What Are We Thinking?

President Obama's approval rating and the Facebook IPO

dheller@whyy.org (Dave Heller) — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 05:00:00 GMT

Frank Newport, Editor in Chief of the Gallup Poll, joins NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller to break down what American's are thinking. This weeks topics:

Florida primary is now behind us… although as Newt Gingrich says, there are 46 states to go - including Nevada tomorrow (Saturday)…..Is Romney the inevitable nominee?
Whoever wins the GOP nomination will have face Barack Obama….Gallup is out this week with its list of Obama job approval ratings for 2011 in all 50 states….which states gave Obama the highest ratings and which states gave him the lowest ratings?
And, what about Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey?
More generally, what's the latest update on what Obama's job approval rating tells us about his re-election chances next November?
Sec'y of Defense Leon Panetta said on Wednesday that the U.S. will leave Afghanistan by 2013…..what do Americans think about the war there?
Facebook's IPO announcement is sure to create an instant class of new paper millionaires….some 800 million users worldwide — how many Americans use Facebook? How age-skewed is it? Do women use Facebook more than men?

The Florida debates and the State of the Union

dheller@whyy.org (Dave Heller) — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 20:47:57 GMT

Frank Newport, Editor in Chief of the Gallup Poll, joins NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller to break down the latest developments in national politics. This weeks topics:

The two leading GOP candidates went at it again last night in their final Florida debate. Where does that race stand now, both in Florida and nationally?
Is it unusual to have the lead ping-ponging back and forth like this?
Among what voter segments does Romney do best, and among which does Gingrich do best?
Just to check up on him, how's Pennsylvania's Rick Santorum doing?
One issue raised last night was housing - hit hard in Florida. Do Americans want the government to get involved in helping foreclosed homeowners?
Obama made his third State of the Union address Tuesday and just today arrives back in DC after a barnstorming tour to swing states. Any signs that he helped himself in the debate?
Two big issues in the debate: "fairness" and using government to fix the nation's problems. First, do Americans really believe that the economic system is unfair today?
Second, is Obama treading on dangerous grounds with his call for government intervention in a number of ways to fix the nation's problems?

The state of the presidential race

dheller@whyy.org (Dave Heller) — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 12:00:00 GMT

Frank Newport, Editor in Chief of the Gallup Poll, joins NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller to discuss how Americans feel about the current state of the race for the presidency.This week's topics:

Two states down so far in the quest for the Republican nomination, and many more to come….including South Carolina's primary Saturday. Where does the race stand at this point….and is Romney the high probability favorite to win?
If the choice comes down to Obama versus Romney, would Americans be satisfied with these choices?
Obama's strategy team is pitching his campaign this year in part as "Obama against the Congress"….but when Americans are asked who they want to have more influence - Obama or the Republicans in Congress, what's their answer?
The top issue in the campaign remains employment and jobs…any signs that employment concerns are lessening?
Obama makes his State of the Union speech next Tuesday….Just what is it that Americans are most satisfied with today, and what are they most dissatisfied with?

Gallup: More voters identify as Independents

dheller@whyy.org (Dave Heller) — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 21:51:28 GMT

Frank Newport, Editor in Chief of the Gallup Poll, joins NewsWorks Tonight host Dave Heller to break down the latest campaign numbers.

Gallup: Happiest and saddest days of 2011

dheller@whyy.org (Dave Heller) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 18:00:00 GMT

Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup poll, talks with WHYY's Dave Heller this week about:

Five key points to make about the race for the Republican nomination post Iowa
Update on President Barack Obama: his chances for re-election looking a little brighter
And, a review of the happiest and the saddest days of 2011!

People we admire, the Iowa caucuses, and rating the candidates

dheller@whyy.org (Dave Heller) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:00:00 GMT

Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup poll, discusses what Americans are thinking with Dave Heller. This weeks topics:

As the year ends, who is the living man and the living woman whom Americans most admire?
The Iowa caucuses are now just a few days away - the first actual voting of the election year. As this year ends, what's the lay of the landscape among Republicans in Iowa and nationally?
More politics...which candidate is the closest to the ideological self-positioning of Americans? In other words, when Americans are asked to rate candidates on a liberal to conservative spectrum, which one ends up being closest to how Americans rate themselves?

Gallup: Congress achieves lowest approval rating

dheller@whyy.org (Dave Heller) — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 10:00:00 GMT

Congress' protracted wrestling over extending the payroll tax cuts does little to enhance the image of its members. Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup poll, said Congress is doing poorly in eyes of average Americans with an 11% job approval rating, the lowest annual average in Gallup poll history.

Also this week: