2008 Publications

Internet Overtakes Newspapers As News Outlet

Biggest Stories of 2008: Economy Tops Campaign

Calling Cell Phones In ’08 Pre-Election Polls

The addition of cell phones in Pew Research Center election surveys had at most a modest effect on estimates of candidate support in individual surveys, but when looked at in the aggregate clear patterns emerge resulting in slightly more support for Obama and slightly less for McCain.

Bush and Public Opinion

Reviewing the Bush Years and the Public's Final Verdict

Blagojevich Arrest Grabs Public Attention

Gender Divide In Caylee Anthony Interest

What a Year! People-Press Poll Reports in 2008

Hillary’s New Job Better Known Than Dow Jones Average

Public Affairs Knowledge Update

Public Hearing Positive News About Obama Transition

Economic News Dominates Coverage and Interest

Psychology of Bad Times Fueling Consumer Cutbacks

Job Worries Mount, 73% Spending Less on Holidays

Some Final Thoughts on Campaign ’08

Winds of Political Change Haven’t Shifted Public’s Ideology Balance

by Juliana Horowitz, Research Associate, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Public Closely Tracking Obama Transition

Michelle Obama Coverage Seen as Positive

Economic Problems, Especially in Detroit, Absorb Public’s Attention

High Hopes

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Post-Election Perspectives

Remarks by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center 2nd Annual Warren J. Mitofsky Award Dinner, on Behalf of the Roper Center Newseum, Washington DC

High Marks for the Campaign, a High Bar for Obama

Republicans Want More Conservative Direction for GOP

Young Voters in the 2008 Election

by Scott Keeter, Director Survey Research, Juliana Horowitz, Research Associate and Alec Tyson, Research Analyst, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Few Will Miss Following Campaign News

Public's Favorite - and Least Favorite - Campaign Journalists

Election Weekend News Interest Hits 20-Year High

Top Events of Campaign 2008

Inside Obama’s Sweeping Victory

Obama Leads McCain 52% to 46% in Campaign’s Final Days

McCain Narrows Gap

Democrats Post Gains in Affiliation Across Age Cohorts

Internet Now Major Source of Campaign News

Continuing Partisan Divide in Cable TV News Audiences

Internet Now Major Source of Campaign News

Continuing Partisan Divide in Cable TV News Audience

Democrats Hold Party ID Edge Across Political Battleground

Democrats Hold Party ID Edge Across Political Battleground

The Element of Surprise

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Palin Fatigue Now Rivals Obama Fatigue

SNL Appearance, Wardrobe Flap Register Widely

McCain Support Continues Downward Spiral

Obama Leads by 19 Among Those Who Have Already Voted

Liberal Dems Top Conservative Reps in Donations, Activism

More Than a Quarter of Voters Read Political Blogs

Most Voters Say News Media Wants Obama to Win

Growing Doubts About McCain’s Judgment, Age and Campaign Conduct

Obama's Lead Widens: 52%-38%

Poll Power

Though by no means a perfect instrument, polls make it possible for more opinions, held by a broader and more representative range of citizens, to be known to the government and thus, potentially, heeded.

Campaign Seen As Increasingly Negative

McCain Ads Seen as Less Truthful

Who Knows News? What You Read or View Matters, but Not Your Politics

Public Not Desperate About Economy or Personal Finances

Obama Clearer than McCain in Addressing Crisis

Many Say Press Has Been Too Tough on Palin

Positive Ratings for Coverage of Financial Crisis

Post-Debate: Palin Still Seen as Unqualified, a Bump for Biden

Continued Doubts About Financial Bailout

A Word about Debate Impressions

The Bad Rap on the Bailout Bill

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center

Interest in Economic News Surges

VP Debate Highly Anticipated

Obama Boosts Leadership Image and Regains Lead Over McCain

Growing Concerns About Palin's Qualifications

Small Plurality Backs Bailout Plan

Support Declines as Anger Runs High

Uncertain Times

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

The Candidates: In a Word

McCain’s Image Faltered in Week of Wall Street Woes

Public Looking Forward to Debate

Declining Public Support for Global Engagement

Even as Optimism About Iraq Surges

Cell Phones and the 2008 Vote: An Update

As shown in our election summary release, including cell phone interviews results in slightly more support for Obama and slightly less for McCain.

