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CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL

For release: Thursday, January 17, 2013 6:30 pm EST

Majority Support for Many Gun-Related Proposals

January 11-15, 2013

Nine in 10 Americans favor universal background checks on all potential gun buyers, and 78% support a national gun sale database. Smaller majorities favor bans on high capacity magazines and semi-automatic weapons.

Overall, 54% of Americans think gun laws in general should be more strict, and 53% think they would help at least somewhat to deter gun violence.

More Americans trust President Obama (47%) than the Republicans in Congress (39%) to make the right decisions about gun laws.

Specific Proposals Americans overwhelmingly approve of universal background checks on all potential gun buyers, a proposal urged by President Obama in a press conference Wednesday. The poll was conducted before the President’s press conference was held. Nine in 10 approve – including nine in 10 gun owners (47% said they or someone in their household owns a gun). 78% of Americans approve of a national database to track gun sales. Smaller majorities also approve of two other proposals by the Obama Administration for curbing gun violence: a national ban on semi-automatic “assault” weapons, and a national ban on high-capacity magazines.

Would You Favor or Oppose …? Favor Oppose Background checks on all potential gun buyers 92% 7 A national database to track all gun sales 78% 20 A national ban on high capacity magazines 63% 34 A national ban on semi-automatic weapons 53% 44 A national ban on carrying concealed firearms 32% 65 However, two-thirds of Americans oppose a nationwide ban on carrying a concealed firearm for everyone other than law enforcement officials, which was not proposed by the Obama Administration. Gun owners support a national database to track gun sales (70%), but are opposed to a ban on semi-automatic weapons (64%). They divide on banning high capacity magazine clips: 48% favor a ban, but 51% are against it.

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Preventing Gun Violence The administration also said it will strengthen the background check system by addressing legal barriers that keep some mental health records out of that system. 82% of Americans think better mental health care and screening would help deter gun violence at least somewhat, including 44% who think it would help a lot.

How Much Will Better Mental Health Care and Screening Reduce Gun Violence?

Total Reps Dems Ind A lot 44% 47% 48% 39% Some 38 39 33 42 Not much/at all 17 13 18 18 74% think more armed security guards would help at least some to prevent mass shootings in public places such as schools, movie theaters, and malls; more than a third thinks it would help a lot. Republicans, Democrats, and independents hold similar views on this question.

How Much Will More Armed Security Reduce Mass Shootings? Total Reps Dems Ind A lot 35% 36% 34% 36% Some 39 42 38 39 Not much/at all 25 21 28 25 Americans also lay some of the blame for gun violence on popular culture, such as movies and video games. Three in four Americans say violence in popular culture contributes at least somewhat, including 39% who say it contributes a lot.

How Much Does Violence in Movies and Video Games Contribute to Gun Violence?

Total Reps Dems Ind A lot 39% 42% 43% 34% Some 36 41 32 36 Not much 16 12 17 19 Not at all 7 5 6 11 Overall Views on Gun Laws In general, 54% of Americans think gun control laws should be stricter than they are now, while about a third thinks they should be kept as they are, and another 9% think they should be less strict, not much different than just after the killings in Newtown, CT.

Gun Control Laws Should Be…

Now 12/2012 4/2012 1/2011 10/2002 More strict 54% 57% 39% 47% 56% Less strict 9 9 13 12 11 Kept as they are 34 30 41 36 30 There are partisan divisions on this issue. While three in four Democrats and over half of independents want stricter gun laws, this is true of just 31% of Republicans.

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Americans from households that do not own a firearm (74%) are far more likely than members of gun owning households (36%) or gun owners themselves (26%) to want stricter gun laws. Men, who are more likely to own guns than women, are less likely to support stricter gun laws (47%) than women are (61%) And while 65% of Americans who live in cities and 57% of those who live in suburbs want stricter gun laws, this is true of just 40% of those who live in small towns or rural areas.

