Our Good Friends, the French
French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived this week for his first official visit to the United States. If recent polls are any indication, he’ll be met by an American public that’s warmer toward his country than it’s been in recent years. According to a BBC World Service Poll, 38 percent of Americans believe France is having a “mainly positive” influence around the world. Forty-one percent describe its influence as “mainly negative,” a significant decrease from the 52 percent that gave that response in 2005. Across the Atlantic, opinion is less sanguine. Sixty-nine percent of the French describe the global impact of the United States as mainly negative.
Source: BBC World Service Poll, March 2007.
Iraq: Some Progress?
In July, several weeks before General Petraeus gave his Congressional testimony, Gallup asked Americans whether they thought the increase in the number of U.S. troops in Iraq was making things better, making things worse, or not making much of a difference. Only 22 percent said the increase was making things better. But in Gallup’s most recent poll, conducted this month, just over a third (34 percent) gave that response. Views on the wisdom of the war have changed less. In July, 62 percent said the United States had made a mistake by sending troops to Iraq; in November, 58 percent said so. Source: The Gallup Organization, October 2007.
Polarizing Politics
According to a new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg poll, a third of self-identified Democratic voters believe that “Hillary Clinton is too polarizing a candidate, making it difficult for her to win the November presidential election.” Fifty-two percent disagree. Moderate-to-conservative Democrats are the most skeptical of their party’s frontrunner. Thirty-four percent said they thought Clinton was too polarizing to win, compared to a quarter of liberal Democrats. Source: Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg, October 2007.
My Vote Counts
Americans consistently tell pollsters that presidential campaigns are too long, too expensive, and too negative. Even so, one year before the 2008 election, a robust seven in ten say that they believe their vote will make a difference. Republicans and Democrats are more confident than independents about the effectiveness of their vote. Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, October 2007.
Eating Organic?
According to a recent Harris Interactive poll, most Americans believe that organic food is healthier than conventional food and better for the environment, too. Still, only 7 percent say that they buy it most or all of the time. People with a college education or more are slightly more likely to buy organic food than those with less formal education, as are young people. Price and taste may help explain differences in perceived benefits and buyer behavior. When asked a series of statements about organic food, more than nine in ten said it was more expensive than other food and only 39 percent said it tasted better. Source: Harris Interactive Online Poll, September 2007.
