Bush Inauguration Well Received

GALLUP NEWS SERVICE

PRINCETON, NJ -- Americans reacted positively to President George W. Bush's inauguration speech Thursday, giving it high ratings and agreeing in principle with the president's emphasis on supporting the spread of democracy around the world. But they were highly skeptical that the United States would ever be able to achieve what Bush said should be the country's ultimate goal -- to end tyranny in the world -- and they were dubious that Bush would personally be able to heal the partisan divisions in the country.

Those are the major findings of Thursday night's CNN/USA Today/Gallup quick-reaction poll of slightly more than 600 American adults.

Some details:

• Almost three-quarters, 73%, either watched the ceremonies live (40%), or followed them on the news (33%). Another 26% said they did neither. Among those who didn't watch, about a third could not do so although they wanted to, while the rest either didn't care or said they didn't like Bush.
  
  
• Despite some controversy this past week over whether it was appropriate to have such a gala while the country is at war, 60% of Americans said the festivities were appropriate; 32% disagreed.
  
  
• Among those who watched either the inaugural ceremony or news about the ceremony, 62% rated Bush's speech as excellent or good, while only 11% said poor or terrible. Another 20% said the speech was "just OK."
  
  
• Most people, 67%, saw Bush's inauguration as a cause for celebration -- either for Bush personally (21%) or for U.S. democracy and history (46%). Another 30% of Americans denied the inauguration was a cause for celebration at all.
  
  
• Though substantial majorities of Americans saw the festivities as appropriate and the inauguration as a cause for celebration, only half said they were either happy or thrilled about Bush's inauguration. A quarter said they didn't care, and another 22% said they were either unhappy or depressed.

In his speech, Bush spoke about the need to heal divisions at home and stop tyranny abroad. He emphasized support of democratic movements around the world as essential to U.S. security. The poll shows that on these general goals, Americans tend to agree with the president.

• Sixty-six percent say it should be either a top or high priority for U.S. foreign policy to support democratic movements around the world.
  
  
• Sixty percent say the spread of democracy is essential for U.S. security; 35% disagree.

Americans are highly doubtful, however, that the United States can end tyranny in the world -- just 35% say the country can do it, while 60% disagree.

The public is more evenly divided on whether Bush can heal the partisan divisions in the country. A slight majority, 53%, says he will not achieve that goal, while 42% of Americans say he will. But on that question, as with most questions in the survey, there are major partisan divisions.

• By 73% to 21%, Republicans say Bush will heal the divisions.
  
  
• By 61% to 33%, independents say Bush will not heal the divisions.
  
  
• Democrats agree that Bush will not heal the divisions, by a 91% to 8% margin.

Survey Methods

Results are based on telephone interviews with 624 national adults, aged 18 and older, conducted Jan. 20, 2005. For results based on the total sample of national adults, one can say with 95% confidence that the maximum margin of sampling error is ±4 percentage points.

For results based on the sample of 456 adults who watched the inaugural ceremonies or watched news reports of the events, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±5 percentage points.

For results based on the sample of 164 adults who did not watch the inaugural ceremonies or see news reports of the events, the maximum margin of sampling error is ±8 percentage points.

In addition to sampling error, question wording and practical difficulties in conducting surveys can introduce error or bias into the findings of public opinion polls.

Polls conducted entirely in one day, such as this one, are subject to additional error or bias not found in polls conducted over several days.

As you may know, George W. Bush was inaugurated for his second term as president today.  First,

1.         How did you personally feel about George W. Bush's inauguration today?  If you had to choose one of the following descriptions, would you say you felt – [ROTATED: thrilled, happy, didn't care, unhappy, (or) depressed]?

2.         Which comes closest to your view of today's inauguration – [ROTATED: it is a cause for celebration of George W. Bush's election victory, it is a cause for celebration of U.S. democracy and history, or it is not a cause for celebration at all]?

3.         Based on what you have heard or read about today's inauguration, does it make you feel more hopeful about the next four years, less hopeful, or does it not make any difference?

4.         Do you think the festivities surrounding today's inauguration were appropriate or inappropriate?

Next,

5.         Which of the following applies to you -- you watched or listened to the inauguration ceremonies as they happened, you watched, listened to, or read news reports about the inauguration ceremonies, or you did not do either?

6.         Based on what you have heard or read, how would you rate George W. Bush's inauguration speech?  Would you rate it as -- excellent, good, just okay, poor, or terrible?

BASED ON 456 ADULTS WHO WATCHED THE INAUGURAL CEREMONIES OR WATCHED NEWS REPORTS OF THE CEREMONIES

7.         Which of the following would you say is the main reason you did not watch the inauguration ceremonies -- you wanted to watch the ceremonies, but were unable to do so, you dislike George W. Bush, or you did not care about the inauguration ceremonies?

BASED ON 164 ADULTS WHO DID NOT WATCH THE INAUGURAL CEREMONIES OR NEWS REPORTS OF THE CEREMONIES

8.         As you may know, in his speech today, George W. Bush said that he will "strive in good faith to heal" the divisions in this country.  Do you think he will -- or will not -- heal those divisions in the next four years?

9.         In his speech, George W. Bush also said that the United States' "ultimate goal" is "ending tyranny in the world." Do you think the U.S. can -- or cannot -- achieve that goal?

10.       Also in his speech, George W. Bush said it is the policy of the U.S. to support the growth of democratic movements in every nation. How important a priority do you think this should be for U.S. foreign policy -- the top priority, a high priority, a low priority, or not a priority at all?

11.       Do you think spreading democracy throughout the world is essential for U.S. security, or doesn't it make much difference to U.S. security?