Americans satisfied with government response to anthrax threat

While 65 percent of adults said they were either "a great deal" or "somewhat" worried about anthrax bacteria in the mail system, according to an Oct. 15 ABC News/Washington Post poll, 85 percent also voiced satisfaction with how the government had handled the anthrax outbreaks.

Respondents were nearly split as to the nature of the threat--45 percent thought the outbreaks were an isolated event, while 50 percent felt that this was the beginning on an ongoing danger.

While one-third of those polled said the media had exaggerated the anthrax situation, 62 percent thought the reporting had not overstated the case. And a small minority were taking matters into their own hands--1 percent said they had already purchased a supply of antibiotics in case of a biological attack, and 9 percent were considering it.

Congress Riding Record High

Not only does President Bush enjoy an 89 percent job approval rating in a recent Gallup poll, but Congress' 84 percent approval numbers mark the highest level in Gallup's 27 years of surveying.

Sixty-seven percent of those surveyed said they were satisfied with the way things were going in the United States, while 29 percent expressed dissatisfaction. And 42 percent said the United States and its allies were winning the war on terrorism, compared to 11 percent who saw the terrorists on top. (Forty-four percent said neither side was winning.)

Public: Civil Liberties Can Be Curbed (Sometimes)

To prevent further terrorist attacks, Americans are willing to forego certain civil liberties, a CNN/Gallup/USA Today poll shows--although support diminishes when the restrictions affect "anyone in America."

Eighty-five percent of respondents said the federal government should be allowed to hold non-citizens in jail without bail for seven days if they were suspected of being terrorists. A smaller majority, 60 percent, said that with judicial approval, government officials should be allowed to intercept e-mail messages and scan them for suspicious words or phrases. Thirty-eight percent opposed the e-mail scans.

Media Numbers And Restrictions

Americans are generally happy with the way the news media are covering the terrorist attacks and the war on terrorism, but they would like to see more restrictions placed on news organizations, according to a Pew poll. Seventy-four percent of respondents said the media had done an excellent or good job covering the attacks, with only 6 percent calling coverage poor.

Approval of press coverage has not translated into support for press freedom, however: 59 percent said the military should have more control over what the media reports. A slim majority--52 percent--said the news media should not show Osama bin Laden's videotaped speeches, while 40 percent said such tapes should be aired.