2010 Publications

2010 Poll Findings that Will Matter in 2011

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center

Public’s Top Stories of the Decade – 9/11 and Katrina

Top Stories of 2010: Haiti Earthquake, Gulf Oil Spill

For Public, Tough Year Ends on a Down Note

Little Progress Seen on Major Domestic Issues

Tax Cut Deal Captures Public and Media Attention

Interest in WikiLeaks Down

Tax Cuts Win Broad Bipartisan Support

Liberal Democrats Are on Board

Deficit Solutions Meet With Public Skepticism

Consensus in Principle, Resistance in Practice

Deficit Solutions Meet With Public Skepticism

Most Say WikiLeaks Release Harms Public Interest

Mixed Reactions to Media Coverage

Mixed Views on Tax Cuts, Support for START and Allowing Gays to Serve Openly

Public's Views on Lame-Duck Issues

Despite Years of Terror Scares, Public’s Concerns Remain Fairly Steady

Voting in Foreign-Policy Oblivion

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to The National Interest

Most Continue to Favor Gays Serving Openly in Military

Public Focused on Economy, Election Impact

Most Aware of Energy Drink Warnings

The Growing Gap between Landline and Dual Frame Election Polls

Republican Vote Share Bigger in Landline-Only Surveys
by Scott Keeter, Leah Christian and Michael Dimock, Pew Research Center

The Growing Gap between Landline and Dual Frame Election Polls; Republican Vote Share Bigger in Landline-Only Surveys

A new analysis of Pew Research Center pre-election surveys conducted this year finds that support for Republican candidates was significantly higher in samples based only on landlines than in dual frame samples that combined landline and cell phone interviews. The difference in the margin among likely voters this year is about twice as large as in 2008.

Public Knows Basic Facts about Politics, Economics, But Struggles with Specifics

Few Aware of TARP Repayment, Inflation Rate

Midterm Elections Still Top Public Interest

Economic News Seen as a Mix of Good and Bad

Mixed Reactions to Republican Midterm Win

Public Less Happy Than After 2006 and 1994 Elections

Election Results Draw Big Interest, Heavy Coverage

Most Followed Returns on Election Night

Public Support for Increased Trade, Except With South Korea and China

Fewer See Benefits from Free Trade Agreements

A Clear Rejection of the Status Quo, No Consensus about Future Policies

GOP Wins Big Despite Party's Low Favorability

News Coverage Surpasses Interest at Campaign’s End

More Hear about Marijuana Initiative than Stewart Rally

GOP Likely to Recapture Control of House

The Party of Nonvoters

Public Keeps Focus on Economy, Media on Elections

About Half Say GOP Likely to Win House Majority

Little Change in Opinions about Global Warming

Increasing Partisan Divide on Energy Policies

Midterm Snapshot: Enthusiasm for Obama Reelection Bid Greater Than for Reagan in 1982

Independent Voters vs. Unions

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

Continued Positive Marks for Government Anti-Terror Efforts

But Many Say U.S. Has Been Lucky in Avoiding Attack

Ground War More Intense Than 2006, Early Voting More Prevalent

Democrats Stirring But Are No Match for Energized Republicans

Miners’ Rescue Dominates News Interest

Jump in Attention to Midterm Election News

Fewer Journalists Stand Out in Fragmented News Universe

More Now Say GOP Likely to Win Control of House

Cell Phones and Election Polls: An Update

Data from Pew Research Center polling this year suggest that the landline-only bias is as large, and potentially even larger, than it was in 2008.

Lagging Youth Enthusiasm Could Hurt Democrats in 2010

Public Focuses More on Economy than Election

Education Debate Also Draws Interest

Support For Same-Sex Marriage Edges Upward

Majority Continues to Favor Gays Serving Openly in Military

Possible Negatives for Candidates: Vote for Bank Bailout, Palin Support

Democrats Struggle to Avoid Wipeout from Electoral Wave

by Carroll Doherty, Associate Director, Pew Research Center for the People & the Press
Special to the BBC

Elections Dominate Coverage, Not Public Interest

Few Have Heard a Lot about GOP's

Obama Viewed as Doing Better than GOP Leaders in Explaining Vision

A Static America: A Contrarian View of Current U.S. Public Opinion Trends

by Michael J. Robinson, Special to the Pew Research Center

Independents Oppose Party in Power…Again

More Conservative, More Critical of National Conditions

2010 Vote Seen as More Important Than Most

Partisans Differ in Views of Elections and Coverage

Many Say Ending Tax Cuts for Wealthy Would Hurt Economy

Taxed Enough Already?

