One-word descriptions of President Obama have changed dramatically since he was a candidate.

Opinion polls over the past two decades have found the American public deeply divided -- and confused -- in its beliefs about the origins and development of life on earth.

While Rush’s syndicated radio show does not have the reach of other conservative favorites like Bill O’Reilly’s television program, his audience is by far the most conservative of any program or network tested by a Pew Research survey. It was also the most male.

The current Democratic favorability advantage is the largest measured in nearly two decades. Even among white evangelical Protestants, loyal supporters of the Republican Party, opinions about the two parties are about even.

More Americans say that people like themselves will gain influence under the Obama administration than was the case for the last two incoming presidents. Many who did not vote for Obama say this as well -- including pluralities of all whites and white evangelical Christians.

Just as concern about energy dependence has become widespread, so too have unfavorable views of Russia and its Prime Minister Putin.

Since John F. Kennedy’s famous inaugural address, the word “sacrifice” has become a rarity in the lexicon of politicians -- and of pollsters too

Public interest in the Middle East conflict is on par with other recent foreign news stories, but is lower than in the Israel-Hezbollah war in August 2006. A slightly greater percentage say the media have not been critical enough of Hamas than say the same about coverage of Israel (30% vs. 25%, respectively).

A bloody new chapter in the Israel/Palestinian conflict dramatically shifted the news agenda from domestic to foreign crises, dominating media attention in an otherwise crowded week of news.

What a difference eight years can make -- or not. As shown in a series of tables, some things have changed a great deal since George W. Bush was elected president in 2000, but other things, most notably certain American beliefs and attitudes, have remained remarkably constant.