Overview Unfavorable opinions of Chuck Hagel have increased over the past month as he has faced a bruising confirmation battle to become President Obama’s secretary of defense. A national survey by the Pew Research Center, conducted Feb. 14-17 among 1,003 adults, finds that 22% have a favorable opinion of Hagel while 28% have an unfavorable […]
For three consecutive months, Barack Obama’s overall job approval rating has held above 50%. But he receives mixed ratings when it comes to specific issues such as his handling of Afghanistan and gun control and more disapprove than approve of his handling of the budget deficit and economy. Obama’s rating on the issue of immigration […]
Overview The public’s attitudes toward gun control have shown only modest change in the wake of last week’s deadly shooting at an elementary school in Newtown, Connecticut. Currently, 49% say it is more important to control gun ownership, while 42% say it is more important to protect the right of Americans to own guns. This […]
Overview As Barack Obama begins his second term in office, trust in the federal government remains mired near a historic low, while frustration with government remains high. And for the first time, a majority of the public says that the federal government threatens their personal rights and freedoms. The latest national survey by the Pew […]
As he heads into his second term as vice president, the public’s impression of Joe Biden is mixed: 42% have a favorable opinion, while the same percentage views him unfavorably. Opinions of Biden are little changed over the past year. Biden’s current rating is somewhat less favorable than the rating for his predecessor, Dick Cheney, […]
The gap between the numbers of Democrats and Republicans who say protecting the environment is a top priority is 37 points.