Post-Debate: Palin Still Seen as Unqualified, a Bump for Biden
Impressions of Sarah Palin have changed little since her debate with Joe Biden according to a special re-interview of voters this weekend, but opinions of Joe Biden rose substantially.
Economic Bailout: Public Remains Closely Divided Overall, but Partisan Support Shifts
The relative stability in the overall numbers obscures considerable movement in public opinion about the package recently passed by Congress.
A Word about Debate Impressions
View “word clouds” of voters’ impressions of the performances of John McCain and Barack Obama in their first presidential debate based on one-word descriptions from a recent Pew survey.
Undocumented Immigration Now Trails Legal Inflow, Reversing Decade-Long Trend
Estimates now show that the unauthorized immigrant population grew more slowly from 2005 to 2008 than it did earlier in the decade, although its size has increased by more than 40% since 2000, and now constitutes 4% of the total U.S. population.
Will the Culture War Matter on Election Day?
Leading experts discuss the history of cultural divisions in American politics and what role, if any, they will play in the outcome of the November election.
Non-Citizen Immigrant Households Suffer Sharp Decline in Income, 2006-2007
The current economic slowdown has taken a far greater toll on households headed by non-citizens than it has on the U.S. population as a whole, according to a Pew Hispanic Center analysis of new Census data.
The Religious Vote: Much like 2004, but Economic Concerns Now Top Social Issues
A national survey finds remarkable stability in the candidate preferences of major religious groups compared with the last presidential campaign. But issue priorities among all religious groups have changed with possible implications in November.
Despite Pastors’ Protest, Most Americans Are Wary of Church Involvement in Partisan Politics
More than two dozen pastors recently challenged a tax code provision restricting political activities by houses of worship, but surveys show that substantial majorities of the public have consistently opposed such action.
Obama Boosts Leadership Image and Gains Significant Lead Over McCain
The Illinois senator, helped by the debate, has been able to erase concerns about his ability to lead, to widen his advantage on economic issues and to move to a significant lead in swing states. There has been a broad-based decline in the number of voters who view Palin as qualified to become president.
Interest in Economic News Surges
Attention to news about the economy skyrocketed last week, with 70% of Americans following developments very closely, up from 56% the previous week. Interest in the campaign also saw a new high for the cycle, and more Americans (64%) say they are very likely to watch the VP debate than said so about last week’s presidential debate (58%).
