The Pittsburgh Press (June 27, 1941)
The Gallup Poll –
POPULARITY OF PRESIDENT REACHES NEW HIGH OF 76%
By Dr. George Gallup, Director, American Institute of Public Opinion
Princeton, N.J., June 27 –
President Roosevelt’s popularity with the American voters has reached a new high in the American Institute of Public Opinion’s continuous Presidential popularity index. A vote of confidence in the President is expressed by 76% of those interviewed from coast to coast in the latest survey.
This compares with a vote of 73% in his favor found in May. The President’s popularity has risen steadily since the election last November, when he defeated Wendell Willkie by a majority vote of 55%.
A survey conducted throughout England and Wales by the British Institute of Public Opinion, affiliate of the American Institute, shows an even higher popular vote of confidence in Winston Churchill as Prime Minister of Britain. After a little more than one year in office, Mr. Churchill enjoys the confidence and support of more than 80% of the British electorate.
The comparative popularity standing of the heads of the world’s two largest democracies follows:
UNITED STATES
In general, do you approve or disapprove of the way Roosevelt is handling his job as President today?
Approve… 76%
Disapprove… 24%
BRITAIN
In general, do you approve or disapprove of Mr. Churchill as Prime Minister?
Approve… 86%
Disapprove… 9%
No opinion… 5%
Mr. Churchill’s popularity has fallen off slightly since the period before the Nazi Balkan invasion and the capture of Crete. On the eve of the April fighting in the Balkans, he enjoyed the support of 89% of British voters polled.
The British Institute has conducted surveys to determine whether the British people are satisfied or dissatisfied with their government’s conduct of the war.
The last survey shows the following trend:
In general, are you satisfied or dissatisfied with the government’s conduct of the war?
Today
Yes… 58%
No… 30%
No opinion… 12%Feb. 1940
Yes… 59%
No… 28%
No opinion… 13%
In the United States, the American Institute recently measured public sentiment toward President Roosevelt’s policy of aid to Britain to determine how much dissatisfaction existed. It showed the following:
Do you think President Roosevelt has gone too far in his policies of helping Britain or not far enough?
Too far… 23%
About right… 55%
Not far enough… 22%