Political Issues

Report Summary The American public gives high marks to media coverage of the war in the Gulf at the same time as it calls for increased military control of how the news is covered. A fifty-seven percent majority believes that the military should increase its control over reporting of the war while 34% believe that […]

Report Summary As the crisis in the Persian Gulf approaches its climax, the public remains riveted to the story, with 59 percent of survey respondents saying they are following developments very closely and 66 percent saying they have given a great deal of thought to the question of using military force against Iraq.

Report Summary Interest in news about the economy and the election campaigns increased markedly in the past month, but the crisis in the Gulf continued to be the story most closely followed by the American public. For the fourth consecutive month, approximately two-thirds of Times Mirror’s nationwide sample (62%) reported that it was following the […]

Overview Seen through the Times Mirror Center for the People & the Press’ political typology of 1990, the American electorate presents a disquieting picture of political gridlock. Despite the personal popularity of President Bush, cynicism toward the political system in general is growing as the public in unprecedented numbers associates Republicans with wealth and greed, […]

Report Summary The focus of the American public’s attention is shifting to the domestic consequences of the Gulf crisis. Although Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and U.S. troop deployment to the Gulf continues to dominate the consciousness of Americans, news about rising gasoline prices drew nearly as much public interest in September. At the same time, […]

Report Summary As the debate about the federal budget rages and the prospect of higher gasoline taxes looms, George Bush’s standing with the public has fallen dramatically. The latest nationwide poll by the Times Mirror Center for The People & The Press finds the President’s approval ratings down 13 percentage points in less than one […]

Report Summary Americans remain as attentive as they were a month ago to events in the Persian Gulf. Sixty-three percent of the public are following news about the Iraqi occupation of Kuwait and the deployment of U.S. forces to the Persian Gulf very closely. Our August survey showed an only marginally higher level of interest […]

Report Summary At week’s end 66% of the American public said they were following news about the Iraqi invasion and the deployment of American forces to Saudi Arabia very closely. Events in the Middle East now dominate public consciousness to an extraordinary degree. An unparalleled 85% of Times Mirror’s nationwide telephone sample volunteered this, in […]

Report Summary In a nation bombarded by a steady stream of new diets, health conscious cookbooks, physical fitness, low-fat foods and cholesterol tests, many Americans still say they are overweight and only a small number rate their physical condition and health as excellent. Fighting the battle of the bulge as well as the urge to […]

Report Summary Public perceptions and priorities are changing as the new administration begins its effort to deal with the nation’s economic problems. This new Times Mirror survey identifies five important elements of public opinion that have significant implications for economic policy alternatives. These trends and dispositions emerge from an analysis of the findings of 2000 […]