Poll - Public optimism, patriotism high despite ongoing fear

WASHINGTON -- Americans are more patriotic, more inclined to spend time with their families and very optimistic about the future of the country a year after the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, new polls suggest.

These positive feelings come at the same time they have increasing doubts about the effectiveness of the campaign against terrorism and continuing fears of more terrorist attacks.

The ABC News poll released Tuesday found that eight in 10 Americans say they are optimistic about the future of this country and even more are optimistic about their own futures. More than eight in 10 said it was essential to spend time with their families, up from six in 10 who felt that way two years ago. Seven in 10 said they were "extremely proud" to be Americans; just over half said that in January 2001.

Two-thirds in polls taken by ABC and CNN-USA Today-Gallup said they are displaying the American flag regularly these days.

President Bush's job approval rate was at 71 percent in the ABC News poll and 66 percent in a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics poll, slightly higher than several recent polls that put him in the low 60s.

Almost four in 10 in the Gallup poll said they are concerned that they or a family member will become a victim of terrorism, down from almost six in 10 who felt that way a year ago.

Two-thirds in the ABC poll said they are scared there might be more terrorist attacks. That's only a slight drop from the three-fourths who felt that way soon after the attacks.

And their view of the campaign against terrorism suggests they think the battle is far from over. Four in five in the ABC poll said the most difficult part of the war on terrorism is yet to come.

Just over a third in the Fox poll, 36 percent, said they think the United States is winning the war on terrorism.

The ABC News poll of 1,011 adults was taken Sept. 5-8 and the CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll of 1,003 adults was taken Sept. 2-4. The Fox News poll of 900 registered voters was taken Sept. 8-9. All three had error margins of plus or minus 3 percentage points.