57% of Public Favors Wall Street Bailout

Obama Seen As Better Able to Address Crisis

Views of Palin Fluid as Spotlight Remains on GOP Ticket

Public Sees Obama Ads Getting More Negative

McCain Gains On Issues, But Stalls As Candidate Of Change

Presidential Race Remains Even

The Bounce Effect

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

McCain’s Image Improves – With Big Assist From Palin

Palin Press Coverage: Fair and Important

After Busy Week, Views of Both Candidates Improve

High Marks for Obama's Speech

Obama’s Background Better Known Than His Issue Positions

Biden Pick a Top Campaign Event

Obama’s Challenge

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

A Closer Look at the Parties in 2008

Convention Backgrounder

More Americans Question Religion’s Role In Politics

Strong Advance Interest in Democratic Convention

Public Tunes into Georgia Conflict

Key News Audiences Now Blend Online and Traditional Sources

Audience Segments in a Changing News Environment

China Olympics Attract Considerable Public Attention

Scant Attention to War in Georgia

Presidential Race Draws Even

GOP Base Getting Behind McCain

Obama Fatigue – 48% Hearing Too Much About Him

McCain's Ads Seen As Negative, Obama's as Positive

Obama’s Trip a Top Campaign Event for Public

42% Say Campaign Coverage Biased in Favor of Obama

Inflation Staggers Public, Economy Still Seen as Fixable

No Post-Trip Bounce for Obama

The Power of the Protest Vote

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Democrats Highly Critical of New Yorker Cover, Republicans Say It Was Okay

Public Closely Tracking Business News

Should Women Worry Obama?

by Juliana Menasce Horowitz, Research Associate, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Cell Phones and the 2008 Vote: An Update

This is the first study documenting how the overall estimate of voter presidential preference is modestly affected by whether or not the cell phone respondents are included.

Candidates’ Policy Positions Still Not Widely Known

Jackson's Comments Top Campaign Event of the Week

Belief that Obama is Muslim is Durable, Bipartisan – but Most Likely to Sway Democratic Votes

by Michael Dimock, Associate Director, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Likely Rise in Voter Turnout Bodes Well for Democrats

McCain's Enthusiasm Gap, Obama's Unity Gap

Interest In Gas Prices Remains High

McCain Remains Much Less Visible than Obama

For Public, Oil Prices and Economic News Overshadow Campaign

McCain Remains Much Less Visible than Obama

As Gas Prices Pinch, Support for Energy Exploration Rises

More Favor Drilling in ANWR

Interest in Floods Increases, Still Lower than for ’93 Deluge

Government's Response to Floods Faulted

Gas Prices Dominate the Public’s Economic News Agenda

Fewer Following Midwest Floods than in 1993

More Hear Negative News About Michelle Obama than Cindy McCain

Coverage of the Candidates' Wives

More See America’s Loss of Global Respect as Major Problem

Majority of Republicans Say U.S. Is Less Respected

Gay Marriage Is Back On The Radar For Republicans, Evangelicals

But Overall Opposition to Gay Marriage is Less Than in 2004

Most Americans See a Black Nominee as Important for Country

Partisan and Racial Divisions Over Significance of Obama's Win

Many Say Coverage is Biased in Favor of Obama

But Obama Controversies Registered Widely

Obama Backers Cool to Clinton as Running Mate

But

Democratic Party’s Favorables Rise, Congress Still Unpopular

Conservatives' Ratings of GOP Slip

The Iraq Challenge

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

McCain’s Negatives Mostly Political, Obama’s More Personal

Clinton Backers Cool to Obama - White Female Support in Question

Greater Coverage of McCain, But Public Still Focused on Obama

Most Expect Gas Prices To Reach $5 a Gallon or More

Research Roundup: Latest Findings on Cell Phones and Polling

The Pew Research Center has been studying the challenge to survey research posed by the growing number of wireless-only households. Here's a summary of its latest findings.

Foreign Disasters Attract Interest Despite Modest Coverage

Cable News Out of Sync With Public Interest in Campaign

Public Continues to Oppose Banning Handgun Sales

Federal Government’s Favorable Ratings Slump

State and Local Still Viewed Positively

Public Says Press Should Not Declare Obama the Winner

Most Aware of Calls for Clinton to Withdraw

Opinion of Oprah More Politicized, Gore’s Ratings Improve

A Deeper Partisan Divide Over Global Warming

Wright Controversy Top Campaign Event So Far

Most Say Wright’s Comments Were Overcovered

The Widening Gap

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Hard Hats See Hard Times

Rising Worries About the Job Market
by Michael Dimock, Associate Director for Research, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Pope Benedict’s Image Improves Following U.S. Visit

Obama’s Image Slips, His Lead Over Clinton Disappears

Public Support for Free Trade Declines

Democratic Campaign Taking a Toll on Both Obama and Clinton

McCain Stays Under the Radar

Gen Dems: The Party’s Advantage Among Young Voters Widens

by Scott Keeter, Director Survey Research, Juliana Menasce Horowitz, Reasearch Associate and Alec Tyson, Research Assistant, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

More Americans View Campaign As Too Negative

Obama’s “Bitter” Comment Registers Widely

Less News is Good News for McCain

49% Say Network News Anchors Are All About the Same

No Clear Advantage

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center Special to the New York Times

Network News Signing Off?

