Bush's Standing Improves
Our new poll finds that with the public less focused on the news from Iraq, opinions have become more positive than they were a month ago when pictures from the prison abuse scandal were first coming to light. The number of Americans who think the military effort is going well jumped from 46% in May to 57%, despite ongoing violence in Iraq and the widening prison scandal. And the numbers who believe it was right to go to war against Iraq inched up to 55%, from 51% in May.
The latest survey by the Pew Research Center for the People and the Press, conducted June 3-13 among 1,806 Americans, indicates that many Americans are becoming less connected to the news about Iraq and possibly more hardened to events there. Just 39% say they have been tracking developments in Iraq very closely - down 15 points since April and the lowest level this year. Moreover, 35% say that people they know are becoming less emotionally involved with the news from Iraq, a sharp increase from 26% last month.
The survey also shows that President Bush improved his political standing over the past month. His overall approval rating increased slightly - from 44% in May to 48%. Bush's job approval remained at 44% in the days prior to Ronald Reagan's death but rose appreciably -- to 50% -- over the following week.
Bush also has gained ground in the presidential race. He holds a 48%-46% edge over Sen. John Kerry in a two-person contest; last month, he trailed Kerry 50%-45%. The poll finds that the shift reflects a slight decline in anti-Bush sentiment.
Favorable views of Kerry have slipped since his successful run through the Democratic primaries, as opinions of the presumptive Democratic nominee have grown more partisan. Half of Americans have a positive impression of the Massachusetts Democrat, down from 58% in February. More significantly, 41% have a negative view, up from 28% in February. Still, Kerry's ratings currently are comparable to those of most other presidential candidates at this point in the cycle - including both eventual winners and losers.
View Report: <http://people-press.org/reports/display.php3?ReportID=216>