Presidential Race Draws Even
With fewer than two weeks to go before the start of the presidential nominating conventions, McCain has solidified his support among Republicans and white evangelicals, especially in the South, while Obama lags in attracting Clinton supporters.
Obama Fatigue – 48% Hearing Too Much About Him
While John McCain closed the gap in campaign news coverage last week, Barack Obama still enjoyed much more visibility in the eye of the public. But 48% say they’ve heard too much about the Democratic nominee and a plurality say they’ve heard too little about his opponent.
Inflation Staggers Public but Economy Still Seen As Fixable
Beyond widespread anxiety about energy costs, a growing number of Americans say it is difficult for them to afford food. Yet most are confident that even in an era of global economic interdependence the federal government is capable of fixing the economy
Obama’s Trip a Top Campaign Event for Public
Despite a high level of public attention to the Democratic candidate’s weeklong tour abroad, most said they learned very little of his foreign policy views as a result of the trip.
Democrats Highly Critical of New Yorker Cover, Republicans Say It Was Okay
Fully four-in-ten Americans heard a lot about a satirical cartoon on the cover of the New Yorker magazine. A majority of those who saw it found it offensive (54%) and few found it funny (27%).
Likely Rise In Voter Turnout Bodes Well For Democrats
Even with a partisan enthusiasm gap, voter interest is already as high as in November of recent elections, two trends that may significantly alter the composition of the eventual electorate in the Democrats’ favor. The proportion of swing voters is also up compared with four years ago. Nearly half of independents (47%) are undecided or may change their minds, up from 28% in June 2004.
McCain’s Interest Gap
While Obama and McCain received similar levels of media coverage, Obama remained by far the most visible candidate. Only 11% of Americans cited McCain as the candidate they had heard the most about, while more than seven-in-ten (71%) named Obama.
For Public, Oil Prices and Economic News Overshadow Campaign
Last week marked the largest partisan gap in campaign interest since the start of the presidential race in early 2007. Democrats were almost twice as likely as Republicans to say they followed the campaign very closely (52% vs. 28%).
Gas Prices Pump Up Support for Drilling
Americans are giving higher priority to more energy exploration, rather than more conservation; concern about the environment fades as support for ANWR drilling rises.
Gas Prices Dominate the Public’s Economic News Agenda
As economic news continues to register at an almost record level with the public, no other issue gets close to the level of attention accorded the price of oil and gas. Fully 72% of Americans say it is the economic or fiscal problem they’ve heard the most about.
