National Public Radio

1

• National Public Radio
• Iraq and Tax Cuts
• October 9, 2003

2
Methodology

• The reported results on public attitudes come
  from a national survey conducted by Greenberg
  Quinlan Rosner Research (GQR) and Public Opinion
  Strategies (POS) for National Public Radio (NPR).
  The firms, together with NPR, developed
  questions to inform a news segment for Morning
  Edition. GQR added the NPR questions to its
  omnibus national surveys. This is the tenth
  survey in the series.
• With a view to the upcoming elections, the
  surveys were conducted with likely voters. All
  participants were registered voters, voted in the
  2000 presidential election or the 2002
  congressional elections (or not eligible) and
  indicated they were almost certain or certain to
  vote in 2004. The sample of potential
  respondents was generated by random digit dial
  methodology. GQR interviewed 1002 voters, with a
  margin of error of /- 3.1.

3
Direction of the Country
NET -14
Generally speaking, do you think that things in
this country are going in the right direction, or
do you feel things have gotten pretty seriously
off on the wrong track?
4
Direction of the Country
March of 2002-Present
Net Difference
32
18
10
-12
-20
14
2
-14
Generally speaking, do you think that things in
this country are going in the right direction, or
do you feel things have gotten pretty seriously
off on the wrong track?
5
Bush Job Approval
NET 10
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George
W. Bush is handling his job as president?
6
Bush Job Approval
March of 2002-Present
Do you approve or disapprove of the way George
W. Bush is handling his job as president?
7
Generic Presidential Vote
NET 0
I know it is a long way off, but thinking about
the elections in 2004, if the election for
president were held today and the candidates were
Republican George W. Bush and the Democratic
nominee for President -- for whom would you vote?

8
Generic Presidential Vote
May of 2003-Present
I know it is a long way off, but thinking about
the elections in 2004, if the election for
president were held today and the candidates were
Republican George W. Bush and the Democratic
nominee for President -- for whom would you vote?

9
Issues in Deciding Presidential Vote
Percent Responding Top Two Choices
And, which one of the following issue areas
would be MOST important to you in deciding how to
vote for a candidate for President? Is it...
10
The War in Iraq
I would like to read you a few statements about
the war in Iraq. Please tell me which comes
closest to your opinion.
11
The War in Iraq
Men Over Time
I would like to read you a few statements about
the war in Iraq. Please tell me which comes
closest to your opinion.
12
The War in Iraq
Women Over Time
I would like to read you a few statements about
the war in Iraq. Please tell me which comes
closest to your opinion.
13
The War in Iraq was a Success
Voters with a High School Education or Less Over
Time
I would like to read you a few statements about
the war in Iraq. Please tell me which comes
closest to your opinion.
14
87 Billion Dollars for Iraq
NET -13
President George W. Bush has asked Congress for
87 billion dollars in additional funding for U.S.
efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Do you favor or
oppose this additional spending?
15
87 Billion Dollars for Iraq
By Partisanship
President George W. Bush has asked Congress for
87 billion dollars in additional funding for U.S.
efforts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Do you favor or
oppose this additional spending?
16
Presidential Candidates on 87 Billion Dollars
Democratic Candidate Supported the War
Total

• The Democrat says I supported the war to get rid
  of Saddam Hussein, but President Bush's
  go-it-alone policy means US troops bearing the
  full burden and US taxpayers bearing all the
  costs of policing and rebuilding Iraq. Next year,
  the US will spend three times as much on Iraq's
  electricity as in the US, per capita. With our
  budget deficits through the roof, that 87
  billion, on top of the 79 billion already spent,
  means less money for education, health care and
  Social Security in our own country.
•  
• President Bush called the decision to remove
  Saddam Hussein critical to our worldwide battle
  against terrorism. Saddam's removal means Iraq's
  weapons of mass destruction will never be used by
  terrorists. Of the 87 billion dollars, two-thirds
  will go to keep our troops supplied with the
  resources they need to hunt down the remaining
  terrorists in Iraq, while 20 billion will be
  spent on Iraq's reconstruction. This is a good
  investment as a successful democracy in Iraq will
  lead to a more stable Middle East and a more
  secure world.

