Nearly half of independents (46%) are undecided or may change their minds.

A plurality of Americans think it was a bad decision to hold the Olympics in Beijing.

Majorities in 18 of 24 countries describe current economic conditions in their country as bad.

By a margin of 46-42, Americans say that the rich are rich mainly because they know the right people or are born into wealth rather than because of hard work, ambition or education.

Young voters identify much more with Democrats than Republicans.

Nearly six-in-ten Americans say Republicans favor the rich.

Currently, just 29% of Republicans are satisfied with the state of the nation, an eleven-point drop in just two months, and half the proportion expressing satisfaction in January 2007

Gay marriage (28%) ranks lowest in importance among 16 campaign issues.

Asked to rate the importance of various priorities in life, some two-thirds (68%) of the self-identified middle class say that free time is very important to them, more than say the same about anything else on the list, including having children (62%), a successful career (59%), being married (55%), or living a religious life (53%).