Gallup Asks: In 15 Minutes with Bush, What Would Americans Talk About?

By: E&P Staff Ever wonder: If you had 15 minutes to sit down with President Bush, what issues would you raise with him (now that we've been told what's on his iPod)? A new Gallup survey, released today, took this exact approach, putting this question to 1,003 Americans.

Leading the responses was the Iraq war, which 28% selected. That broke down to 22% saying they would urge him to "end the war/get out" and only 3% asking him to "stay the course/finish the job." Another 3% were less specific.

In second place were social security concerns, at 14%, and 11% wish to offer him a personal appraisal -- 6% want to tell Bush he's doing a good job and 5% would like to tell him off or urge him to resign. The economy drew a 10% response, and energy goals and prices 8%. Economic inequality drew 6%, and health issues 6%.

Only 6% raised what Gallup called "moral issues."

In summary, Frank Newport, Gallup's editor in chief, said, "The single bit of advice for the president that occurs more than any other is to end the war in Iraq and get U.S. troops home. In short, despite Bush's focus on domestic issues in recent months, it is clear that a substantial sector of the public is still very worried about the nation's occupancy in Iraq."

The urge to tell the president to "get out of Iraq" topped all age groups and ran strongest in the East and West. About 1 in 10 Republicans also chose that option, topped only by 13% of them wishing to tell him he is doing a good job.