Election '08 Feed Subscribe to receive all Pew Research Center data and analysis about the 2008 election. Preview feedView all Election '08 reports
Last Updated: May 16, 2008
Spotlight
8 May 08 An examination of whether America's fourth most-admired journalist, Jon Stewart, is really the host of a news program.
28 Apr 08 Use the interactive tool to track generational differences in party affiliation over time.
The Databank
May
16
The Daily Number
56%
Significantly fewer Americans now say things are going well in Iraq than did so in February, and support for a quick withdrawal of U.S. forces has climbed by seven points (to 56%) Read more
Where Do You Fit?
InteractiveTake our quiz about prominent people and major events in the news. Then see how you did in comparison with 1,003 randomly sampled adults.
Visit Where Do You Fit? for other interactive features.
Visit Where Do You Fit? for other interactive features.
The Top Story Index
News Interest and Coverage
May 12 - 18
News Interest and Coverage
May 12 - 18
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The economy was a close competitor for the public's top attention. The Burma cyclone drew substantial coverage but only modest public interest but the Iraq war continued to interest Americans more than it did the media.
 % of public who followed this story most closely % of news coverage devoted to this storyLearn more about the Top Story Index
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2008 Campaign
30% 46%
Economy
25% 5%
Burma cyclone
15% 15%
Situation in Iraq
11% 1%
Microsoft & Yahoo
1% 1%
Jenna Bush
1% 1%
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Where to Find:
14 May 08 Fully 72% of the public - including comparable percentages of Democrats, Republicans and independents - say that journalists should not be anointing Obama as the Democratic nominee at this stage in the race.
13 May 08 In a campaign with more twists than a Twilight Zone episode, the media all but officially pronounced Obama the Democratic nominee last week.
9 May 08 While Barack Obama's appeal to the young coincides with their increasing Democratic alignment, older voters do not show the greater allegiance to the GOP that might explain their reluctance to support him.
8 May 08 While the outcome of the North Carolina primary fit into a racial pattern observed in earlier primaries this year, Clinton's showing in Indiana was less strong than would have been expected.
6 May 08 Not a moment too soon, party insiders and state election officials are in informal talks to improve procedures for the next contest for the White House.
1 May 08 In four separate surveys conducted since March 20, when asked about each of the Democratic candidates, between 25%-31% of the public has said their opinions have recently become less favorable.
29 Apr 08 With bills pending in state legislatures across the country, more states may move to require photo identification for voters in November.
25 Apr 08 Hillary Clinton won the Catholic vote in Pennsylvania's Democratic primary by more than a two-to-one margin, repeating a pattern among religious voters similar to those seen in other states.
17 Apr 08 Electability is an issue, and one that both Obama and Clinton are likely to use to woo the superdelegates. But our polling suggests that neither candidate has a demonstrable advantage to tout.
3 Apr 08 About two-in-five voters now say they have received a pre-recorded call about the campaign. Meanwhile, Democrats are far more engaged in campaign activities than are Republcians -- including donating money to a candidate.
20 Mar 08 The balance of party identification among the electorate, both nationally and in key swing states, now favors the Democratic Party by a much larger margin than in either of the two previous presidential election cycles.
Election '08 Feed Subscribe to receive all Pew Research Center data and analysis about the 2008 election. Preview feedView all Election '08 reports
Recent Findings and Releases
14 May 08 Most Americans at every income level and in every demographic group worry they aren't putting enough aside for the future -- but they're apparently not worried enough to do much about it, a new survey finds.
14 May 08 Since endorsing Obama, the talk show host's popularity has fallen among Republicans while the former vice president now rivals Obama and tops Clinton in favorability.
14 May 08 Americans continue to hold their local and state governments in fairly high esteem, but positive views of the federal government are at their lowest point in at least a decade.
14 May 08 Nearly three-quarters of Republicans (73%) oppose a ban on handgun sales, a view shared by 59% of independents and just half of Democrats.
14 May 08 It was seeing foreign-made American flags at a veteran's memorial ceremony that inspired a West Virginia legislator to proposed a bill requiring that all flags purchased with state funds be made in America. He's not alone.
8 May 08 The proportion of Americans who say that the earth is getting warmer has decreased modestly since January 2007, mostly because of a decline among Republicans.
7 May 08 While the latest statistics reported fewer job losses than analysts expected, the public is expressing increasing concern about job availability; but unlike in the 1992 downturn, such worries are concentrated in the lower portions of the income spectrum.
8 May 08 Annual births to Hispanic women in the U.S. exceeded one million in 2006, and one-in-four children in the U.S. under age 5 is Hispanic. These and other interesting data are included in a new Pew Hispanic Center fact sheet.
7 May 08 A watching world may find religious belief unexpectedly widespread in a communist country.
5 May 08 To explore the issues raised by same-sex marriage, the Pew Forum interviewed former Sen. Rick Santorum, who opposes gay marriage, and journalist Jonathan Rauch, who argues in its favor.
30 Apr 08 Anyone who thinks that Americans worship at the feet of the almighty dollar should ask the American public. In fact, a new Social Trends survey finds only 13% of adults say it's "very important" for them to be wealthy, ranking this personal priority far behind six others measured.
24 Apr 08 A Pew Internet survey finds teens don't generally regard material they create electronically as real writing. Does e-communication help -- or hurt -- students' writing skills?
9 Apr 08 A new study finds fewer Americans now than at any time in the past half century believe they're moving forward in life. Still, two-thirds say their living standard is higher than their parents'.
Archives
The Pew Research Center recommends the following items from the deep archive:
Motherhood Today: Tougher Challenges, Less Success
A survey finds broad agreement among the public that it is harder to be a parent today - especially a mother - than it was in the 1970s or 1980s.
The Threat of Online Social Networks
Are today's teens sharing information on the internet that will harm their future college or job prospects? Or worse, are they putting themselves at risk of victimization?
Are We Happy Yet?
The Declaration of Independence includes among Americans' inalienable rights "the pursuit of happiness." A couple of centuries into the chase, how are we doing?
Motherhood Today: Tougher Challenges, Less SuccessA survey finds broad agreement among the public that it is harder to be a parent today - especially a mother - than it was in the 1970s or 1980s.
The Threat of Online Social NetworksAre today's teens sharing information on the internet that will harm their future college or job prospects? Or worse, are they putting themselves at risk of victimization?
Are We Happy Yet?The Declaration of Independence includes among Americans' inalienable rights "the pursuit of happiness." A couple of centuries into the chase, how are we doing?