Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Introduction and Summary The American public is beginning to recover from the shock of the terrorist attacks – but it still has a long way to go. As many as 42% report that they have felt depressed in recent days because of the events of September 11, 21% say they continue to have difficulty concentrating […]
Introduction and Summary The public’s strong commitment to the use of military force in retaliation for the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks is predicated at least in part on the idea that a good offense represents the best defense. By 44%-33%, Americans think that taking military action abroad to destroy global terrorist networks is more important […]
Introduction and Summary Americans are standing tall at a time of crisis — they are united in their approval of the nation’s leaders, paying rapt attention to news, and say they are willing to suffer thousands of military casualties in a protracted conflict to retaliate for last week’s terrorist attacks. But at the same time […]
Judging from recent political discourse, “Who lost the budget surplus?” threatens to become the “Who lost China?” question of our times — the focus of finger-pointing for years to come. But there is a problem with that parallel: The American public knew about the loss of China — not so with the surplus. As recently […]
Introduction and Summary As President Bush and Congress return to work, a trio of long-standing concerns dominate the public’s list of policy priorities. The economy is the public’s leading priority, cited by eight-in-ten Americans, followed closely by education (76%) and Social Security (74%). Democratic leaders on Capitol Hill hold a 44%-37% edge over the president […]
Introduction and Summary George W. Bush is highly unpopular with the publics of the major nations of Western Europe. By wide margins, people in Germany, France, Great Britain and Italy all disapprove of his handling of international policy, and the American president does not inspire much more confidence in these countries than does Russian President […]
by Andrew Kohut for America Online
Introduction and Summary Six months into her husband’s presidency, Laura Bush has made a positive impression on the American public. A strong majority (64%) has a favorable opinion of the first lady, and most approve of the way she’s handling her job. Although her predecessor, Hillary Clinton, drew a comparable favorability rating of 60% at […]
The country has been inundated with news about Chandra Levy, the missing Washington intern. The coverage has seemed almost nonstop on cable television news, and the story has been Topic A on the chat shows. Even Dan Rather, who had resisted covering what he considered a tabloid story, had to give in and let his […]
Introduction and Summary Despite the news media’s intense focus on the disappearance of Chandra Levy and her relationship with Rep. Gary Condit, public interest in the story is relatively low, particularly when compared to other celebrity scandal cases in recent years that have attracted massive media attention. The latest Pew Research Center survey, conducted July […]