The polls have often been dismaying. Many show that Americans still believe, incredibly, there was an Iraq/alQaeda connection (as I have posted here before). A lot depends, clearly, on how the question is posed. Still support for Bush's war has greatly eroded, largely because of David Kay's highly publicized statements. This new poll, though surely not definitive, seems instructive.
Poll: War support by demographic
Scripps Howard News Service
March 01, 2004
http://www.knxv.com/shns/story.cfm?pk=WARCHART2-03-01-04&cat=AN
- Twenty-eight percent of 1,013 adult residents of the United States said they are "very certain" when told: "As you know, the United States sent troops into Iraq to force it to disarm its weapons of mass destruction. Are you absolutely certain, pretty certain or not certain that this was the correct thing to do?"
Entire nation ................ 28
Men .......................... 31
Women ........................ 23
- -24 ........................ 21
- -44 ........................ 29
- -64 ........................ 27
- or older .................. 27
White ........................ 30
African-American ............. 14
Hispanic ..................... 27
Asian-American ............... 16
Other ........................ 18
Strong Republican ............ 61
Lean Toward the Republicans .. 38
Independent .................. 18
Lean Toward the Democrats ..... 8
Strong Democrat .............. 13
Very Conservative ............ 47
Somewhat Conservative ........ 31
Middle of the Road ........... 23
Somewhat Liberal ............. 14
Very Liberal ................. 24
Northeast .................... 27
South ........................ 31
Midwest ...................... 26
West ......................... 21
Not A High School Graduate ... 21
Graduated High School ........ 30
Attended Some College ........ 28
College Graduate ............. 30
Post Graduate Studies ........ 20
Lives in major city .......... 27
Smaller city ................. 27
Suburb ....................... 24
Rural area ................... 30
Income Below $25,000 ......... 26
$25,000 to $40,000 ........... 24
$40,000 to $60,000 ........... 28
$60,000 to $80,000 ........... 28
$80,000 to $100,000 .......... 36
Income above $100,000 ........ 30
Single, no children .......... 22
Married, no children ......... 17
Single with children ......... 23
Married with children ........ 32
Source: National survey of 1,013 residents of the United States conducted by Scripps Howard News Service and the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University conducted Feb. 15-29.