In passing a bill to make the District's Attorney General an elected office, the D.C. Council yesterday was acting in line with the views of a majority of District residents. In a new Washington Post poll, 55 percent of Washingtonians say the city's attorney general ought to be elected, while a third say it should remain an appointed position.

Q. As you may know, under District law, the mayor appoints the city's attorney general. Would you prefer that this position remain an appointed one or do you think it should be an elected office, with the person selected by District-wide vote?

SOURCE: Washington Post poll conducted Jan. 24-28 among a sample of 1,135 residents of Washington, D.C. The results have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

The change draws majority support across partisan and ideological lines, though African American residents are more apt than whites to favor making the office an elected one (62 percent compared with 46 percent of whites).

Support for the change does not appear related to the recent kerfuffle between current Attorney General Peter Nickles and the city council. There is majority support for making it an elected office whether residents have a positive or negative take on Nickles or the city council.

Nickles himself does not register for a majority of the city's residents, nearly seven in 10 expressed no opinion about the Attorney General. Overall, 19 percent view him favorably, 13 percent unfavorably.

A new Washington Post poll finds strong approval ratings for President Obama among Washington, D.C. residents, with nearly nine in 10 Washingtonians saying they approve of the way Obama is handing his job one year after he and his family took up residence at the most famous address in the District. Six in 10 strongly approve.

The new data dovetail with a fresh analysis from Gallup showing the District ranking as the most Democratic spot in the nation.

Obama's overall rating in D.C. far outpaces his 53 percent mark nationally in the latest Post-ABC poll, with the difference all among whites. White residents of D.C. give Obama a 79 percent approval rating, while nationally, Obama rates 44 percent approval among whites and 52 percent among whites who live in urban areas, according to the Post-ABC poll. Blacks in D.C. give Obama a 95 percent approval rating, about the same as his 96 percent mark nationally.

The difference between whites in the District and nationally is largely a partisan one. Nationwide, just over a quarter of whites consider themselves Democrats, according to Post-ABC News polling, but in the District, the Post poll shows around six in 10 whites identify with the president's party.

Gallup's analysis of 2009 data finds that overall, Democrats held a 66 percentage point advantage over the GOP in the District for the year, more than doubling the margin among the next most Democratic state, Rhode Island, where Democrats posted a 32-point lead.

Full results from the Post's Washington, D.C. poll can be found here.

Q. On another subject, do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? Do you approve/disapprove strongly or somewhat?

        ------ Approve --------  ------ Disapprove -----   No  
        NET  Strongly  Somewhat  NET  Somewhat  Strongly  opin.
All     87      60        27     11       4         6       2
 White  79      42        37     20       9        11       1
 Black  95      73        22      3       1         2       2

In Tuesday's Massachusetts special election, Democrat Martha Coakley underperformed Barack Obama's 2008 vote by 15 points, and a new Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation-Harvard University poll of voters in the Bay State shows this year's contest drew to the polls a whiter, older, less-educated and more independent electorate than did the presidential campaign.

Overall, 53 percent of voters were political independents (or others) this time around, up 13 points from 2008, and the group broke in Republican Scott Brown's favor by a nearly 2 to 1 margin. In 2008, Obama won these voters 17 points.

Coakley missed Obama's mark among those with family incomes under $100,000 and among non-college whites by 20 percentage points. She held closer to his level among those with higher incomes (45 percent vs. 50 percent for Obama) and whites with more formal education (53 percent vs. 62 percent for Obama).

Voters who turned out on Tuesday did reflect a somewhat rosier view than 2008 voters on the nation's direction (31 percent right direction vs. 14 percent in 2008) and on the economy (45 percent were "very worried" about it compared with 55 percent in 2008). But the vote among those who see things moving the wrong way now swings the opposite direction than it did in 2008: Coakley lost these "wrong direction" voters by 35 points while Obama won them by 45.

More crosstabs from this contest can be found here, and check out the charted highlights here.

Post-Kaiser-Harvard post-election Massachusetts poll is now live. Data are here, including breakdowns of Brown and Coakley voters.

We'll be posting crosstabs from this poll today. If you'd like particular breakdowns, let us know in the comments section below.

Republican Scott Brown won two-thirds of the Massachusetts voters who believe the country is seriously off course, according to a new Washington Post-Kaiser-Harvard poll of special election voters (and non-voters). Brown's margin here highlights a shift in voter anger; in 2008, Obama scored a decisive win among those dissatisfied with the direction of the country.

The poll was conducted Jan. 20 and 21. Check back here for crosstabs from the survey.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds President Obama's handling of the threat of terrorism continues to be a strong point, but on one of his most high profile initiatives - closing the military prison at Guantanamo Bay - support has fallen off sharply.

