Poll Watch
Gallup Poll: 69% of Americans Favor English National Anthem
By Jim Roberts
May 3, 2006

Nuestro Himno, the Spanish-language version of the U.S. National Anthem "The Star-Spangled Banner," was released last week and was roundly criticized from President Bush on down.

Bush Believes National Anthem 'English Only'

President George W. Bush replied on Friday:

"I think the national anthem ought to be sung in English, and I think people who want to be a citizen of this country ought to learn English, and they ought to learn to sing the national anthem in English."

69% of Americans agree according to a recent Gallup poll.

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The survey was conducted April 28-30, and released today, and indeed finds that nearly 7 in 10 Americans say it is only appropriate to sing the national anthem in English, while 29% say it is appropriate for people to sing the song in Spanish.

The results show only modest variation by partisanship, with 74% of Republicans, 67% of Democrats, and 66% of independents saying the national anthem is only appropriate in English.

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Full analysis and numbers available at Gallup.

--Jim Roberts