Nearly nine-in-ten black respondents (87%) view TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey as a positive influence in the black community; in a virtual tie with Winfrey is comedian, actor and author Bill Cosby.

Most American Muslims (61%) express optimism that a balanced solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be found.

That’s the proportion of adults who said they were especially looking forward to baseball’s World Series according to a January Pew survey, down 13 points from 1988.

Nearly three-quarters of Mexican immigrants (71%) say they speak English just a little or not at all.

Shortly after last week’s Iowa caucuses, only about half of American adults could name both the Democratic and Republican winners — but 40% say the media have devoted too much coverage to the campaign.

That’s the proportion of Americans who say they have watched one or more of the 2008 presidential campaign debates.

Among the 47 nations and political entities surveyed in the latest Pew Global Attitudes report, the great majority (40) say that women are as good as or better than men as political leaders.

Roughly three-quarters of Democrats (74%) say they are especially looking forward to the 2008 primary elections, the first of which is being held today in New Hampshire; by comparison, only about half of Republicans (49%) share this enthusiasm.