After taking the oath of office one year ago today, Obama said "we reject as false the choice between our safety and our ideals," and pledged to defeat "those who seek to advance their aims by inducing terror and slaughtering innocents."

One year later, a majority of Americans approve of the way Obama is handling the threat of terrorism and his response to last month's attempted terrorist bombing of a plane bound for Detroit. But 56 percent, a new high, disapprove of Obama's decision to close the U.S. military prison in Guantanamo Bay, one of his first actions as president. About four in 10 (39 percent) approve of it.

The souring of views on plan to shutter Guantanamo comes chiefly among three groups: seniors, political independents and whites. Among seniors, disapproval of closing the prison has grown by more than 20 points since June to 70 percent; among independents (58 percent disapprove, up seven points) and whites (62 percent disapprove, up eight points) the shift has been less dramatic.

Overall, the new poll finds the share who believe the U.S. campaign against terrorism is going well has reached a new low (51 percent) and under half give the nation positive marks on breaking up the al Qaeda network (32 percent), reorganizing government agencies to fight terrorism (44 percent) and improving intelligence gathering and coordination (47 percent).

The poll marks the first time in the Obama presidency that Post-ABC polling has measured public assessments of the campaign against terrorism, and there has been a corresponding switch in partisan views. Democrats have moved from a near-even split in September 2008 to a positive one, with 66 percent saying it's going well to 32 percent not well. Among Republicans, the share saying things are going well has dropped more than 40 percentage points since 2008 (from 87 percent to 41 percent).

Looking specifically at Obama's handling of the issue, a majority of all adults say Obama's administration is doing as well (48 percent) or better than (30 percent) the Bush administration at handling intelligence reports about the threat of terrorism. One in five (20 percent) believe he is doing worse. More than six in 10 (62 percent) approve of his handling of the attempted terrorist bombing last month. That subject, the focus of a congressional hearing today, garners Obama his highest approval rating among Republicans (45 percent) or independents (56 percent).

Complete data from this poll available here.

A new Washington Post-ABC News poll finds broad support for the legalization of medical marijuana - a move currently underway in New Jersey and the District of Columbia - and a majority says that if it is legalized, it should be available to any patient who gets a prescription.

More than eight in 10 in the new poll back legal medical marijuana, up significantly from a Post-ABC poll conducted in May 1997. Most, 56 percent, say if it is legalized it should be available to any patient, one in five favor a system where it would be available only to the terminally ill and the same share say it should be available to those with serious, non-fatal illnesses.

The shift in views coincides with growing support for the legalization of small amounts of marijuana for personal use. Overall, nearly half of all Americans, 46 percent, now back this idea, unchanged from this spring, but more than double the proportion saying so in the late 1990s.

With New Jersey set to permit the use of marijuana for medical purposes and the District of Columbia making moves to do the same, the effort to legalize medical marijuana appears to be gaining traction on the eastern seaboard. Of the 13 other states where medical marijuana has been legalized, only Maine, Vermont and Rhode Island are on the east coast.

Though there are not differences in support for the overall idea of legalized medical marijuana by region, those in the West are less apt to say it should be available to any patient (46 percent, compared with 54 percent in the Northeast and 60 percent in the Midwest and South). Westerners are more apt to favor a middle ground, allowing medical marijuana for those with serious but not fatal illnesses (29 percent) than limiting it only to those terminally ill and near death (22 percent).

Support for medical marijuana is highest among liberals (92 percent), moderates (87 percent), college graduates (86 percent), Democrats and independents (both 85 percent favor) and non-seniors (83 percent).

On the broader question of legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use, Americans are largely divided, with sharp fissures by age, ideology and party.

Majorities of those under age 40 support legalizing personal-use marijuana, compared with about half of those age 40-64 and just 23 percent of seniors. In a departure from typical gender gaps, men are more apt to favor more liberal marijuana laws than are women (51 percent vs. 42 percent).

By party, Democrats are most apt to favor legalized marijuana (53 percent), while independents are about evenly split (49 percent favor it, 50 percent oppose) and Republicans tilt against legalization (32 percent favor to 66 percent oppose).

Q. In general, do you favor or oppose legalizing the possession of small amounts of marijuana for personal use?

            Favor   Oppose   No opinion
1/15/10      46       51          2
4/24/09      46       52          2
10/24/02*    39       53          8 
5/27/97      22       75          3 
8/26/86      25       74          1 
5/19/86      22       77          1 
4/28/86      23       75          1 
3/24/86      21       78          1 
5/13/85      26       72          2

*Time/CNN: "Do you favor or oppose the legalization
of marijuana? (IF FAVOR) What about in small amounts,
for example three ounces or less? Do you favor or oppose 
the legalization of marijuana in small amounts?"

