[Alex Murphy]

Sixty percent of Americans reported they have either a favorable or very favorable impression of the pontiff while 76 percent of Catholics hold the same view, the telephone poll of 2,078 people found. At the same time, 20 percent of Americans and 11 percent of Catholics told interviewers they have an unfavorable or very unfavorable view of Pope Benedict.

[GOP Poet]

Thanks for the post.

[chuck_the_tv_out]

“76 percent of Catholics hold the same view”

Aren’t the other 24% in violation of some kind of edict?

[Augustinian monk]

But what are the pope’s approval numbers at Bob Jones University? I am guessing single digit approval at best.

[albie]

“Poll shows Americans, Catholics in particular, give pope high marks”

...with a majority of them voting BO, they must mean Pope Obama.

[markomalley]

The poll results are located here

They don't give the actual results, just a PDF of a PowerPoint on the subject, which is a little disappointing. There is nothing on the Marist site (which is not unusual for a 3rd party funded poll, btw)

The story said, Sixty percent of Americans reported they have either a favorable or very favorable impression of the pontiff while 76 percent of Catholics hold the same view

The actual question said,

Please tell me whether you view each of the following as very favorable, favorable, unfavorable or very unfavorable. If you have never heard of the person or institution, please just say so.

Comment: I would like to see the whole list, as that would give an indication on the bias within the sample.

The story said, By a margin of more than 4 to 1 -- 73 percent to 17 percent -- Catholics said the pope was good for the Catholic Church.

The actual question said,

I’m going to read you a list of phrases about Pope Benedict XVI. Using the numbers one through four with one meaning the phrase doesn’t fit him well at all and four meaning it fits him very well, please tell me how well each phrase fits Pope Benedict XVI…He is good for the Catholic Church

The other major actual question said,

Using the numbers one to five, with five meaning you really want Pope Benedict to talk about it, and one meaning you do not want to hear Pope Benedict mention it, how much do you want to hear Pope Benedict address each of the following issues?

Followed by a list of issues.

What was not reported in the story was that 32% of Americans in general and 24% of Catholics didn't care to hear Benedict's opinion on the war in Iraq and that 38% of Americans in general and 29% of Catholics didn't want to hear what he had to say on immigration. I wonder if any other controversial topics were selected as controls...

[Invincibly Ignorant]

Catholics in particular, give pope high marksImagine the odds.

[Invincibly Ignorant]

Catholics in particular, give pope high marks

Imagine the odds.