Despite Anti-Government Sentiment, More Americans Say They Pay a Fair Share of Taxes
by Richard Auxier, Pew Research Center

Few Say Religion Shapes Immigration, Environment Views

Religion and the Issues

Koran Burning Plans Grab Media, Public Attention

Perceptions of Obama Press Coverage Hold Steady

Mixed Views of GOP Proposals on Entitlements

Americans Spending More Time Following the News

Ideological News Sources: Who Watches and Why

Perceptions of Economic News Remain Mixed

More Hearing Bad News About Real Estate Values

Glenn Beck, Christians and Mormons

Mosque Debate, Egg Recall Top Public Interest

Public Divided Over Tone of Mosque Fight

Five Years After Katrina, Most Say Nation is Not Better Prepared

Progress Seen in New Orleans, Gulf Rebuilding

Mosque Debate Tops Coverage, But Not News Interest

More Republicans than Democrats Track Mosque Story

Public Remains Conflicted Over Islam

NYC Mosque Opposed, Muslims' Right to Build Mosques Favored

Many Say Coverage of the Poor and Minorities Is Too Negative

News about Whites, Middle Class Mostly Seen as Fair

Growing Number of Americans Say Obama is a Muslim

Religion, Politics and the President

More Hearing Good News about Gulf Spill

Public Continues to Track Oil Spill

Republicans Faring Better with Men, Whites, Independents and Seniors

Four Years Later

The Invisible Court

Mixed Reactions to Leak of Afghanistan Documents

Public Continues to Track Oil Spill

Earmarks Could Help Candidates in Midterms; Palin and Tea Party Connections Could Hurt

Sherrod Case Draws Heavy Coverage, Modest Interest

More See

Obama’s Policies Seen as Better than Bush’s for Improving the Economy

Oil Leak News Viewed as Mix of Good and Bad

Election Prediction: Many Expect GOP to Take House

Gov’t Economic Policies Seen as Boon for Banks and Big Business, Not Middle Class or Poor

Voters Rate the Parties’ Ideologies

Dems Viewed as Farther from Political Center than is GOP

Well Known: Twitter; Little Known: John Roberts

Modest Decline in Oil Leak Interest, Sharp Decline in Coverage

Few See Leak Coverage as Excessive

Public’s Wish List for Congress – Jobs and Deficit Reduction

Republicans Less Positive Toward Supreme Court

Public Views of Congress Recover Slightly

Public Sees Economic News Turning More Negative

Oil Leak Still Most Closely Followed News

Proud Patriots — and Harsh Critics of Government

Voting Intentions Even, Turnout Indicators Favor GOP

Public, Media Track Oil Leak, Diverge On McChrystal

Views of Economic Coverage - National and State

Public Rejects Variety Of Options For Fixing State Budgets

Obama’s Ratings Little Affected by Recent Turmoil

Growing Opposition to Increased Offshore Drilling

Public Reacts Positively To Extensive Gulf Coverage

Limited Interest in World Cup

Public Sees a Future Full of Promise and Peril

Life in 2050: Amazing Science, Familiar Threats

Public Uncertain About How to Improve Job Situation

Public Sees No Improvement in Economic News

Gulf Oil Leak Still Tops News Interest

Public Remains of Two Minds on Energy Policy

News Media Trusted For Information On Oil Leak

Gulf Disaster Continues to Dominate Coverage, Interest

Doubts About Obama’s Economic Policies Rise

Seniors are Strongest Advocates for Change in 2010

Interest In Oil Spill Stays High As Coverage Grows

Attentiveness Similar to Just After Haiti Quake

Public, Media Track Oil Spill, Diverge On Elections

More Talking About Jobs, Economy, Corruption than in 2006

Willingness to Compromise a Plus in Midterms

Assessing the Cell Phone Challenge

Fully a quarter of the U.S. adult population now relies solely on a cell phone. This paper shows that the potential for bias in telephone surveys that do not include cell only adults has grown since 2006. Of 72 questions examined on a wide range of topics - including political and social attitudes, personal and national economic ratings, foreign policy views, and attitudes toward and the adoption of a wide range of internet and communications technologies - cell phone samples made a difference of 3 percentage points or more on 29 of the questions. In 2006, on 46 questions examined none of the differences exceeded 2 percentage points.

