Pew Research Center Staff

While 65% of Democrats rate universal health insurance a top priority, only 27% of Republicans agree — the largest partisan difference recorded for any issue in a recent Pew poll.

More than a quarter of Americans (27%) say this year’s State of the Union address is less important than those in the past; last year just 16% saw the 2007 State of the Union address as less important than those in past years.

That’s the small percentage of Republicans who say that dealing with global warming should be a top priority for the president and Congress.

Nearly nine-in-ten black respondents (87%) view TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey as a positive influence in the black community; in a virtual tie with Winfrey is comedian, actor and author Bill Cosby.

Most American Muslims (61%) express optimism that a balanced solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict can be found.

That’s the proportion of adults who said they were especially looking forward to baseball’s World Series according to a January Pew survey, down 13 points from 1988.

That’s the proportion of Americans who say they have watched one or more of the 2008 presidential campaign debates.

Nearly three-quarters of Mexican immigrants (71%) say they speak English just a little or not at all.

Shortly after last week’s Iowa caucuses, only about half of American adults could name both the Democratic and Republican winners — but 40% say the media have devoted too much coverage to the campaign.