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

Posted at 05:48 PM ET, 02/29/2012

North Korea widely disliked and distrusted in U.S.

By Scott Clement

Some Americans may rest easier on news that N. Korea and U.S. have struck a food-for-nukes deal. But many may be skeptical.

By Scott Clement | 05:48 PM ET, 02/29/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: International polls

Posted at 09:56 PM ET, 02/28/2012

Michigan voters split between Romney and Santorum

By Jon Cohen

The close contest in Michigan between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum reveals basic divisions within the Republican Party. One quick way to see the splits is to look at the groups where Romney did the best vis-a-vis Santorum, and the other way around.

By Jon Cohen | 09:56 PM ET, 02/28/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 09:51 PM ET, 02/28/2012

‘Electability’ fuels Romney’s victory, Religion and Democrats for Rick Santorum in Michigan

By Jon Cohen, Peyton M. Craighill and Scott Clement

Mitt Romney eked out a victory in Michigan Tuesday, beating back a stiff challenge from Rick Santorum by scoring big wins among voters looking for “experience” and those prioritizing electability.

By Jon Cohen, Peyton M. Craighill and Scott Clement | 09:51 PM ET, 02/28/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, GOP nomination, Republican Party, Voting, Exit polls

Posted at 01:26 PM ET, 02/28/2012

Michigan and Arizona exit polls: Five things to watch

By Scott Clement

Today’s contests in Arizona and Michigan are the biggest test of Rick Santorum’s staying power since beating Mitt Romney in Colorado, Missouri and Minnesota earlier this month.

By Scott Clement | 01:26 PM ET, 02/28/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, Exit polls, GOP nomination, Republican Party, Voting

Posted at 07:03 AM ET, 02/28/2012

Conservatives take dimmer view of Romney ahead of voting

By Jon Cohen

Just as Mitt Romney is aiming to add to his delegate lead in the Republican primary race with strong showings in Arizona and Michigan, his popularity among conservatives nationally is fading, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Jon Cohen | 07:03 AM ET, 02/28/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 02:48 PM ET, 02/27/2012

Poll watcher: Michigan polls predict tight race

By Scott Clement

Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum are running very closely in Michigan, according to the latest state polling, with Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich far behind.

By Scott Clement | 02:48 PM ET, 02/27/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, GOP nomination, Republican Party, Voting

Posted at 02:16 PM ET, 02/27/2012

‘Post-preferred’ polls: Can I trust this poll?

By Scott Clement

Now, when you use The Post’s Politics App for iPad to see the latest state polling, you’ll see a label next to each poll we’ve designated as Post preferred.

By Scott Clement | 02:16 PM ET, 02/27/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, methodology

Posted at 03:42 PM ET, 02/23/2012

Oscars 2012: Washington hearts movies

By David Barie

As many of a third of all Washington area adults may have plans this Sunday evening – tuning in to the 84th Academy Awards.

By David Barie | 03:42 PM ET, 02/23/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Tags: Oscars, Academy awards

Posted at 08:18 PM ET, 02/22/2012

Republican debate - DIY crosstabs

By Jon Cohen

We released new favorability numbers Tuesday on three of the remaining GOP presidential contenders -- Mitt Romney, Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich -- analyzing some key breakdowns in this blog post. Want to see your own breakdowns? Use the tool below, selecting the particulars you would like to see. Note: no numbers are displayed If there are fewer than 100 cases in the category.

By Jon Cohen | 08:18 PM ET, 02/22/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:29 PM ET, 02/22/2012

Are polls on foreign policy accurate?

By Scott Clement

“Lies, damn lies and statistics” is a jab sometimes aimed at political polls, and in the complicated business of foreign policy polling there’s plenty for people to argue over. If most Americans aren’t foreign policy wonks, are these results even meaningful?

By Scott Clement | 07:29 PM ET, 02/22/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: International polls, Barack Obama, GOP nomination, methodology

Posted at 12:00 PM ET, 02/22/2012

Popular or not - candidates head into Republican debate

By Jon Cohen

For all of Mitt Romney’s evident trouble wrapping up the Republican nomination—and sliding support against his rivals in national polls — his favorable numbers among the party’s base have steadily improved since a bad defeat in South Carolina, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Jon Cohen | 12:00 PM ET, 02/22/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:34 PM ET, 02/21/2012

Obama’s rising gas prices problem

By Scott Clement

President Obama’s improved polling numbers (and his reelection chances) are threatened by a perennial bugaboo: spiking gas prices.

By Scott Clement | 12:34 PM ET, 02/21/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, Barack Obama, Economy, GOP nomination, Republican Party

Posted at 06:00 AM ET, 02/17/2012

Poll watcher: Independents a key for Romney in Michigan?

By Scott Clement

A potentially decisive question mark lingers ahead of the Wolverine State’s Feb. 28 primary: How many political independents will show up?

By Scott Clement | 06:00 AM ET, 02/17/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, GOP nomination, Voting, Republican Party

Posted at 04:00 PM ET, 02/16/2012

Covering automated surveys in 2012

By Jon Cohen

Before this election cycle, we avoided highlighting any result from automated surveys. We’ve changed our approach

By Jon Cohen | 04:00 PM ET, 02/16/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 06:23 PM ET, 02/15/2012

America: Religious and political outlier

By Scott Clement

Religion and politics collided once again this month as religious groups objected to requirements to provide contraceptive-covering insurance. America’s widely varying levels of religious commitment make the outcome of such firestorms hard to predict.

