World News

American Confidence in Bush Remains High Post Attacks

Edited by Joshua Smith - 4th October, 2001

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Support for Bush's actions by U.S. residents remains high as Americans continue to back his response to the terrorist attacks more than two weeks later. Eighty-four percent of respondents approve of Bush's handling of his job as President, up from 78% two days after the attacks. Seventy-four percent believes his reactions to the attacks have been "just about right" (5% thinks they have been too strong and 17% not strong enough). Sixty-seven percent feels the Bush administration has a "clear and well thought out policy" to deal with terrorism.

These are among the main findings of a telephone survey conducted among 1,055 adult Americans September 27, 2001 for Time/CNN by Harris Interactive.

Americans' confidence in the CIA's ability to prevent further terrorist attacks is low. Nineteen percent say they have a "great deal" of confidence in the CIA to prevent attacks, 58% "just some," 16% "not very much," and 6% "none at all." A majority of Americans (57%) think the federal government should investigate whether the CIA or other governmental agencies could have prevented the attacks.

Who can the U.S. count on?

Americans feel they can count on other nations to help combat terrorism -- with surprisingly high numbers feeling this way about Russia -- but are less confident about support in Arab countries.

• 90% believe the U.S. can count on Great Britain
• 79% believe they can count on other Western European allies
• 70% believe they can count on Russia.
• Opinions about China are divided, with 46% believing they can and 43% they cannot count on China.
• 42% believe they can and 48% they cannot count on Saudi Arabia
• 32% believe they can and 56% they cannot count on Pakistan
• 30% believe they can and 54% they cannot count on other Muslim countries

Will Americans allow the government greater powers to combat terrorism?

A majority of Americans (56%) are prepared to give the government more powers to investigate U.S. citizens, and most (59%) say they are not worried that the government would abuse these powers. The types of expanded powers that Americans support are extensive, and in many cases surprising:

• 68% would allow law enforcement officials to wire-tap phone conversations of suspected terrorists without obtaining permission from the courts.
• 61% would allow the federal government to jail anyone, without a hearing, who is not a U.S. citizen and is suspected of aiding terrorists.
• 59% would allow law enforcement officials to hold people suspected of links to terrorist organizations in jail without bail for an unlimited amount of time.
• 57% would require everyone in the U.S. to carry an identification card issued by the federal government.
• Americans are divided over requiring U.S. citizens of Arab descent to carry identification cards, with 49% favoring and 49% opposed.
• 55% would allow law enforcement officials to intercept email messages sent by anyone in the U.S. and scan them for suspicious words or phrases.
• 29% favor and 69% oppose allowing law enforcement officials to stop people on the street for random searches.

As might be expected, Americans are especially supportive of efforts to increase safety in the air. A majority (61%) favors, while (35%) opposes, allowing commercial airline pilots to carry guns. Seventy-seven percent thinks the federal government should take control over airport security; a lower proportion (63%) agrees that "the Army or National Guard," should control airport security.

Significant numbers of Americans have also taken personal precautions or are considering doing so as a result of terrorism, including buying a gas mask or anthrax/smallpox vaccines. Precautions some are taking:

• 31% have purchased or are considering purchasing extra bottled water
• 30% extra food supplies
• 25% vaccines for anthrax or smallpox
• 22% a gun or rifle
• 18% an electric generator
• 17% a gas mask

Similarly, 33% say they have been more careful to monitor people in their community who might be acting suspicious or out of the ordinary.

Most on edge are Americans living in big cities. Overall, 60% of Americans say that everyday life has returned to normal in their communities, while 38% report that it has not. In big cities, 55% say life has returned to normal while 44% say it has not. Overall, 14% of residents of big cities say they are considering moving out of their city because of the terrorist attacks.
 

Methodology

These data result from the latest TIME/CNN poll conducted September 27, 2001 by Harris Interactive. The survey was conducted by telephone among a nationwide cross section 1,055 adult Americans ages 18 and older. The margin of error for total sample is + 3.0 percentage points. Figures for age, gender, education, income and ethnicity in the household were weighted where necessary to align them with their actual proportions in the population.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.