Show als h by Richard Richards Chairman National Committee What America Thinks About President Reagan Theres There's no way around it youve you've got to be careful when you read public opinion ion polls For one thing no poll is printed in its entirety what you read depends on what an editor decides to print Also different polls ask slightly differently phrased questions and the results as you might expect t can be widely different But despite gloomy me me- media dia statements on President Reagans Reagan's allegedly declining popularity a careful poll analysis shows that the media are far from correct A recent Gallup Poll shows that the Presidents President's ratings on personal personal characteristics have improved since June 1980 In terms of leader leader- leadership ship Int intelligence moral principles and reo re- religious belief public support sup sup- support port has risen anywhere from four to in the case of religion 23 percent The same poll shows that by a margin of 66 58 to 33 percent Americans believe that Pres Pres- President ident Reagan can get the job done How soon can we begin to judge the success of As of late May a New CBS York Times poll discovered that 71 per per- percent cent of Americans surveyed believe its it's unfair to judge before later this year and that it will take even longer than that thatto thatto to really know the effects of the Presidents President's programs According to a survey I J u u y Skelly and White for Time 82 percent say they have some or a lot lotof lotof of confidence that brighter times are coming for Cor the economy The March survey sur- sur survey vey also reported that only 18 percent have no real confidence In our econom- econom economic economIc ic future |