Poll Watch: AP/GfK Political Survey

AP/GfK Political Survey

Overall, please tell me whether you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president.

• Approve 60%
• Disapprove 39%

What kind of president do you think Barack Obama has been so far? An outstanding president, above average, average, below average, or poor?

• Outstanding 16%
• Above average 26%
• Average 28%
• Below average 15%
• Poor 16%

Please tell me if you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling each of the following issues. How about…


The economy

• Approve 52%
• Disapprove 47%

Unemployment

• Approve 52%
• Disapprove 47%

Taxes

• Approve 48%
• Disapprove 50%

Federal budget deficit

• Approve 47%
• Disapprove 52%

Health care

• Approve 54%
• Disapprove 46%

Education

• Approve 63%
• Disapprove 34%

Immigration

• Approve 52%
• Disapprove 46%

Terrorism

• Approve 72%
• Disapprove 27%

The situation in Afghanistan

• Approve 65%
• Disapprove 34%

The situation in Iraq

• Approve 62%
• Disapprove 36%

The situation in Libya

• Approve 57%
• Disapprove 37%

Relationships with other countries

• Approve 69%
• Disapprove 30%

The environment

• Approve 65%
• Disapprove 32%

Energy

• Approve 59%
• Disapprove 38%

Gas prices

• Approve 35%
• Disapprove 61%

Who do you trust to do a better job of handling the economy?

• Democrats 49%
• Republicans 38%

Who do you trust to do a better job of protecting the country?

• Republicans 43%
• Democrats 42%

Who do you trust to do a better job of handling health care?

• Democrats 53%
• Republicans 35%

Who do you trust to do a better job of managing the federal budget deficit?

• Democrats 42%
• Republicans 40%

Who do you trust to do a better job of handling taxes?

• Democrats 48%
• Republicans 39%

Who do you trust to do a better job of creating jobs?

• Democrats 52%
• Republicans 36%

Who do you trust to do a better job of handling Social Security?

• Democrats 52%
• Republicans 34%

Who do you trust to do a better job of handling Medicare?

• Democrats 54%
• Republicans 33%

Do you approve or disapprove of Barack Obama’s decision to begin withdrawal of U.S. combat troops from Afghanistan in July, 2011 and end U.S. combat operations there by 2014?

• Approve 80%
• Disapprove 15%

Do you think the pace of the planned withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan is too fast, too slow, or about right?

• Too fast 15%
• Too slow 26%
• About right 57%

How do you feel about the use of torture against suspected terrorists to obtain information about terrorism activities? Can that often be justified, sometimes be justified, rarely be justified, or never be justified?

• Often be justified 25%
• Sometimes be justified 35%
• Rarely be justified 14%
• Never be justified 25%

And when it comes to terrorism, how confident are you that President Barack Obama will be able to handle this issue effectively? Very confident, somewhat confident, not too confident, or not at all confident?

• Very confident 38%
• Somewhat confident 36%
• Not too confident 15%
• Not at all confident 12%

Has the killing of Osama bin Laden by U.S. forces increased the threat of terrorism against the United States, decreased the threat of terrorism against the United States, or had no effect on the threat of terrorism against the United States?

• Increased threat of terrorism 50%
• Decreased threat of terrorism 17%
• No effect 31%

Overall, do you approve or disapprove of the way the U.S. military and CIA handled the raid which resulted in the death of Osama bin Laden?

• Approve 86%
• Disapprove 6%

Do you think that U.S. forces were justified in killing bin Laden during this raid or were they not justified?

• Justified 87%
• Not justified 9%

All in all, do you think the U.S. search for Osama bin Laden took too long, or did not take too long?

• Took too long 75%
• Did not take too long 22%

Do you think the U.S. government has or has not released enough information about what happened during the raid?

• Has released enough information 64%
• Has not released enough information 33%

Do you think the United States should or should not release a photo or video of Osama bin Laden’s dead body?

• Should release a photo 34%
• Should not release a photo 64%

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable impression of...

Barack Obama

• Very favorable 39%
• Somewhat favorable 25%
• Somewhat unfavorable 15%
• Very unfavorable 21%

Michelle Obama

• Very favorable 42%
• Somewhat favorable 29%
• Somewhat unfavorable 14%
• Very unfavorable 10%

Hillary Clinton

• Very favorable 39%
• Somewhat favorable 32%
• Somewhat unfavorable 12%
• Very unfavorable 14%

George W. Bush

• Very favorable 20%
• Somewhat favorable 30%
• Somewhat unfavorable 18%
• Very unfavorable 30%

Do you consider yourself a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or are you not a supporter of the Tea Party movement?

• Supporter 30%
• Not a supporter 63%

Survey of 1,001 adults was conducted May 5-9, 2010.  The margin of error is +/- 4.2 percentage points.  Party ID breakdown: 46% Democrat; 29% Republican.  Political ideology: 36% Moderate; 22% Somewhat conservative; 16% Strongly conservative; 14% Somewhat liberal; 9% Strongly liberal.