Gun Control Laws Should Be…

More strict Less strict Kept as they are Total 54% 9 34 Men 47% 12 38 Women 61% 7 30 Republicans 31% 15 51 Democrats 75% 1 22 Independents 52% 13 33 Gun owners 26% 16 55 Gun owning households 36% 13 49 No guns in household 74% 5 18 Cities 65% 3 30 Suburbs 57% 11 29 Small towns & rural 40% 11 45 53% think stricter gun laws would help deter gun violence at least somewhat, including 23% who think that would deter it a lot. Republicans are more skeptical than Democrats and independents.

How Much Would Stricter Gun Laws Help to Deter Gun Violence? Total Reps Dems Ind A lot 23% 9% 36% 21% Some 30 26 34 30 Not much 17 20 14 16 Not at all 29 44 15 31 Trust to Handle Gun Laws More Americans trust President Obama (47%) than Republicans in Congress (39%) to make the right decisions on gun laws. Views break along party lines, with independents giving a slight edge to President Obama.

Who Do You Trust More on Gun Laws? Total Reps Dems Inds Barack Obama 47% 11% 78% 43% Republicans in Congress 39 78 12 38

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Rating Joe Biden and the NRA Joe Biden, who recently met with gun rights groups, retailers, and video game manufacturers in order to craft the Obama Administration’s proposals for curbing gun violence, gets a net positive rating on the job he is doing as Vice President. Most Democrats approve of the job he is doing, while most Republicans disapprove.

Joe Biden’s Job Rating

Total Reps Dems Inds Approve 49% 17% 79% 45% Disapprove 34 66 6 37 Don’t know 17 16 16 18 The National Rifle Association retains a net favorable rating among all Americans. Views of the NRA have changed little from ten years ago. Most members of gun-owning households (54%) view the NRA favorably, while this is true of just 20% of households without a gun.

Opinion of the NRA Now 10/2002 7/2002 5/1991 Favorable 38% 34% 37% 28% Not favorable 29 20 30 19 Undecided/don’t know 31 31 31 52

______________________________________________________________________ This poll was conducted by telephone from January 11-15, 2013 among 1,110 adults nationwide. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups may be higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

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CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL

Majority Support for Many Gun-Related Proposals

January, 11-15, 2013

q1-14 HELD FOR SEPARATE RELEASE

q15 In general, do you think gun control laws should be made more strict, less strict, or

kept as they are now?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **

*** Party ID ***

Total Rep Dem Ind Dec12a

% % % % %

More strict 54 31 75 52 57

Less strict 9 15 1 13 9

Kept as they are now 34 51 22 33 30

Don't know/No answer 3 3 2 3 4

q16-19 BLANK

q20 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Joe Biden is handling his job as Vice-

President?

Jan10B

Approve 49 17 79 45 46

Disapprove 34 66 6 37 27

DK/NA 17 16 16 18 27

q21-43 HELD FOR SEPARATE RELEASE

q44 Who do you trust more to make the right decisions about gun laws -- the Republicans

in Congress or Barack Obama?

Republicans in Congress 39 78 12 38

Barack Obama 47 11 78 43

Both (Vol.) 3 2 4 3

Neither (Vol.) 7 4 3 11

Don't know/No answer 5 5 3 5

q45-54 HELD FOR SEPARATE RELEASE

q55 Is your opinion of the National Rifle Association favorable, not favorable,

undecided, or haven't you heard enough about the National Rifle Association yet to have

an opinion?

Oct02f

Favorable 38 58 17 42 34

Not favorable 29 10 48 26 20

Undecided 14 19 12 12 15

Not heard enough 17 10 22 16 26

Don't know/No answer 2 2 1 3 6

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q56 Do you favor or oppose a nationwide ban on semi-automatic weapons - including some

rifles, pistols, and shotguns - that have detachable magazines, allowing them to rapidly

fire a high number of rounds?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **

*** Party ID ***

Total Rep Dem Ind

% % % %

Favor ban 53 36 70 49

Oppose ban 44 60 28 47

Don't know/Refused 4 5 2 4

q57 As you may know, high-capacity magazines or clips can hold many rounds of ammunition,

so a shooter can fire more rounds without manually reloading. Would you favor or oppose a

nationwide ban on the sale of high-capacity magazines that hold many rounds of

ammunition?

