Survey shows mixed feelings on disaster response
More than 40 percent of Americans said federal agencies had done a bad or terrible job, but 35 percent rated the response effort as good or great.
Although much criticism has been directed at officials on national, state and local levels about their handling of Katrina's aftermath, a new CNN/Gallup/USA Today poll shows Americans have mixed feelings about the response.
Forty-two percent of respondents to the survey said "federal government agencies responsible for handling emergencies" had done a bad or terrible job, 20 percent said their response was neither good nor bad and 35 percent deemed it great or good.
President Bush earned similar marks, with 42 percent rating his response negatively, 35 percent rating it positively and 21 percent choosing the middle option. The public was slightly easier on Louisiana officials; a small plurality gave their response favorable marks.
More than 60 percent of those surveyed said they believed that progress made in dealing with the situation was satisfactory, while 35 percent said it was not.
A 38-percent plurality said no one -- not Bush, federal agencies or local officials -- was to blame for the problems after the hurricane, and respondents stopped short of calling for anyone's head. Fewer than three in 10 said federal officials responsible for handling emergencies should be fired.
A total of 609 people were interviewed for the survey, which was conducted on Sept. 5 and 6.