Many Journalists See Uncertain Future For Nightly TV Broadcasts and Fault Current Coverage
by Carroll Doherty, Associate Director, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press

Campaign News Interest Dips

Awareness of U.S. War Fatalities Rebounds

Most Americans Unfamiliar with Petraeus, Rice Remains Popular

That’s What I Like About Me

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

On Eve of Visit, Pope Benedict Still Unknown to Many Americans

Mixed Ratings for Pontiff's Outreach to Other Religions

Clinton Controversy Heavily Covered but Obama Maintains Visibility Edge

Many Say Economic Reporting Too Negative

Robo-Calls Now Lead Other Forms of Campaign Outreach

Wealthy Democratic Donors Now Outnumber Wealthy GOP Donors

Obama and Wright Controversy Dominate News Cycle

Public Interest in Economic News Reaches 15-Year High

Obama Weathers the Wright Storm, Clinton Faces Credibility Problem.

National Discontent Approaches 20-Year High, Bush Approval at 28%

A ‘Brute Force’ Estimation of the Residence Rate for Undetermined Telephone Numbers in an RDD Survey

Public Opinion Quarterly 72:28-39 (2008)
This paper discusses ''e'' the proportion of unresolved telephone numbers that are, in fact, eligible for the survey.

Most Aware of Ferraro’s Comments, Wright Videos

Spitzer Scandal: Heavy Coverage, Moderate Interest

Fewer Voters Identify as Republicans

Democrats Now Have the Advantage in

Public Continues to Fault Government for Troop Care

A Year After The Walter Reed Scandal

Public Attitudes Toward the War in Iraq: 2003-2008

Financial Woes Now Overshadow All Other Concerns for Journalists

The Web: Alarming, Appealing and a Challenge to Journalistic Values

What Foreign Policy Agenda?

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Public Closely Tracking Details of Campaign

38% Have Heard a Lot about

Awareness of Iraq War Fatalities Plummets

Political Knowledge Update

Just 28% Say Media Going Easy on Obama

Candidates' Foreign Policy Views Not Widely Known

Public Sends Mixed Signals on Energy Policy

Ethanol Research Loses Ground, Continued Division on ANWR

Getting to Know Them

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Obama Has The Lead, But Potential Problems Too

Increasing Optimism About Iraq

NY Times’ McCain Story Draws Public Interest – And Disapproval

Beef Recall and Failing Satellite Attract Attention

In November, Will Age Matter?

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Campaign Seen as Less Negative than 2004 Contest

Gore, Edwards Endorsements Would Have Modest Impact

Economic Discontent Deepens as Inflation Concerns Rise

Growing Rich-Poor Divide in Affording Necessities

Obama Inspiring But Inexperienced, Clinton Prepared to Lead But “Hard To Like”

Media Themes That Connect with Voters

Young Voters in 2008 Presidential Primaries

by Scott Keeter, Director of Survey Research, Pew Research Center and an analyst for NBC News

Patterns of Distinction

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Many Democrats Say Media Tougher on Clinton than Obama

Public Sees Candidates Focusing On Economy

Public Sees Candidates Focusing on Economy

Many Democrats Say Media Tougher on Clinton than Obama

Where Men and Women Differ in Following the News

McCain’s Support Soars, Democratic Race Tightens

Obama Gains Among Whites, Moderates and Middle-Income Democrats

A Look at the Numbers

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

The Impact Of “Cell-Onlys” On Public Opinion Polling

This study finds that respondents reached on cell phones hold attitudes very similar to those reached on landline telephones on key political measures such as presidential approval, Iraq policy, vote preference and party affiliation.

Campaign and Economy Dominate News Interest

Interest in Iraq at All-Time Low

Global Warming Falls Still Farther on Republicans’ Policy Agenda

Just 12% Call It a

The South Carolina Democratic Primary in Black and White

Scott Keeter is Director of Survey Research for the Pew Research Center and an analyst for NBC News

Raising McCain

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Housing Crisis More Visible Than Other Economic Problems

Surging Interest in Economic News

An Even More Partisan Agenda for 2008

Election-Year Economic Ratings Lowest Since ‘92

Laura Bush’s Declining Favorability

Views of Nancy Pelosi Also More Negative

Mind the Gender Gap

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Democratic Primaries Register Strongly with Public

News Audiences Much Less Interested in GOP Race

In GOP Primaries: Three Victors, Three Constituencies

Romney Gains Among Non-Evangelical Conservatives

Internet’s Broader Role in Campaign 2008

Social Networking and Online Videos Take Off

The G.O.P.’s Unanswered Question

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

Intense Iowa Coverage Leads Many to Say “Too Much”

Post-Iowa, Democratic Candidates Still Most Visible

Getting It Wrong

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to the New York Times

The Public’s Not-So-Happy New Year

More Dems Look Forward to Elections

McCain and Huckabee Catch Up to Giuliani Nationwide

On Eve of Iowa Caucuses