Results: AP-Ipsos poll on Bush, Iraq

The Associated Press-Ipsos poll on public attitudes about President Bush, Iraq and the nation's direction was conducted Monday through Wednesday and is based on telephone interviews with 1,003 adults from all states except Alaska and Hawaii. It was completed before news of the killing of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi and the naming of new Iraqi ministers of interior, defense and national security.

Results were weighted to represent the population by demographic factors such as age, sex, region, race and income.

No more than one time in 20 should chance variations in the sample cause the results to vary by more than plus or minus 3 percentage points from the answers that would be obtained if all people in the U.S. were polled.

There are other sources of potential error in polls, including the wording and order of questions. Results may not total 100 percent because of rounding. An "X" signifies less than 1 percent.

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(Early May results are in parentheses)

1. Generally speaking, would you say things in this country are heading in the right direction, or are they off on the wrong track?

_Right direction, 26 percent (23)

_Wrong track, 70 percent (73)

_Not sure, 4 percent (4)

2. Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling his job as president?

_Approve, 35 percent (33)

_Disapprove, 63 percent (65)

_Mixed feelings, 2 percent (2)

_Not sure, X percent (X)

3. And when it comes to handling the economy, do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?

_Approve, 38 percent (37)

_Disapprove, 60 percent (61)

_Mixed feelings, 2 percent (2)

_Not sure, X percent (X)

4. And when it comes to domestic issues like health care, education and the environment, do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?

_Approve, 38 percent (36)

_Disapprove, 60 percent (60)

_Mixed feelings, 2 (3)

_Not sure, X percent (1)

5. When it comes to handling foreign policy issues and the war on terrorism, do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?

_Approve, 39 percent (43)

_Disapprove, 59 percent (54)

_Mixed feelings, 2 percent (2)

_Not sure, 1 percent (X)

6. When it comes to handling the situation in Iraq, do you approve or disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?

_Approve, 33 percent (37)

_Disapprove, 64 percent (60)

_Mixed feelings, 2 percent (2)

_Not sure, 1 percent (1)

7. When it comes to handling gas prices, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way George W. Bush is handling that issue?

_Approve, 24 percent (23)

_Disapprove, 72 percent (74)

_Mixed feelings, 2 percent (2)

_Not sure, 2 percent (1)

8. Overall, do you approve, disapprove or have mixed feelings about the way Congress is handling its job?

_Approve, 24 percent (25)

_Disapprove, 73 percent (71)

_Mixed feelings, 3 percent (3)

_Not sure, X percent (1)

9. And if the election for Congress were held today, would you want to see the Republicans or Democrats win control of Congress?

_Republicans, 32 percent (34)

_Democrats, 52 percent (51)

_Neither (VOLUNTEERED), 12 percent (13)

_Not sure, 4 percent (2)

_________

10. All in all, thinking about how things have gone in Iraq since the United States went to war there in March 2003, do you think the United States ...

(Results from December and August 2005 and December 2003 in parentheses)

_Made the right decision in going to war in Iraq, 38 percent (December 2005, 42; August 2005, 43; December 2003, 67 )

_Made a mistake in going to war in Iraq, 59 percent (December, 49; August, 53; December 2003, 29 )

_Not sure, 3 percent (December, 9; August, 4; December 2003, 4 )

11. How likely is it that a stable, democratic government will be established in Iraq? Is it ...

(Results from March 2006, August 2005 in parentheses)

_Very likely, 8 percent (March, 12; August, 11)

_Somewhat likely, 36 percent (March, 36; August, 40)

_Not too likely, 33 percent (March, 33; August, 30)

_Not at all likely, 21 percent (March, 16; August, 16)

_Not sure, 2 percent (March, 3; August, 3)

TOTAL LIKELY — 44 percent (March 2006, 48; August 2005, 51)

TOTAL NOT LIKELY — 54 percent (March 2006, 49; August 2005, 46)

12. How closely have you followed news reports about the allegations of United States military forces killing Iraqi civilians?

_Very closely, 29 percent

_Somewhat closely, 47 percent

_Not too closely, 17 percent

_Not at all closely, 6 percent

_Not sure, 1 percent

13. Regardless of whether these allegations are true, do you think the killing of civilians by United States military forces in Iraq has happened ...

_Only in isolated incidents, 63 percent

_On many occasions, 31 percent

_Not sure, 6 percent

14. Would you say the United States military is doing all it can to prevent the killing of civilians in Iraq or that the military could do more than it is doing now to prevent the killing of civilians in Iraq?

_Is doing all it can, 61 percent

_Could do more, 35 percent

_Not sure, 4 percent