Q. Regardless of what you think about the personal non-medical use of marijuana, do you think doctors should or should not be allowed to prescribe marijuana for medical purposes to treat their patients?

          Should   Should not   No opinion                                  
1/15/10     81         18            1
5/27/97     69         27            4

Q. If doctors are allowed to prescribe marijuana to patients, should it be limited to patients who are terminally ill and near death; or also allowed for patients who have serious but not fatal illnesses; or should it be allowed for any patient the doctor thinks it could help?

          Terminally   Serious/      Any       No                          
             ill       not fatal   patient   opinion                        
1/15/10      21           21         56         2
5/27/97      29           13         52         6

SOURCE: This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone Jan. 12-15, 2010, among a random national sample of 1,083 adults including users of both conventional and cellular phones. Results from the full survey have a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points. Error margins are larger for subgroups. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by TNS of Horsham, Pa.

Political independents are again front-and-center in the latest analyses of new Post-ABC polling data (here and here), and a look back to data of yore show President Obama facing the highest recorded one-year disapproval rating among this key group.

Among independents at one-year-mark:

            Approve   Disapprove
Obama         49%         49%	
G.W. Bush     81          15
Clinton       52          36
G.H.W. Bush   77          21
Reagan        58          34
Carter*       51          32
Ford          49          34
Nixon         62          24 
Johnson       63          22
Kennedy       72          14
Eisenhower    75          13

*Reagan through Obama from Post-ABC; 
Carter and previous from Gallup.

The latest Washington Post-Kaiser Family Foundation-Harvard University Detroit poll highlights the sharp differences in experience and outlook between city and suburb.

Detroit's city dwellers have a generally more negative take on their neighborhoods and city services, but are more optimistic than suburbanites about the future. Charts highlighting these differences are below.

The Post's full coverage of the poll can be found here, and check out the Kaiser Family Foundation's new analysis of the data here.

More than four in 10 Americans now hold an unfavorable view of Tiger Woods, and nearly as many say companies should steer clear of using the golf great as a product pitchman, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

Woods, broadly popular in polls over the decade, has taken a big public hit in the aftermath of his admission of "personal sins" in response to spiraling allegations of extramarital affairs. In the new poll, 43 percent say they view Woods unfavorably, with more than one in four seeing him in a "strongly" negative light. About as many, 42 percent, have favorable impressions, but that number has been sliced roughly in half compared to recent years.

Men tilt favorably toward Woods, while women lean negative. (Men are 46 percent favorable, 41 percent unfavorable; women are 39-45.)

Among those who count themselves as golf fans, Woods fares a little better, with 62 percent seeing him favorably, but even here in his base, 37 percent now view him negatively.

More than a third of fans and non-fans alike say they think companies should not continue to use Woods to endorse their products and services. One of Madison Avenue's brightest stars, Accenture yesterday severed its six-year contract with Woods, and reports have other companies reconsidering their arrangements with the world's No. 1 golfer.

Across groups, Woods does poorest among seniors, 50 percent of whom view him unfavorably. About half of seniors, 49 percent, also say firms should avoid using Tiger as a spokesman.

Q: On a final subject, are you a fan of professional golf, or not?

           Yes   Somewhat (vol.)   No   No opinion
12/13/09   22        6             72       *
11/24/02   16        7             78       0 
3/24/02*   24        8             68       0
3/28/01    27        9             64       *
2/11/01    26        5             69       *
4/2/00     26        8             66       *
*3/02 and previous, Gallup

Q: Overall do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion of the professional golfer Tiger Woods? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

           ----- Favorable ----- ---- Unfavorable ----   No
           NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly  opin.
12/13/09   42     22       20    43     17       26      14
12/3/09*   60     NA       NA    25     NA       NA      14   
6/19/05    85     NA       NA     8     NA       NA       7   
6/10/01    84     NA       NA     9     NA       NA       7
6/25/00    88     NA       NA     5     NA       NA       7   
* 12/3/09 CNN; 2005 Gallup; 2001 and 2000 Gallup/CNN. 
No opinion includes "never heard of."

Q: Woods has been accused of having extramarital affairs, and has apologized for what he called "personal sins." Given this situation, do you think companies should or should not continue to use Woods to endorse their products? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?

           ------- Should ------  ----- Should not ----   No
           NET Strongly Somewhat  NET Somewhat Strongly  opin.
12/13/09   54     33       20     38     13       24      8

This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone Dec. 10-13, 2009, among a random national sample of 1,003 adults (landline and cell-only respondents). The results from the full survey have a margin of sampling error or plus or minus three percentage points.