Jan11c

%

Favor ban 63 49 80 57 63

Oppose ban 34 47 18 40 34

DK/NA 3 4 2 3 3

q58 Do you favor or oppose a federal law requiring a nationwide ban on people other than

law enforcement officers carrying concealed weapons?

Favor ban 32 15 47 31

Oppose ban 65 83 49 65

Don't know/No answer 3 1 4 4

q59 Do you favor or oppose a federal law requiring background checks on all potential gun

buyers?

Favor 92 89 93 93

Oppose 7 10 6 5

DK/NA 1 1 1 2

q60 Do you favor or oppose creating a national database that would track all gun sales in

the United States?

Favor 78 63 91 77

Oppose 20 35 7 20

DK/NA 2 2 2 3

q61 How much do you think stricter gun laws would do to help prevent gun violence? Would

stricter laws help a lot, some, not much, or not at all?

A lot 23 9 36 21

Some 30 26 34 30

Not much 17 20 14 16

Not at all 29 44 15 31

DK/NA 1 0 1 2

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q62 How much do you think better mental health screening and treatment would do to help

prevent gun violence? Would better mental health screening and treatment help a lot,

some, not much, or not at all?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **

*** Party ID ***

Total Rep Dem Ind

% % % %

A lot 44 47 48 39

Some 38 39 33 42

Not much 10 8 12 10

Not at all 7 5 6 8

DK/NA 1 1 1 1

q63 How much do you think more police or armed security guards would do to help prevent

mass shootings in public places such as schools, movie theaters, and malls? Would more

police or armed security guards help a lot, some, not much or not at all?

A lot 35 36 34 36

Some 39 42 38 39

Not much 17 15 17 17

Not at all 8 6 11 8

DK/NA 1 1 0 1

q64 In general, how much do you think the depiction of violence in popular culture, such

as movies and video games, contributes to gun violence in the U.S.? Would you say it

contributes a lot, some, not much, or not at all?

A lot 39 42 43 34

Some 36 41 32 36

Not much 16 12 17 19

Not at all 7 5 6 11

DK/NA 1 0 2 1

q65-q74 HELD FOR SEPARATE RELEASE

q78 Do you or does any other member of your household own a handgun, rifle, shot-gun, or

any other kind of firearm? IF YES, ASK: Is that person you or someone else?

Yes, self 21 29 16 21

Yes, other member of house 17 19 13 18

Yes, self and other 9 15 5 9

No 49 34 65 46

Don't know/No answer 3 4 1 5

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q79 What is the main reason there is a gun in your household? Is it mainly for

protection, hunting, target or sport shooting, work, or for some other reason?

** HAVE GUN IN HOUSEHOLD **

*** Party ID ***

Total Rep Dem Ind

% % % %

Protection 36 37 36 36

Hunting 34 36 39 30

Target/sport shooting 14 10 11 19

Work 5 3 6 5

Inherited 3 3 4 3

Everything 3 4 0 3

Other 2 4 2 2

DK/NA 2 3 1 2

q80 HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE

q81 What do you think is the main reason MOST gun owners possess a gun? Is it mainly for

protection, hunting, target or sport shooting, work, or for some other reason?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **

Protection 43 38 46 43

Hunting 32 38 27 34

Target/sport shooting 10 15 8 9

Work 1 0 2 1

Everything 1 1 2 1

Other 5 4 8 5

DK/NA 6 4 7 7

UNWEIGHTED WEIGHTED

Total Respondents 1,110

Total Republicans 313 288

Total Democrats 363 373

Total Independents 434 449