This poll, conducted April 21-24, 2005, is part of a continuing series of monthly surveys that solicit public opinion on the current presidency and on a range of other political and social issues. Respondents were queried on such topics as Social Security benefits, parenthood, young people joining the military, capital punishment, same-sex marriage, stem cell research, and whether abortion should be legal in all cases. Respondents were asked how President George W. Bush was handling his presidency, the economy, the situation in Iraq, and the United States campaign against terrorism. A series of questions also focused on Tom Delay, the majority leader of the United States House of Representatives, and the ethics charges made against him, and whether he should step down as majority leader.

A random national sample of 1,082 adults were given this poll, including an oversample of 284 Catholic respondents, who were asked an additional group of questions about Pope Benedict XVI and the Catholic Church. Questions asked included their feelings about the selection of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as pope, whether they approved or disapproved of the selection, if they thought he should maintain the traditional policies of the Church, and what should be his highest priority (e.g., responding to the concerns of women in the Church, encouraging human rights, or addressing the issue of sexual abuse by priests). Other questions included whether the Roman Catholic Church was in touch with the views of Catholics in America, whether the respondent would want their son to become a priest, and whether they would support the Catholic Church denying communion to Catholic politicians who are in favor of legal abortion.

Demographic variables include race, gender, age, level of education, income, political party affiliation, political philosophy, and religious affiliation.