About four-in-ten Americans (41%) still rate their personal financial situation as excellent or good.

Fully 64% of Americans say jobs are difficult to find where they live.

Virtually no Democrats (2%) currently rate the nation’s economy as good or excellent, but Republicans are scarcely more upbeat.

Nearly eight-in-ten (79%) Americans say it is more difficult now than five years ago for people in the middle class to maintain their standard of living.

Out of 24 countries surveyed, Americans (53%) are the least supportive of international trade.

Half of registered voters choose Obama on taxes.

Views of Obama are more favorable than were opinions of John Kerry at a comparable time in the 2004 election cycle.

McCain leads among voters ages 65 and older.

Republicans were significantly less likely to vote for a candidate who is a mother of young children than one who is a father of young children, other factors being equal.

After the first presidential debate, the words most used to describe Obama’s performance and McCain’s were “confident” and “experienced,” respectively.