Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World

Politics

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    Americans More Critical of Bush’s Efforts at Home, More Anxious Over Situation in Iraq

    Summary of Findings As presidential campaign activities start to pick up steam, President Bush is facing increasing public criticism of his efforts to deal with domestic issues and greater wariness of the military situation in Iraq. At the same time, his potential Democratic rivals show little early appeal and the Democratic party has lost significant […]

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    66% Expect Bush Victory, But Democrats More Optimistic Than In ’91

    Summary of Findings Most Americans believe President Bush will win reelection next fall, but Democrats are holding out hope for their party’s chances for success in 2004. Overall, two-thirds of registered voters (66%) think Bush will be reelected, compared with 22% who expect the Democratic candidate to prevail. In the fall of 1991, more than […]

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    Views of a Changing World 2003

    Introduction and Summary The speed of the war in Iraq and the prevailing belief that the Iraqi people are better off as a result have modestly improved the image of America. But in most countries, opinions of the U.S. are markedly lower than they were a year ago. The war has widened the rift between […]

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    Conflicted Views of Affirmative Action

    Summary of Findings As the U.S. Supreme Court prepares for what could be a landmark ruling on the issue of racial preferences in college admissions, a new Pew Research Center nationwide survey finds a growing majority of the public supporting the general idea of affirmative action. But the poll results also reflect the public’s complicated […]

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    Americans More Optimistic About Economy, But Not Bush Tax Cut

    Summary of Findings With the war in Iraq over, Americans are feeling more optimistic about a turnaround in the national economy, and a greater number than at the beginning of the year think that President Bush is doing as much as he can to improve economic conditions. But the president’s tax cut proposal continues to […]

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    To the Victor Go the Polls

    Remember the “smoking gun” that Americans demanded before they lent their support to a possible war with Iraq? The smoking gun ­ proof of Iraqi weapons of mass destruction ­ is not nearly as important now that the war is over. A recent Gallup poll found that 58% of Americans believe the war can be […]

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    Modest Bush Approval Rating Boost at War’s End

    Summary of Findings President Bush’s overall job approval rating has risen only slightly in recent days, even as increasing numbers believe that the war in Iraq has been won. The president’s current rating is 72%, statistically unchanged from 74% immediately after the fall of Baghdad, but notably higher than his prewar approval rating of 55%. […]

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    60% War’s Going Very Well – 69% We Haven’t Won Yet

    Summary of Findings Pictures of cheering Baghdad crowds greeting U.S. forces notwithstanding, Americans are not popping champagne bottles quite yet. A Pew Research Center tracking survey over the past two nights finds a modest increase in the percentage believing that the military effort is going very well, compared to earlier this week. And most Americans […]

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    War Coverage Praised, But Public Hungry for Other News

    Summary of Findings The public is paying close attention to the war and continues to give news organizations high marks for their coverage. But a sizable minority of Americans (39%) feel the news media is focusing too heavily on the war, and significant numbers believe the media is undercovering other major stories like the tax […]