"The vast majority of Americans approve of the way top administration officials and the major governmental institutions are handling the war on terrorism, but a majority of Americans disapprove of the news media's performance. Low ratings of the media appear fairly consistently across the many demographic subgroups of the public, implying a widespread consensus on this matter. A review of polling data suggests that news coverage of the anthrax scare, when many people said the media overerreacted, may be a factor in the media's low ratings. Another factor may be a tension between the traditionally confrontational role of the news media and the currently high levels of public support for government officials directing the war.
"The Nov. 8-11 poll found 89% of all Americans approving of the way President George W. Bush is handling the war, and 87% approving of Secretary of State Colin Powell's performance. Eighty percent approve of Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld's performance, while 77% each approve of the performance of Attorney General John Ashcroft, Congress, and the U.S. Postal Service. Vice President Dick Cheney's approval rating is at 75%, compared with 71% for the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and 60% for Homeland Security Director Tom Ridge. The lower approval rating for Ridge is partly due to the fact that about a quarter of the public has not heard of him. Only 14% say they disapprove. By comparison, just 43% of Americans approve of the way the news media have been handling the war, and 54% disapprove."
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