As 2008 drew to a close, the media’s attention was more divided than any point all year. The economy and Obama’s transition were still top stories. But two scandals and the U.S. auto industry also competed for coverage.
Members of Congress are often accused of being out of touch with average citizens, but an examination of the religious affiliations of U.S. senators and representatives shows that, on one very basic level, Congress looks much like the rest of the country. Although a majority of the members of the new, 111th Congress, which will […]
Born near Amritsar, India in 1899, Dalip Singh Saund was an unlikely future candidate for national office when he came to the United States in 1920 to study food preservation at the University of California, Berkeley. But in 1956 Saund, whose career would span the vocations of mathematician, farmer, author, activist and judge, became the […]
Historically, most of the top leaders in Congress have come from the larger Protestant denominational families, such as Baptists, Methodists, Episcopalians and Presbyterians. Although the leadership on Capitol Hill today is much more diverse than it once was, Protestants still fill a substantial number of the top jobs in the 111th Congress. Indeed, the returning […]
Overview: Bush and Public Opinion As George W. Bush prepares to leave the White House, the United States is in many ways dramatically different from when he took the oath of office in 2001. His first few months as president were largely unremarkable, despite the contentious 2000 election. But the horrific terror attacks of Sept. […]
Once he takes office, President-elect Barack Obama will have to navigate a world that has grown highly critical of the United States. Since 2001, the Pew Global Attitudes Project has documented a decline in America’s international image amid widespread opposition to U.S. foreign policy.
Summary of Findings The arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich last week on corruption charges drew public interest at levels rivaling or topping most national political scandals of the past few years. The charges include allegations that Blagojevich sought personal financial gain from his choice to fill President-elect Barack Obama’s senate seat. About three-in-ten (29%) […]
In this report: Who can go to heaven? How does one obtain eternal life? Trends in opinions about religious exclusivity About the survey A majority of all American Christians (52%) think that at least some non-Christian faiths can lead to eternal life. Indeed, among Christians who believe many religions can lead to eternal life, 80% […]
