Barack Obama. Other topics include Iran, birth control, and gasoline. Demographic variables include sex, age, race, education level, household income, social class, employment status, religious preference and participation, type of residential area (e.g., urban or rural), whether respondents thought of themselves as born-again Christians, marital status, household composition, political party affiliation, political philosophy, voter registration status, voting behavior, and the number of phones in their household.