October Presidential Campaign 2008

THE WISCONSIN SURVEY

Fall 2008

Presidential Campaign

Survey Information:

Random Selection, Telephone Survey

Number of Adult Wisconsin Resident Respondents: 400 LIKELY VOTERS

Interview Period: October 9 – October 17, 2008

Margin of Error: +/- 5% at the 95% confidence level.

Contact:

Wendy Scattergood

Assistant Professor of Political Science, St. Norbert College Survey Center

DePere, WI 54115

(920) 403-3491

wendy.scattergood@snc.edu

· NOTE: Percentages may not add to 100% due to rounding.

PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN

If the presidential election were held today, for whom would you be more likely to vote: (NAMES ROTATED)

Barack Obama................................................... 51%

John McCain...................................................... 38%

Other (VOL)................................................. 4%

Not Sure ........................................................... 5%

Refused ........................................................... 2%

OF THOSE WHO SPECIFIED A CANDIDATE (including “Other”)

How enthusiastic are you in the support of this candidate?

Very Enthusiastic................................................ 49%

Somewhat Enthusiastic........................................ 41%

Not Very Enthusiastic......................................... 8%

Not At All Enthusiastic........................................ 1%

Not Sure ........................................................... 1%

Refused ........................................................... <1%

What do you think is the most important issue in this year’s presidential election?

1. The Economy (61%)

2. Health Care (7%)

3. Iraq (6%)

4. National Security& Terrorism (5%)

5. Government Spending and Deficit (4%)

6. Pro-Life (3%)

7. Energy (2.5%)

8. Other (9%)

	Sp '03	Fall '04*	Fall '05	Fall '06	Sp '07	Fall '07	Sp '08*	Fall '08*
Iraq	53%	21%	28%	29%	42%	25%	23%	6%
Terrorism	8%	15%	7%	10%	3%	7%	7%	4%
Economy	17%	23%	11%	9%	8%	16%	32%	61%
Health Care	2%	16%	9%	9%	12%	11%	12%	7%
Morality	1%	3%	8%	5%	4%	5%	2%	6%
Government Budget & Taxes	4%	4%	7%	6%	3%	3%	4%	4%
Gas Prices	0%	1%	5%	2%	4%	5%	2%	2%
Politics	7%	7%	5%	6%	2%	6%	8%	3%
Poverty & Soc Security	1%	2%	6%	1%	2%	2%	1%	0%**
Education	1%	<1%	2%	2%	3%	2%	0%	1%
Crime	0%	0%	2%	5%	1%	2%	0%	0%
Environment	<1%	1%	1%	1%	3%	2%	0%	1%

* Question was Issue Important to Vote Choice

** Worry about retirement accounts and hard times for all are included in the Economy category

For each of the following issues, please tell me whether you think John McCain or Barack Obama would be better at handling the issue.

	John McCain	Barack Obama	No Difference (VOL)	Neither (VOL)	Not Sure	Refused
The Iraq War	49%	45%	1%	2%	2%	<1%
National Security	53%	40%	2%	2%	4%	<1%
An Unexpected Major Crisis	43%	50%	2%	1%	4%	<1%
Health Care	27%	59%	2%	7%	5%	<1%
Taxes	33%	54%	4%	4%	6%	<1%
The Economy	32%	55%	3%	5%	5%	<1%
Fixing the Problems with the Financial Institutions	30%	49%	4%	11%	5%	<1%
Energy Policy	35%	52%	4%	4%	6%	<1%
Understands What is Important to the Average Citizen	26%	60%	5%	9%	1%	<1%
Will Bring Change to Washington	22%	54%	9%	12%	3%	<1%

Vice Presidential Candidates

If Sarah Palin had to step into the presidency, do you think she has what it takes to be president?

Yes ........................................................... 38%

No ........................................................... 56%

Not Sure ........................................................... 5%

Refused ........................................................... 1%

How about Joe Biden, if he had to step into the presidency, do you think he has what it takes to be president?

Yes ........................................................... 70%

No ........................................................... 19%

Not Sure ........................................................... 11%

Refused ........................................................... 1%

Direction of the Country, Presidential & Congressional Approval Ratings

Generally speaking, would you say that things in the country are going in the right direction, or are they going in the wrong direction?

Right Direction.................................................... 8%

Wrong Direction................................................. 83%

Not Sure............................................................ 8%

Refused.............................................................. <1%

	Right Direction
Fall '02	47%
Sp '03	36%
Fall '03	41%
Sp '04	32%
Sp '05	40%
Fall '05	29%
Sp '06	24%
Fall '06	30%
Sp '07	21%
Fall '07	22%
Sp '08	18%
Fall '08	8%

How satisfied are you with the way President Bush is doing his job overall. Would you say you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Very Satisfied..................................................... 4%

Somewhat Satisfied............................................ 25%

Somewhat Dissatisfied........................................ 19%

Very Dissatisfied................................................. 50%

Not Sure............................................................ 1%

Refused.............................................................. <1%

Fall '01	93%
Sp '03	54%
Fall '03	48%
Sp '04	45%
Sp '05	51%
Fall '05	40%
Sp '06	37%
Fall '06	40%
Sp '07	34%
Fall '07	36%
Sp '08	31%
Fall '08	29%

How satisfied are you with the way Congress is doing its job overall. Would you say you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very dissatisfied?

Very Satisfied..................................................... 2%

Somewhat Satisfied............................................ 14%

Somewhat Dissatisfied........................................ 36%

Very Dissatisfied................................................. 46%

Not Sure............................................................ 2%

Refused.............................................................. <1%

	Spring '07	Fall '07	Spring '08	Fall '08
Very Satisfied	4%	1%	1%	2%
Somewhat Satisfied	33%	25%	26%	14%
Somewhat Dissatisfied	36%	35%	39%	36%
Very Dissatisfied	21%	35%	30%	46%
Not Sure	6%	3%	4%	2%
Refused	0%	1%	0%	0%