Numbers, Facts and Trends Shaping Your World
General David Petraeus’ appearance on Capitol Hill last week helped turn the Iraq debate into one of the biggest talk topics of the year. The general may not have changed many minds in Congress, but he provided talk hosts on both sides of the political spectrum with plenty of ammunition.
Whether silly political stagecraft or a sly legislative tactic, the Senate’s all-nighter helped make the Iraq policy debate the biggest news story of the week. At the same time, there were also ominous warnings on the terror front. And YouTube inserted itself smack into the middle of the 2008 campaign coverage.
Rising Incomes a Big Reason, But Not the Only One
The deadly collapse of the I-35W Bridge in Minneapolis last week quickly became one of the most heavily covered events of the year so far. And while it was the top story in every medium, coverage was particularly intense on cable TV, where officials, rescuers and even some victims told their stories.
A 47-nation survey finds that as economic growth has surged in much of Latin America, East Europe and Asia over the past five years, people are expressing greater satisfaction with their personal lives, family incomes and national conditions. The picture is different in most advanced nations, where growth has been less robust and citizen satisfaction has changed little since 2002.
The Senate slumber party/Iraq strategy showdown made the debate over the war the leading talk show subject last week. But the conversation about the 2008 presidential race, the second most popular topic, was driven by some pretty personal questions about the one woman in the race.
A 47-nation survey finds global public opinion increasingly wary of the world’s dominant nations and disapproving of their leaders. Anti-Americanism is extensive, as it has been for the past five years. At the same time, the image of China has slipped significantly among the publics of other major nations.
The renewed debate over U.S. strategy in Iraq was the top talk show topic last week. And the talk hosts paid plenty of attention to growing concerns about the threat posed by Al Qaeda. But it was an international concert aimed at global warming that triggered a torrent of (mostly bad) reviews.
After dominating news coverage for the first three months of the year, the disagreement over U.S. strategy in Iraq took a back seat in recent weeks to such topics as the presidential campaign and the battle over immigration. But what happened last week in Washington re-ignited old passions and re-engaged the press.