Great poll, but Chris B warns of complacency.
PRINCETON, N.J., April 22 (UPI) -- The U.S. public overwhelmingly believes President Barack Obama will do a good job of protecting the environment, a Gallup Poll indicates.
Some 79 percent of poll respondents said they thought Obama's presidency would help the environment, compared to 51 percent who said they felt that way about President George Bush after he took office in 2001, Gallup pollsters said Wednesday.
Bush and Obama's approval ratings at the times of the two polls were similar at 63 and 65 percent respectively, suggesting that the difference in public perceptions of the two presidents' potential to protect the environment represents real differences on the issue.
One big difference between the presidents' environmental numbers is that 65 percent of Republicans in the new poll said Obama would do a good job of handling the environment, along with 75 percent of independents and 95 percent of Democrats. By contrast, only 36 percent of Democrats in 2001 felt that Bush would do a good job of protecting the environment, along with 45 percent of independents and 72 percent of Republicans, Gallup said.
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