Poll: Katrina Shakes Confidence

Bush's Ratings On Handling The Crisis Improve, But Remain Negative

(CBS) 
Most African-Americans have historically not approved of President Bush's job performance generally, and they overwhelmingly voted for Kerry in the 2004 election. Their current approval of Bush's job performance is a scant 12 percent (82 percent disapprove).

Today they are unlikely to think that Bush cares about the needs and problems of black people, or of Katrina victims in particular. Just 18 percent say the President cares at least some about the needs and problems of black people; 76 percent say he cares not much or none. African-Americans do not see him having much more sympathy for Katrina victims, either; most say he cares not much or not at all about those ravaged by the storm.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS: HOW MUCH DOES BUSH CARE ABOUT NEEDS AND PROBLEMS OF…?
Black people
A lot
1%
Some
17%
Not much/none
76%

Katrina victims
A lot
5%
Some
25%
Not much/none
64%

So it is perhaps not surprising that African Americans do not have confidence that the Administration will help Katrina victims get new housing or find jobs.

AFRICAN-AMERICANS: CONFIDENCE BUSH ADMIN. WILL HELP HURRICANE VICTIMS FIND HOUSING & JOBS?
A lot 9%
Some 22%
Not much/none 69%

This issue may be particularly important to African Americans, since about a third of blacks in the U.S. say they have a close friend or relative who was affected by the hurricane. One in five whites do.

KATRINA AND RELIEF EFFORTS
Just days after FEMA's former director Michael Brown resigned, a large majority of Americans says FEMA and federal agencies' response to Katrina was too slow. Interviewing in this poll was conducted Friday 9/9 through Tuesday 9/13; Brown resigned on Monday.

FEMA & FEDERAL AGENCIES' RESPONSE TO KATRINA WAS…
Too quick 1%
Too slow 70%
About right 23%

Although more Republicans than Democrats said the federal response was about right, a majority of Republicans still says it was too slow.

Just over half of Americans say that now, officials are doing all they can.

ARE FEDERAL OFFICIALS DOING ALL THEY CAN NOW?
Yes 53%
No, could be doing more 40%

Asked to volunteer, in their own words, who or what was singularly most responsible for the delayed response to Katrina, respondents cite government at all levels, New Orleans city government, and the residents themselves.

MOST TO BLAME FOR SITUATION IN NEW ORLEANS
Government generally/ all levels 12%
New Orleans city government 12%
The residents themselves 12%
FEMA/ Michael Brown 11%
Federal government 10%
President Bush 8%
New Orleans mayor/ Ray Nagin 8%
Louisiana state government 7%
LA Gov./ Kathleen Blanco 5%

Opinions split over whether having many National Guard troops in Iraq impeded the Katrina response back in the U.S.-- just over half of Americans do call this a factor in the delayed response, though fewer see it as a major factor. This is the same as last week.

And Katrina's impact is reverberating among families and friendships across America: 23 percent of Americans know someone directly affected by the disaster.

Americans continue to think that the response has tarnished America's image overseas, too: 58 percent say the images of the disaster have worsened views of America.

KATRINA'S IMPACT ON THE PRESIDENT
46 percent are confident the President will make the right decisions about dealing with the problems people affected by Hurricane Katrina are facing; 51 percent are uneasy. Fewer Americans -- 35 percent -- express confidence in Bush's ability to make the right decisions about the war in Iraq; 63 percent say they are uneasy about his approach.

CONFIDENT BUSH WILL MAKE THE RIGHT DECISIONS ON …
Hurricane Katrina
Confident
46%
Uneasy
51%

War in Iraq
Confident
35%
Uneasy
63%

More than two weeks after Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast, half disapprove of George W. Bush's response to it. 44 percent approve of his response to Katrina, while 50% disapprove. However, this is an improvement since last week, when just 38 percent approved of the President's response to Hurricane Katrina.

BUSH'S HANDLING OF RESPONSE TO KATRINA

Approve
Now
44%
Last week
38%
8/30-31
54%

Disapprove
Now
50%
Last week
58%
8/30-31
12%

Don't know
Now
6%
Last week
4%
8/30-31
34%

Views on the President's handling of the hurricane are highly partisan, with 74 percent of Republicans approving, and 73 percent of Democrats disapproving.

The President continues to be seen as acting too slowly in responding to the disaster that followed Katrina. Nearly two-thirds say his response was too slow. On Tuesday, the last day of interviewing for this poll, Bush said he took responsibility for the federal government's response.

BUSH'S RESPONSE TO KATRINA WAS…
Too quick
Now
1%
Last week
1%

Too slow
Now
64%
Last week
65%

About the right speed
Now
32%
Last week
32%

Moreover, Americans do not think the Bush Administration has a clear plan for finding housing and jobs for people left homeless by Hurricane Katrina. Just 21 percent think the Administration has a plan, while 68 percent say they do not.

DOES BUSH ADMIN. HAVE CLEAR PLAN TO FIND HOMES & JOBS FOR VICTIMS?
Yes 21%
No 68%

Although they don't see a plan in place yet, most Americans do have confidence in the Bush Administration's ability to ultimately find new jobs and housing for the displaced Katrina victims -- though fewer have a lot of confidence.

CONFIDENCE IN BUSH ADMIN. FINDING HOUSING & JOBS FOR VICTIMS?
A lot 18%
Some 39%
Not much/none 40%

GAS PRICES AND OTHER ISSUES
More than eight in ten Americans say they have been affected a lot or some by the recent rise in gas prices, and a growing number say those prices are impacting their other spending: 62 percent now report they have changed their spending habits on other household items to compensate, up from 47 percent who said so two weeks ago.

There is not much anticipated relief from high gas prices in the next few months. 43 percent expect prices for gas to continue to rise, and another 29 percent think they will stay where they are now. However, this outlook is more optimistic than it was two weeks ago, when 78 percent expected prices to rise even higher.

IN NEXT FEW MONTHS, EXPECT PRICE OF GAS TO:

Go up
Now
43%
Two weeks ago
78%

Stay the same
Now
29%
Two weeks ago
6%

Go down
Now
25%
Two weeks ago
12%

It's not just gas prices that are affecting Americans' wallets -- two thirds are worried about being able to pay their heating bills this winter. Worries are worse for those living in colder climates.