TOWARDS AN UNDERSTANDING OF “RALLY” EFFECTS: PUBLIC OPINION IN THE PERSIAN GULF WAR

Abstract

Although research has been conducted to document the effect of international events on the popularity of the president, littie work has been done to examine the scope of such effects. This analysis of rally forces during the Persian Gulf War shows significant changes in the following attitudes: positive evaluations of George Bush's and the U.S. Congress's performance, trust in the federal government, assessments of personal finances, and expectations for the economy. Most of these attitudes return to preconflict levels within 10 months.