CBS News Monthly Poll, February 2004

This poll, conducted February 2004, is part of a series ofmonthly polls that solicit public opinion on political and socialissues. Views were sought on President George W. Bush and his handlingof the presidency, the economy, and foreign affairs, as well as the2004 presidential campaign and the situation with Iraq. A series ofquestions addressed whether President Bush shared the same prioritiesas the respondent, whether he became a war president because of worldevents or the choices he made, and whether he brought different groupsof Americans together or divided them. Respondents were asked aboutthe condition of the national economy, whether the country was goingin the right or wrong direction, and the effect of the Bushadministration's policies on taxes and jobs. Several questions askedwhether the result of the war with Iraq was worth the human andeconomic costs, whether it was a part of or separate from the war onterrorism, whether the United States made the correct decision intaking military action against Iraq, and whether it made the UnitedStates safer or less safe from terrorism. Opinions were solicited onwhether the alleged weapons of mass destruction in Iraq existed,whether it mattered if they were found, whether the Bushadministration told the entire truth about the existence of theseweapons, and how well the Bush administration and United Statesintelligence agencies assessed the threat of weapons of massdestruction in Iraq prior to the war. Respondents were also polled onhow much attention they paid to the 2004 presidential campaign,whether they planned to vote for President Bush or a Democraticcandidate, whether their mind was made up yet, the issue they mostwanted candidates to discuss, whether they planned to vote in aRepublican and Democratic primary or caucus, and whether the currentsystem of primaries and caucuses produced the best presidentialcandidates. Questions regarding the Democratic presidential nominationaddressed who the party should nominate, the main reason respondentswould like to see that person nominated, whether respondents had eversupported nominee Howard Dean, their impressions of nominee JohnKerry, and their level of satisfaction if Kerry won the nomination.Respondents also gave their opinions of the Republican and Democraticparties, how important it was for a president to have served in themilitary, and whether a candidate's personal character and values orposition on issues was more important in their vote. Backgroundvariables include age, sex, religion, religiosity, education,ethnicity, household income, marital status, number of telephone linesin household, political party affiliation, political orientation, andvoter participation and registration history.