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Poll gives President Bush's performance high marks
by Marisa Helms, Minnesota Public Radio
May 5, 2003

President Bush's popularity remains high among Minnesotans, and a majority also support his decision to go to war with Iraq. (Mason-Dixon Polling and Research)

The latest Minnesota Public Radio-Pioneer Press opinion poll shows overwhelming approval of George W. Bush's performance as president. The majority of respondents said the president is doing a "Good" to "Excellent" job. His handling of the war in Iraq gets particularly high marks. But even those who support the president say he must work hard to revive the domestic economy in order to remain popular.

St. Paul, Minn. — George W. Bush is looking good to most Minnesotans.

Sixty-one percent of people responding to the Mason-Dixon poll rate President Bush's performance as "Good" to "Excellent."

The poll surveyed 625 registered voters. Bush's approval rating, while very good, is down from an October 2001 Mason-Dixon poll where 84 percent of Minnesotans surveyed gave him a "Good" or "Excellent" rating.

I think he's doing a good job as far as over in Iraq goes. I think somebody had to go over there and take out that regime for sure, and I'm glad that he did it. - Ralph Phuson, poll respondent

One of the people giving Bush high marks is Democrat Ralph Phuson of Bigelow Township.

"I think he's doing a good job as far as over in Iraq goes," says Phuson. "I think somebody had to go over there and take out that regime for sure, and I'm glad that he did it."

Phuson is part of the 54 percent majority who believe the Bush administration was right to go to war, and that it's doing the right thing in rebuilding Iraq.

Respondent Lorri Wong of Warroad says she rates Bush at good, leaning to excellent. She also approves of the president's handling of Iraq.

"People do things against our country, terrorism and stuff. Before there was a lot of talk. And they kind of went over there to find Saddam, and then it seemed to me they kind of gave up. And nothing was ever really done," says Wong. "He just went over there now, and put his foot down, and showed them America's not somebody to be messing with."

Wong is also part of the 63 percent of respondents who believe the war in Iraq will still be justified, even if U.S. forces do not find weapons of mass destruction there.

He's done nothing to cause me to admire him in any way. The economy has gone to hell. He asking for tax write-offs and bailing out all of his friends. - Kenneth Henery, poll respondent

The poll was conducted April 29 through May 1. The margin of error is plus or minus 4 percentage points.

Though Bush's performance rating is high, 38 percent of respondents still say Bush is doing a fair to poor job as president. Many of these same people do not agree with the decision to fight a war with Iraq. Nor do they believe the U.S. should be involved in rebuilding Iraq.

Retired Cannon Falls resident Kenneth Henery is adamantly opposed to Bush's approach to foreign and domestic issues.

"He's done nothing to cause me to admire him in any way. The economy has gone to hell. He asking for tax write-offs and bailing out all of his friends -- Ken Lay and all of those goofies," sats Henery.

The poll did not ask respondents to rate Bush on domestic policy or his handling of the economy.

That's a critical point for Mike Erlandson, who chairs the Minnesota DFL Party, and is Minnesota Congressman Martin Sabo's chief of staff.

"I think what's missing from these questions is the reality that when you're spending $1 billion a day on the conflict, on the war -- when we're going to be spending more money to rebuild Iraq than we're going to be spending as a federal government to try to provide health care for senior citizens and children," says Erlandson. "That's the reality that Congress is forced to deal with. So I have reservations any time you hear popularity-based polls, because the whole picture is not part of the poll."

Minnesota Republican Party Chair Ron Eibensteiner admits Bush will need to focus on the domestic economy if his popularity is to remain high with Minnesota voters.

"We are in a recession. There are some signs that we're coming out of recession. And I think the best thing that he could do is continue with his programs of job creation," says Eibensteiner. "And we create jobs in this country through tax cuts and giving more incentive to the private sector. And that's the message he has to articulate and communicate very effectively here in Minnesota, as well as across the country. And if he does that, I have no doubt whatsoever he will be re-elected in 2004, and furthermore, he will carry the state here in Minnesota."

George W. Bush has not officially launched a re-election campaign. But both Eibensteiner of the Minnesota GOP and Erlandson of the state's DFL Party say there's no doubt that last week's triumphant landing aboard a Navy jet on the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier was virtually a campaign stop.

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