Raleigh, N.C. – For all the media coverage it got, the latest PPP national poll finds that, at most, 2% of Americans were anticipating the end of the world last Saturday, and only slightly more, 11%, think the Rapture will even occur in their lifetimes. Two-thirds think it will not, and 23% are not sure.
But even if they do not particularly subscribe to Rapture theology, most people would like to believe they will be one of the chosen. Two-thirds of Americans think if the Rapture does occur in their lifetime, they will be taken up to Heaven, 13% think they will not, and 21% do not know. Conservatives are most likely both to think the Rapture will come soon and that they will be the beneficiaries.
Therefore, those that do look forward to a Rapture in the next few decades and those who think they personally will be Raptured are far more likely than others to see Sarah Palin favorably and to disapprove of President Obama’s job performance. But Americans overall are split on whether they think Palin herself would be Raptured if the time came, and they are considerably more likely to favor Obama’s chances. 35% think Palin would be taken up, 32% think she would not, and 34% are not sure. However, 44% think Obama will, while 26% do not, and 30% are not sure. Evidently Democrats see the president as more holy than Republicans see Palin. While only 22-23% of the opposite party thinks the two will be Raptured, two-thirds of Democrats think the president will be Raptured, and only half of Republicans think Palin will.
Assuming both Obama and Palin are still around to run post-Rapture and that everyone who thinks they will be gone has vanished, an already wide 54-37 advantage for the president in the national popular vote over the ex-Alaska governor would turn into a 61-26 rout. Because they are not as favored by Rapture believers, the differences for Romney and Gingrich would be less severe—from 51-37 to 56-31 for Gingrich and from 49-42 to 53-35 for Romney.
PPP surveyed 600 American voters from May 23rd to 25th. The margin of error for the survey is +/-4.0%. This poll was not paid for or authorized by any campaign or political organization. PPP surveys are conducted through automated telephone interviews. PPP is a Democratic polling company, but polling expert Nate Silver of the New York Times found that its surveys in 2010 actually exhibited a slight bias toward Republican candidates.
Topline results are below. Full results, including crosstabs, can be found here.
Q1 Do you approve or disapprove of President
Barack Obama’s job performance?
Approve …………………………………………………. 48%
Disapprove……………………………………………… 48%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 4%
Q2 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Newt Gingrich?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 19%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 64%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 16%
Q3 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Sarah Palin?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 30%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 63%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 7%
Q4 Do you have a favorable or unfavorable opinion
of Mitt Romney?
Favorable……………………………………………….. 35%
Unfavorable ……………………………………………. 48%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 18%
Q5 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Newt Gingrich, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 51%
Newt Gingrich …………………………………………. 37%
Undecided………………………………………………. 12%
Q6 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican
Sarah Palin, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 54%
Sarah Palin …………………………………………….. 37%
Undecided………………………………………………. 9%
Q7 If the candidates for President next year were
Democrat Barack Obama and Republican Mitt
Romney, who would you vote for?
Barack Obama………………………………………… 49%
Mitt Romney……………………………………………. 42%
Undecided………………………………………………. 9%
Q8 Did you believe the Rapture was going to occur
on Saturday or not?
Believed the Rapture was going to occur…….. 2%
Did not believe it was going to occur…………… 98%
Q9 Do you believe that the Rapture will occur in
your lifetime or not?
Believe the Rapture will occur in your lifetime. 11%
Think it will not ………………………………………… 66%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 23%
Q10 Combination of Q13 Response Categories
Rapture will occure ………………………………….. 11%
Rapture will not occur/not sure ………………….. 89%
Q11 If the Rapture occurs in your lifetime do you
think you will be one of those taken up to
Heaven or not?
Think you will be taken up to Heaven …………. 66%
Think you will not …………………………………….. 13%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 21%
Q12 Combination of Q15 Response Categories
Will be Raptured ……………………………………… 65%
Will not be Raptured/Not Sure …………………… 35%
Q13 Do you think Barack Obama would be taken up
to Heaven in the Rapture or not?
Think Obama would be taken up to Heaven … 44%
Think he would not…………………………………… 26%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 30%
Q14 Do you think Sarah Palin would be taken up to
Heaven in the Rapture or not?
Think Palin would be taken up to Heaven……. 35%
Think she would not…………………………………. 32%
Not sure …………………………………………………. 34%
Q15 Would you describe yourself as very liberal,
somewhat liberal, moderate, somewhat
conservative, or very conservative?
Very liberal ……………………………………………… 9%
Somewhat liberal …………………………………….. 17%
Moderate………………………………………………… 31%
Somewhat conservative……………………………. 24%
Very conservative ……………………………………. 18%
Q16 If you are a woman, press 1. If a man, press 2.
Woman ………………………………………………….. 54%
Man……………………………………………………….. 46%
Q17 If you are a Democrat, press 1. If a
Republican, press 2. If you are an independent
or identify with another party, press 3.
Democrat ……………………………………………….. 39%
Republican……………………………………………… 35%
Independent/Other…………………………………… 25%
Q18 If you are Hispanic, press 1. If white, press 2.
If African-American, press 3. If other, press 4.
Hispanic…………………………………………………. 10%
White …………………………………………………….. 72%
African-American …………………………………….. 12%
Other……………………………………………………… 6%
Q19 If you are 18 to 29 years old, press 1. If 30 to
45, press 2. If 46 to 65, press 3. If you are
older than 65, press 4.
18 to 29………………………………………………….. 7%
30 to 45………………………………………………….. 28%
46 to 65………………………………………………….. 45%
Older than 65………………………………………….. 20%