Gulf Oil Leak Dominates Public’s News Interests

Few Want Media to Focus on Court Nominees' Personal Lives

Public’s Priorities, Financial Regs

Congress's Job Rating - 13%

Public Tracks Oil Spill, Media Focuses More On Times Square

News About Economy Remains Mixed

Broad Approval For New Arizona Immigration Law

Democrats Divided, But Support key Provisions

Oil Spill Seen As Ecological Disaster; Government, BP Responses Faulted

Support for Offshore Drilling Declines

Gulf Coast Oil Spill Grabs Public Attention

Most Have Basic Knowledge About Spill, Arizona Immigration Law

“Socialism” Not So Negative, “Capitalism” Not So Positive

A Political Rhetoric Test

Economy, Volcanic Ash Top News Interest

Public Sees Some Payback of Federal Bailout Money

Pessimistic Public Doubts Effectiveness of Stimulus, TARP

Republicans Draw Even With Democrats on Most Issues

Health Care Still Top Story, But Many Track Volcano

Awareness of Tea Party Movement Increasing

Distrust, Discontent, Anger and Partisan Rancor

The People and Their Government

The Tea Party’s Effect on the Midterms?

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

Public Tracking Health Care, Deadly Mine Accident

Many Say Press Is Too Tough on Tiger

Broad Criticism of Pope Benedict’s Handling of Sex Abuse Scandal

Most Catholics Critical as Well

Public Remains Focused on Health Care Reform

News on Jobs Still Seen as Mostly Bad

Public Support For Legalizing Medical Marijuana

Modest Rise in Percentage Favoring General Legalization

Health Care Debate Tops Public Interest, Coverage

Most Americans Believe They Understand New Law's Impact on Them

Young People Make Up Large Proportion of Census Hold-Outs

Health Care Finale: Heavy Coverage, Huge Interest

Many Still Critical of Press Handling of Health Care

Public Divided Over State, Local Laws Banning Handguns

Since 2008, Increased Support for Gun Rights

Congress in a Wordle

Dysfunctional, Corrupt, Selfish....

Gloomy Americans Bash Congress, Are Divided on Obama

Health Care Reform - Can't Live With It, or Without It

Health Care Debate Dominates Interest and Coverage

More Democrats See Health Reform Passing

With Growing Awareness of Census, Most Ready to Fill Out Forms

Age and Education, Not Partisanship, Factors in Participation

Deficit Concerns Rise, But Solutions Are Elusive

GOP's Lead on Handling Deficit Mirrors '94

Health Care Debate Back Atop Public’s News Agenda

Post-Summit, More See Reform Bill Passing

Public Focuses on Health Care and Olympics

Modest Rise in Expectation That Health Care Reform Will Pass

Support for Alternative Energy and Offshore Drilling

Winter Olympics Tops Public’s News Interests

More Than Half Say They Have Made Haiti Donation

Favorability Ratings of Labor Unions Fall Sharply

Democrats’ Gloom and Doom Is Premature

by Andrew Kohut, President, Pew Research Center
Special to Politico

Democrats’ Edge Among Millennials Slips

A Pro-Government, Socially Liberal Generation

Haiti, Snowstorms, Economy Vie for Public’s Attention

Amount of Storm Coverage Seen About Right

Midterm Election Challenges for Both Parties

Obama's Ratings Are Flat, Wall Street's Are Abysmal

Press Gets Good Marks For Covering Toyota Troubles

Strong Public Interest in Haiti Aftermath

Millennials’ Lukewarm Support For Health Care Bills

Many Are Uninsured Yet Most Are Unengaged

Public Focus Still on Haiti; Media Shifts to State of Union

Most Say Passage of Health Care Legislation Unlikely

Inviting Centrists to the Tea Party

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

Olympics Bridge Gender Divide In Sports Interest

Almost All Millennials Accept Interracial Dating and Marriage

Senate Legislative Process A Mystery To Many

Political Knowledge Update

It’s All About Jobs, Except When It’s Not

Unemployment and Presidential Approval Ratings 1981-2009
by Andrew Kohut, President, Jodie T. Allen, Senior Editor and Richard Auxier, Pew Research Center

67% Now Doubt Health Care Bill Will Pass This Year

Public Still Following Haiti News Closely

Public’s Priorities for 2010: Economy, Jobs, Terrorism

Energy Concerns Fall, Deficit Concerns Rise

Michelle Obama’s Strong Personal Image

Views of Recent First Ladies

Most View Census Positively, But Some Have Doubts

Age, Education, Ethnic and Partisan Gaps

Haiti Dominates Public’s Consciousness

Nearly Half Have Donated or Plan to Give

Obama Image Unscathed By Terrorism Controversy

Few See Personal Upside to Health Care Reform

Public Stays with Health Care, Media Focuses on Terror

Americans Still See Jobs News as Mostly Bad

Blacks Upbeat about Black Progress, Prospects

A Year After Obama's Election

Millennials’ Judgments About Recent Trends Not So Different