Spending Pains (Majority Continues to Oppose Spending $87B)

Three weeks of White House lobbying for its Iraq package has failed to sway public opinion: A broad majority of Americans continue to oppose spending an additional $87 billion on the war and rebuilding effort there.

Sixty-two percent in this ABCNEWS/Nightline poll do not want to spend that kind of additional money, almost precisely the level of opposition that initially greeted the president's proposal. Thirty-six percent support the package.

President Bush's rating for handling the situation in Iraq is also flat, and near its career low. The public divides, with 50 percent approving and 47 percent disapproving. That's about where it's been all month, but down from 67 percent approval in June and a peak of 75 percent at the end of April, just before Bush declared the major fighting over.

http://abcnews.go.com/sections/us/Politics/iraq_spending031002_poll.html

Other interesting numbers in this poll....