Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
Barack Obama made headlines with some major appointments last week. But the bigger story was the deepening crises the new administration will face—a cratering economy domestically and a set of global challenges highlighted by the Mumbai terror attack.
Bloggers and the traditional media were both focused on the economy last week, but the online community was just as concerned with a Barack Obama-Rush Limbaugh feud and a practical joke involving a zombie sighting.
Summary of Findings By all accounts, the public liked Campaign 2008 and followed election news avidly. But enough is enough. Fully 82% say they will not miss following election news, while only 17% say they will miss it. Even among Democrats, only a quarter say they will miss the campaign. Many Americans (23%) say they […]
The big buzz surrounding the Obama transition last week was that once-fierce rival Hillary Clinton might become his Secretary of State. Meanwhile Sarah Palin, shielded from the press during the campaign, made up for lost time with a media blitz.
A number of major stories—the Gaza conflict, Blago-gate, and the faltering economy—grabbed the attention of the news media last week. But with his inauguration looming, the challenges facing the President-elect emerged as the dominant theme.
The campaign press declared Barack Obama’s Nov. 4 victory a culturally transforming event, but was far less certain it was a politically transforming moment. And within days, the search for lessons had yielded to speculation about the new administration.