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Results and data | Sept. 18, 2008

Minnesota

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Margin of error: +/- 4%

Results for select poll questions:

Question 4

How much of the time do you think you can trust the federal government in Washington to do what is right? Just about always, most of the time, only some of the time, or never?

N=610 100%
Just about always 19 3.1%
Most of the Time 128 21.0%
Only Some of the Time 386 63.4%
Never 55 9.0%
Don’t know/refused 21 3.4%

Question 5

Thinking about things in the United States, do you think things in the country are generally going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten off on the wrong track?

N=610 100%
Right direction 123 20.2%
Wrong track 448 73.5%
Don’t know/refused 38 6.2%

Question 6

Thinking about things in Minnesota, do you think things in Minnesota are generally going in the right direction, or do you feel things have gotten off on the wrong track?

N=610 100%
Right direction 290 47.6%
Wrong track 272 44.6%
Don’t know/refused 47 7.7%

Question 7

Would you say that over the past year the nation’s economy has gotten better, stayed about the same or gotten worse?

N=610 100%
Gotten better 21 3.4%
Stayed about the same 91 15.0%
Gotten worse 496 81.3%
Don’t know/refused 2 .4%

The questions about favorability for Obama, McCain, Biden, Palin, and Bush were rotated — that is, they were asked in a random order to each individual respondent.

Question 9

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Barack Obama?

N=610 100%
Very favorable 190 31.2%
Somewhat favorable 100 16.4%
Very unfavorable 184 30.1%
Somewhat unfavorable 114 18.6%
Don’t know/refused 22 3.6%

Question 10

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of George W. Bush?

N=610 100%
Very favorable 64 10.5%
Somewhat favorable 140 23.0%
Very unfavorable 298 48.8%
Somewhat unfavorable 93 15.3%
Don’t know/refused 15 2.4%

Question 11

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of John McCain?

N=610 100%
Very favorable 149 24.4%
Somewhat favorable 201 33.0%
Very unfavorable 122 20.1%
Somewhat unfavorable 118 19.4%
Don’t know/refused 19 3.1%

Question 12

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Joe Biden?

N=610 100%
Very favorable 116 19.1%
Somewhat favorable 166 27.2%
Very unfavorable 88 14.5%
Somewhat unfavorable 104 17.1%
Don’t know/refused 135 22.1%

Question 13

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Sarah Palin?

N=610 100%
Very favorable 171 28.1%
Somewhat favorable 135 22.2%
Very unfavorable 144 23.6%
Somewhat unfavorable 83 13.7%
Don’t know/refused 76 12.4%

Question 14

Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of Hillary Clinton?

N=610 100%
Very favorable 142 23.3%
Somewhat favorable 198 32.4%
Very unfavorable 137 22.5%
Somewhat unfavorable 110 18.0%
Don’t know/refused 23 3.7%

Question 15

If the 2008 presidential election were being held today and the candidates were Barack Obama and Joe Biden, the Democrats, and John McCain and Sarah Palin, the Republicans, for whom would you vote?

N=610 100%
Obama/Biden 272 44.5%
McCain/Palin 263 43.2%
Other 14 2.3%
Undecided 51 8.3%
Refused 10 1.7%

Question 15a

If undecided, which way do you lean?

N=61 100%
Obama/Biden 17 27.2%
McCain/Palin 8 13.1%
Undecided 29 47.2%
Refused 8 12.5%

Cumulative results from question 15 and 15a

Decided voters and undecided voters who are leaning one way or another.

N=610 100%
Obama/Biden 288 47.3%
McCain/Palin 271 44.5%
Other 14 2.3%
Undecided 29 4.7%
Refused 8 1.3%

Questions 16-18: I’m going to read you a list of words and phrases that people sometimes use to describe political leaders. Please tell me who the following words and phrases describe better: Barack Obama or John McCain?

Question 16

Can bring about change

N=610 100%
Barack Obama 317 51.9%
John McCain 203 33.3%
Same 32 5.2%
Don’t know/refused 59 9.6%

Question 17

Shares my values

N=610 100%
Barack Obama 282 46.2%
John McCain 278 45.7%
Same 12 2.0%
Don’t know/refused 38 6.2%

Question 18

Experienced

N=610 100%
Barack Obama 107 17.5%
John McCain 448 73.4%
Same 17 2.8%
Don’t know/refused 38 6.2%

Question 20

When it comes to the war in Iraq, which of the following statements comes closer to your point of view?

N=610 100%
The most responsible thing we can do is to set a firm deadline for the withdrawal of U.S. troops within the next 16 months. 301 49.3%
The most responsible thing we can do is to remain in Iraq until the situation in the country is stable. 267 43.8%
Unsure 25 4.1%
Don’t know/refused 17 2.8%

Question 21

What is your personal feeling about abortion? (1) It should be permitted in all cases. (2) It should be permitted, but subject to greater restrictions than it is now. (3) It should be permitted only in cases such as rape, incest and to save the woman's life. OR, (4) It should only be permitted to save the woman's life?

N=610 100%
Permitted in all cases 165 27.1%
Permitted, but with greater restrictions 88 14.5%
Permitted only in cases such as rape, incest, to save the woman's life 156 25.6%
Only permitted to save the woman's life 108 17.7%
Never 38 6.3%
Don’t know/refused 53 8.8%

Minnesota-specific question

Question 23

If the 2008 Election for the United States Senate were held today, would you vote for Republican Norm Coleman or Democrat Al Franken?

N=610 100%
Norm Coleman 265 43.4%
Al Franken 238 39.0%
Undecided 62 10.2%
Don’t know/refused 45 7.4%