By Scott Clement | 06:23 PM ET, 02/15/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, GOP nomination, International polls, Presidential Approval

Posted at 03:23 PM ET, 02/15/2012

GOP primary — in one chart

By Jon Cohen

Pew Research, Gallup, The New York Times, CBS, and others now have the GOP contest a toss-up between Mitt Romney and Rick Santorum.

By Jon Cohen | 03:23 PM ET, 02/15/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 12:18 PM ET, 02/15/2012

Poll watcher: Libya cheers revolution; Americans hesitant on Syria, Iran

By Scott Clement

Libyans are overwhelmingly positive and optimistic about their lives and their country in a new survey by Oxford Research International.

By Scott Clement | 12:18 PM ET, 02/15/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: International polls, Barack Obama | Tags: Iran, Libya, Syria, Middle East

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 02/14/2012

Rick Santorum now rivals Mitt Romney in popularity, poll finds

By Jon Cohen

As Rick Santorum has become better known, the number of Americans with favorable views of him has gone up, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Jon Cohen | 03:00 PM ET, 02/14/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 02/14/2012

Sagging favorable ratings of China greet their vice president

By Peyton M. Craighill

Unfavorable ratings of China have ticked above a majority in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 07:00 AM ET, 02/14/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Behind the Numbers

Posted at 02:37 PM ET, 02/13/2012

Republicans more doubtful of Romney’s conservative bona fides

By Scott Clement

Core Republican groups are increasingly skeptical of Romney’s conservative credentials, especially those who agree with the tea party movement.

By Scott Clement | 02:37 PM ET, 02/13/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: GOP nomination, 2012 polls, Republican Party

Posted at 09:52 AM ET, 02/13/2012

The Barie report: Valentine’s Day and ‘never married’

By Dave Barie

With the Valentine’s Day welcome — or unwelcome — focus on romance and love, here’s some detail on lovelorn — or happily unattached — adults who are single and have never married.

By Dave Barie | 09:52 AM ET, 02/13/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 04:54 PM ET, 02/09/2012

Does the public blame banks for housing woes?

By Scott Clement

Most see banks at least partly responsible for the nation’s housing woes, but polls show they are far from the only culprits.

By Scott Clement | 04:54 PM ET, 02/09/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Economy, Financial regulation, Presidential Approval

Posted at 10:07 AM ET, 02/09/2012

Syria intervention? Americans may not be cheering

By Scott Clement

Syrians continue to be bombarded by President Assad’s government. Obama’s reluctance to use force jibes with the philosophy of most Americans.

By Scott Clement | 10:07 AM ET, 02/09/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: International polls, Barack Obama

Posted at 07:00 AM ET, 02/09/2012

Tax policy for manufacturing jobs — carrots or sticks?

By Peyton M. Craighill

When it comes to U.S. manufacturing jobs, more Americans support the punishment than the enticement.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 07:00 AM ET, 02/09/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Economy

Posted at 03:00 PM ET, 02/07/2012

Polling on pork

By Scott Clement

Polls show Americans hold overwhelmingly negative views of earmarks and pork barrel spending in general, but also want congressional dollars back in their district.

By Scott Clement | 03:00 PM ET, 02/07/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Congress, Federal Budget Deficit | Tags: Democratic Party

Posted at 12:28 PM ET, 02/07/2012

Eye of the beholder: Partisans see own ‘facts’

By Jon Cohen

Democrats and Republicans can’t seem to agree on anything these days, and that now extends to basic views of the nation’s economy.

By Jon Cohen | 12:28 PM ET, 02/07/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Posted at 10:11 AM ET, 02/06/2012

Obama and Romney on the economy — empathy or competence?

By Peyton M. Craighill

On trust to handle the No. 1 issue — the economy — public perceptions of Barack Obama and Mitt Romney diverge in important ways.

By Peyton M. Craighill | 10:11 AM ET, 02/06/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: Barack Obama, Economy, GOP nomination

Posted at 12:01 AM ET, 02/06/2012

Romney leads big in poll as GOP base splinters

By Scott Clement

Mitt Romney holds a wide lead over other GOP contenders in a new Washington Post-ABC News national poll, but his support continues to lag among core Republican constituencies.

By Scott Clement | 12:01 AM ET, 02/06/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: 2012 polls, GOP nomination, Republican Party, Voting

Posted at 07:23 PM ET, 02/01/2012

Does killing bad guys really help at the ballot box?

By Scott Clement

“For the first time in two decades, Osama bin Laden is not a threat to this country,” said President Obama the top of his State of the Union speech last week. Obama and his team clearly see eliminating bin Laden as a top administration achievement. But do Americans really reward at the ballot box presidents who take down their bogeyman?

By Scott Clement | 07:23 PM ET, 02/01/2012 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)
Categories: International polls, Barack Obama, Presidential Approval, Voting

Posted at 12:56 PM ET, 05/01/2007

About Behind the Numbers

By Jon Cohen

By Jon Cohen | 12:56 PM ET, 05/01/2007 | Permalink | Comments ( 0)

Behind the Numbers: February, 2012