GALLUP NEWS SERVICE
PRINCETON, NJ -- Gallup polls show that only a small percentage, roughly 2%, of the American adult population is of the Jewish faith in what is an overwhelmingly Christian nation. Historically, the United States has struggled with the issue of prejudice against Jews, as well as bias against other religious groups, racial minorities, and immigrants. A recent CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds that while very few Americans believe that anti-Semitism is a very serious problem in the United States today, a majority says it is at least somewhat of a problem. Most Americans believe that Jews in the United States have access to influential positions within this country, but one-third do not. Nine in 10 Americans say they would vote for a Jewish candidate for president, and most do not believe that having a Jewish president would present any problems for U.S. foreign policy.
The poll, conducted May 30-June 1, finds 57% of Americans saying that anti-Semitism is at least somewhat of a problem, including 9% who say it is a "very serious" problem. Roughly four in 10 Americans believe it is not much of a problem (30%) or not a problem at all (9%).
| Do you think that anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jewish people, is currently a -- very serious problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all -- in the United States? |
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| May 30-June 1, 2003 |
Views of anti-Semitism as a problem do not vary much by demographic subgroup. Similar to the data among all Americans, a majority of most subgroups say it is at least somewhat of a problem, but relatively few say it is a very serious problem. While Democrats (65%) are slightly more likely than Republicans (53%) and independents (53%) to say anti-Semitism is at least somewhat of a problem, they are nearly twice as likely as Republicans to see it as a serious problem (13% compared with 5%). Similarly, non-whites (16%) are twice as likely as whites (8%) to say anti-Semitism is a serious problem.
Americans Believe Jews Able to Gain Influence in United States
When asked whether they agree or disagree that "virtually all positions of influence in the United States are open to Jews," 59% of Americans agree and 34% disagree. Views on this matter show some differences by gender, race, education, and partisanship. Specifically:
- Sixty-seven percent of men believe Jews have access to influential positions, as do 52% of women.
- Sixty-two percent of whites agree that Jews can gain positions of influence, while only 49% of non-whites agree.
- By a 68% to 48% margin, Americans who attended college are much more likely than those with a high school education or less to say that Jewish people have access to influential positions in the United States.
- Republicans (68%) are more likely to say that Jews have access than are independents (61%) and Democrats (50%). Interestingly, there are no differences by political ideology.
A March 1998 Los Angeles Times poll found Jewish opinion on this matter similar to what Gallup found in the current poll for the nation as a whole. The Times poll found that 56% of Jews living in the United States agreed that Jews have access to positions of influence, while 40% disagreed. Because of their low incidence in the population, it is not possible to get a reliable estimate of Jewish opinion from a single Gallup Poll.
A Jewish President?
Apart from their views of whether Jews actually have access to key positions in the United States, Americans seem very willing to accept a Jewish president. The poll shows 89% of Americans saying they would vote for a Jewish candidate for president if their party nominated one (for more detail, see related analyses). Connecticut Senator Joe Lieberman, seeking to become the first Jewish candidate to head a major party ticket, has consistently been among the leaders when Gallup asks Democrats whom they prefer for their party's nomination in 2004.
While some may think having a Jewish president could present a problem when it comes to foreign policy (especially as concerns U.S. policy in the Middle East), most Americans do not agree. Sixty-five percent of the public says that having a Jewish president would not make much difference when it comes to U.S. foreign policy. More think it would be harmful (18%) than believe it would be helpful (11%). This general pattern holds across key demographic subgroups -- a majority believes it would make no difference, but more say it would hurt than say it would help.
Survey Methods
These results are based on telephone interviews with a randomly selected national sample of 1,019 adults, 18 years and older, conducted May 30-June 1, 2003. For results based on this sample, one can say with 95 percent confidence that the maximum error attributable to sampling and other random effects is plus or minus 3 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.
If the United States elected a president who was Jewish, what impact, if any, do you think it would have on United States foreign policy? Do you think having a Jewish president would be -- [ROTATED: helpful to U.S. foreign policy, would not make much difference, or would it be harmful to U.S. foreign policy]?
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|
Not much |
|
No |
|
|
2003 May 30-Jun 1 |
11% |
65 |
18 |
6 |
Do you think that anti-Semitism, or prejudice against Jewish people, is currently a – very serious problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all – in the United States?
|
Very serious |
Somewhat of a problem |
Not much |
Not a problem |
|
|
|
2003 May 30-Jun 1 |
9% |
48 |
30 |
9 |
4 |
Trend for Comparison: (Jews in the United States)
Do you think that anti-Semitism in the United States is currently a very serious problem, somewhat of a problem, not much of a problem, or not a problem at all? (Source: Los Angeles Times)
|
Very |
Somewhat |
Not much |
Not a problem |
|
||
|
1998 Mar 8-Apr 1 ^ |
19% |
52 |
23 |
4 |
2 |
|
|
^ |
Source: Los Angeles Times poll of adult Jews who live in the United States. |
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Do you agree or disagree with the following statement -- virtually all positions of influence in the United States are open to Jews?
|
Agree |
Disagree |
No opinion |
|
|
2003 May 30-Jun 1 |
59% |
34 |
7 |
Trend for Comparison: (Jews in the United States)
Do you agree or disagree with the following statement -- virtually all positions of influence in the United States are open to Jews? (Source: Los Angeles Times Poll)
|
Agree |
Disagree |
No opinion |
||
|
1998 Mar 8-Apr 1 ^ |
56% |
40 |
4 |
|
|
^ |
Source: Los Angeles Times poll of adult Jews who live in the United States. |
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