Poll: 6 in 10 give presidency to Bush
But NBC poll also finds half feel Bush should have held off
A solid majority of Americans now believe that Texas Gov. George W. Bush won the presidency, a new poll for NBC shows.
Nov. 28 — Though a majority of Americans appear to believe George W. Bush has won the presidency, at least half think the Texas governor should not yet have claimed victory over Al Gore, according to the latest NBC News poll.
WHILE 61 percent believe Bush won, almost one-third of Americans believe the contested Florida election has not yet been decided. Half think the Florida vote has been settled — with Bush winning it — while only 16 percent think Gore took the Sunshine State.
The poll, which was conducted Nov. 27 by pollsters Peter Hart and Robert Teeter, had a total of 490 respondents and a margin of error of 4.5 percentage points.
In his analysis, Hart said the biggest conclusion from the survey was that in the eyes of the public, Bush has won. Even a third of those who voted for Gore believe that’s the case, he noted.
And even among those who felt Gore should not yet concede, Hart said, about a third felt Bush is the winner.
Bush seems to have benefited from the past two weeks of tumult in Florida as the state’s 62 counties tried to arrive at a more accurate vote tally; in a previous NBC News poll conducted on Nov. 13, only 36 percent felt Bush had clinched a Florida victory.
However, it is clear more Americans are unhappy with the post-election behavior of both men: 47 percent disapprove of Gore’s behavior, and 41 percent are unhappy with Bush’s. On Nov. 13, the percentages were 38 and 36, respectively.
Moreover, Bush’s claim of victory on Sunday has been perceived as a misstep. Fifty-one percent disapprove of Bush’s move, while there is an even split as to whether Gore should concede the election fight now — 49 percent say he should, and an equal number say he shouldn’t.
Hart noted that even one-third of those who felt Bush has won said he should have waited.
The conclusion there, he said, is that while people may view Bush as winner, they have him on a short leash.
FRUSTRATION GROWS
There is little news to hearten those concerned about the impact of the fractious post-election standoff. Almost half of Americans — 44 percent — felt the decision by Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, a solid Bush supporter, to certify Bush as the winner in the state was “based on an unfair and biased process”; 49 percent felt her actions were fair and unbiased. And more than half feel that, no matter the eventual result, the United States will remain divided over the outcome, with the winner unable to have a significant impact.
Still, most Americans say they would be willing to support the winner, no matter who it is. Almost two-thirds say they would be comfortable with Gore as the winner, and slightly more than that feel comfortable with an eventual Bush win.
There is one set of public servants who’ve retained the nation’s respect after the extended election debacle, but they aren’t to be found on any of the election ballots — or even in the executive branch. Almost three out of four Americans say they believe the nine justices of the U.S. Supreme Court will be able to make a fair, nonpartisan decision about issues related to the Florida recount.
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