Poll: Katrina Response Inadequate

Public Says Response To Katrina Too Slow; Confidence In Bush Drops

(CBS)  As for the government in general, only half of Americans have confidence in the U.S. government to respond to natural disasters. Only 19 percent have a lot of confidence. 15 percent have none at all.

CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT TO RESPOND TO NATURAL DISASTERS

A great deal
19%
Fair amount
32%
Not much
34%
None at all
15%

There has even been a decline in just the last week in perception of the government’s ability to protect Americans from terrorist attacks -- 40 percent now have either not much or no confidence, up from 26 percent a week ago.

CONFIDENCE IN GOVERNMENT’S ABILITY TO PROTECT CITIZENS FROM TERRORISM

A great deal
Now
19%
8/29-31
18%

A fair amount
Now
40%
8/29-31
54%

Not much/none
Now
40%
8/29-31
26%

And most Americans-- 59 percent - say the government's response to Katrina has hurt the U.S.' image overseas.

KATRINA RESPONSE HAS MADE U.S. IMAGE OVERSEAS…?

Better
7%
Worse
59%
No different
27%

PLACING BLAME FOR THE DISASTER

Americans fault government at all levels for lack of preparation before the storm hit. More than two-thirds of Americans say the federal government did a poor job preparing for Katrina. State and local governments fare just as poorly.


PLANNING BEFORE THE STORM: GOVERNMENTS DID A…

Good job
Federal government
22%
State and local governments
20%

Poor job
Federal government
69%
State and local governments
70%

Other factors get blame, too. When asked specifically about the cutbacks in spending on New Orleans' levees that have taken place in recent years, most Americans -- 69 percent -- consider those cutbacks a contributing factor in the flooding. This includes 45 percent who call them a major factor.

WAS REDUCED FEDERAL SPENDING ON LEVEES A FACTOR IN FLOODING?

Yes, major factor
45%
Yes, minor factor
24%
No
21%

And when asked, most Americans say that having National Guard materials and manpower in Iraq was at least a minor factor affecting the response and rescue efforts in the Gulf. But few call that a major factor.

DID HAVING TROOPS IN IRAQ DELAY HURRICANE RESPONSE?

Yes, major factor
23%
Yes, minor factor
34%
No
41%

However, half say the race and class of those in need did not play a role in the speed of the response: 50 percent say the fact that most of those left stranded were African-American did not impact how quickly authorities responded, and that had most of those left behind been white, the response would have been the same. 48 percent say it was at least a minor factor.

DID THE RACE AND CLASS OF THOSE STRANDED AFFECT SPEED OF THE RESPONSE?

Yes, major factor
29%
Yes, minor factor
19%
No, not a factor
50%

Asked to volunteer who or what they blame the most for the living conditions and flooding that plagued New Orleans last week, the government, and specific government officials at all levels are most frequently named. Some others volunteer that the residents themselves are most to blame, faulting them for their behavior or for not evacuating in the first place.

WHO IS MOST TO BLAME FOR SITUATION IN NEW ORLEANS LAST WEEK?

Federal government
17%
New Orleans city gov't
15%
Government generally/ all levels
14%
The residents themselves
12%
Louisiana state gov't
7%
President Bush
5%
New Orleans mayor/ Ray Nagin
4%
LA Gov./ Kathleen Blanco
2%