Behind the Numbers - Public opinion in this country is everything.

Posted at 02:31 PM ET, 06/29/2011

Poll watchers: Afghan pullout popular, gay marriage in Va., and GOP unenthusiastic about current candidates

By Peyton Craighill and Scott Clement

Public support for Afghanistan pullout – More than 7 in 10 Americans favor Obama’s plan to remove roughly 30,000 troops by the end of next summer.

By Peyton Craighill and Scott Clement | 02:31 PM ET, 06/29/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Afghanistan, Virginia

Posted at 12:39 PM ET, 06/28/2011

Poll Watchers: Gay marriage and Catholic Bishops; economics of unmarried living; Obama and the economy

By Peyton M. Craighill

A summary of daily polling.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 12:39 PM ET, 06/28/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Barack Obama, Census 2010

Posted at 05:26 PM ET, 06/27/2011

Public opinion on Afghanistan: Partisan mix on war ratings and Obama’s approval

By Scott Clement

A new Washington Post-Pew Research Center poll finds a 44 percent plurality of Americans say Obama is handling the drawdown from the Afghan war “about right.”

By Scott Clement | 05:26 PM ET, 06/27/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Afghanistan

Posted at 12:01 PM ET, 06/24/2011

Poll Watchers 6/24/11: Friday blues for the economy, New York same-sex marriage, Libya operation and U.S. evangelicals

By Scott Clement and Peyton Craighill

Only 29 percent of Americans expect the economy to improve in the next year, the lowest point since 2008, according to a Pew survey.

By Scott Clement and Peyton Craighill | 12:01 PM ET, 06/24/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Economy, Federal Budget Deficit

Posted at 03:15 PM ET, 06/23/2011

Poll Watchers: Gas prices and the strategic oil reserve, Cantor and debt talks

By Scott Clement and Peyton Craighill

Strategic oil reserve – 75 percent say gas prices are an extremely or very important issue in a new Associated Press poll.

By Scott Clement and Peyton Craighill | 03:15 PM ET, 06/23/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Federal Budget Deficit, Barack Obama, Congress

Posted at 02:30 PM ET, 06/22/2011

Grass has gotten greener in Northwest D.C., residents say

By Scott Clement

A majority of D.C. residents – 55 percent – say the quality of life for people in Northwest D.C. has gotten better in the past decade, the highest rating for any quadrant.

By Scott Clement | 02:30 PM ET, 06/22/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: D.C.

Posted at 02:02 PM ET, 06/21/2011

D.C. Mayor Gray earns lukewarm ratings citywide, and in home ward

By Scott Clement

Mayor Vincent Gray’s popularity has sagged among District of Columbia residents according to a new Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll, and a cross-ward analysis finds Gray earning only tepid support in wards he won by landslides less than a year ago in the Democratic primary.

By Scott Clement | 02:02 PM ET, 06/21/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: D.C.

Posted at 10:36 AM ET, 06/21/2011

D.C. poll: Racial and class divides on health care

By Peyton M. Craighill

Black and white Washington residents report vastly differing experiences in health-care access in a new poll from The Washington Post and the Kaiser Family Foundation.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 10:36 AM ET, 06/21/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: D.C., Health care, Race

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 06/20/2011

More would blame GOP, but failure in debt talks holds risk for both sides

By Jon Cohen

More say they would blame Republicans in Congress than President Obama if debt ceiling talks break down and the government defaults on its debt, according to a new poll by the Washington Post and the Pew Research Center.

By Jon Cohen | 03:00 PM ET, 06/20/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 09:00 AM ET, 06/14/2011

Most say scrutiny, not lack of morals ensnares so many politicians in sex scandals

By Jon Cohen

Nearly six in 10 Americans say politicians get ensnared in sex scandals because they are under such close scrutiny, not because they have lower moral standards than other people.

By Jon Cohen | 09:00 AM ET, 06/14/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:07 PM ET, 06/13/2011

Poll Watchers: New Hampshire Republican debate

By Scott Clement

“NoBama,” Romney and health care, the tea party and three candidates who may need introductions.

By Scott Clement | 04:07 PM ET, 06/13/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 06/12/2011

Poll: What matters to GOP voters

By Peyton M. Craighill

Who you are may matter less to potential Republican voters than what you stand for.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 07:00 AM ET, 06/12/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 04:40 PM ET, 06/09/2011

Republicans: Broad doubt about Gingrich’s temperament

By Jon Cohen

Fewer than half of Republicans say Gingrich has right personality and temperament to serve effectively as president.

By Jon Cohen | 04:40 PM ET, 06/09/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 06/08/2011

Poll: Rating President Obama, the good, the bad and the ugly

By Peyton M. Craighill

When asked what President Obama has done especially well and particularly poorly, a random snapshot of the American public offered some colorful responses in the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 12:00 PM ET, 06/08/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Barack Obama, Presidential Approval

Posted at 02:51 PM ET, 06/07/2011

Obama’s approval gains among young and independents disappear

By Scott Clement

President Obama’s largest approval increases following Osama bin Laden’s death have essentially disappeared according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Scott Clement | 02:51 PM ET, 06/07/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Barack Obama

Posted at 10:44 AM ET, 06/07/2011

Poll: Ranking the GOP 2012 presidential field

By Peyton M. Craighill

Mitt Romney sits atop the field of potential Republican candidates for the 2012 nomination in more ways than one in the new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 10:44 AM ET, 06/07/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination

Posted at 09:37 AM ET, 06/07/2011

Poll: Palin’s long odds

By Peyton M. Craighill

The balance of public opinion is decidedly against a Palin run for president. Nearly two-thirds flatly rule out voting for her; 28 percent would consider it; and 7 percent are committed to voting for her.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 09:37 AM ET, 06/07/2011 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Behind the Numbers: June, 2011