Oppose 53
Favor 44
17
Presidential Candidates on 87 Billion Dollars
Democratic Candidate Opposed the War
Total

• The Democrat says I opposed the war with Iraq
  and President Bush's go-it-alone policy means US
  troops bearing the full burden and US taxpayers
  bearing all the costs of policing and rebuilding
  Iraq. Next year, the US will spend three times as
  much on Iraq's electricity as in the US, per
  capita. With our budget deficits through the
  roof, that 87 billion, on top of the 79 billion
  already spent, means less money for education,
  health care and Social Security in our own
  country.
•  
• President Bush called the decision to remove
  Saddam Hussein critical to our worldwide battle
  against terrorism. Saddam's removal means Iraq's
  weapons of mass destruction will never be used by
  terrorists. Of the 87 billion dollars, two-thirds
  will go to keep our troops supplied with the
  resources they need to hunt down the remaining
  terrorists in Iraq, while 20 billion will be
  spent on Iraq's reconstruction. This is a good
  investment as a successful democracy in Iraq will
  lead to a more stable Middle East and a more
  secure world.

Oppose 55
Favor 41
18
Support for 87 Billion After Presidential Messages
NET -13
NET -9
NET -14
Now, thinking again about the additional
eighty-seven billion dollars the President is
requesting to help pay for the war in Iraq and
the rebuilding effort there, do you favor or
oppose this additional spending for the war and
rebuilding in Iraq?
19
Repeal Tax Cuts
Repeal All Cuts
Total

• The Democrat says that President Bush's budget
  policies have produced the biggest budget deficit
  in the country's history. That will mean less
  money for problems here, including education,
  health care and Social Security. His plan of tax
  cuts for the wealthy and corporations has done
  nothing to stem the loss of 3 million jobs. I
  want to repeal all of the Bush tax cuts and use
  those funds to expand health insurance and
  prescription drug coverage, fully fund our new
  education initiatives and shore up Social
  Security.
•  
• President Bush cut federal tax rates for the
  first time in a generation letting every American
  keep more of their own money to spend, save or
  invest. Bush's tax cuts will mean an average
  savings of 1000 a year for every taxpayer. These
  lower tax rates and the tax relief provided to
  taxpayers receiving rebate checks for the last
  two years are working to strengthen the economy.
  Bush opposes the Democrat's proposal that calls
  for eliminating all of his tax cuts because they
  would once again force working families to pay
  more in taxes and cripple the economy.

50
45
20
Repeal Tax Cuts
Repeal for Top 1 Percent
Total

• The Democrat says that President Bush's budget
  policies have produced the biggest budget deficit
  in the country's history. That will mean less
  money for problems here, including education,
  health care and Social Security. His plan of tax
  cuts for the wealthy and corporations has done
  nothing to stem the loss of 3 million jobs. We
  must keep cutting taxes for the middle class,
  including the child tax credit and deductibility
  of college tuition. But we must repeal Bush's tax
  cut for the top 1 percent, those earning over
  300,000, and use those funds to expand health
  insurance and prescription drug coverage, fully
  fund our new education initiatives and shore up
  Social Security.
•  
• President Bush cut federal tax rates for the
  first time in a generation letting every American
  keep more of their own money to spend, save or
  invest. Bush's tax cuts will mean an average
  savings of 1000 a year for every taxpayer. These
  lower tax rates and the tax relief provided to
  taxpayers receiving rebate checks for the last
  two years are working to strengthen the economy.
  Bush opposes the Democrat's proposals that would
  raise taxes saying while the Democrats campaign
  saying they only want to see the rich pay more,
  once, elected Democrats would go back and once
  again force working families to pay more in taxes
  as well and cripple the economy.

57
36
21
Tax Cut Messages
NET 5
NET 21