2000-10-14-皮尤-Media_Seen_As_Fair,_But_Tilting_to_Gore_14页_47kb

Summary of the Pew Research Center Survey (October 2000)

Core Content

The Pew Research Center survey conducted in October 2000 provides insights into public opinion on the U.S. presidential and congressional elections, media coverage, and personal concerns. The findings highlight voter perceptions of media fairness, campaign negativity, and the importance of local issues in shaping their decisions.

Main Points

• Media Fairness Perception:

  • Most voters believe the media has been fair to both major presidential candidates, with 74% rating Al Gore as fair and 65% rating George W. Bush as fair.
  • A plurality of voters think the press has been influenced by political preferences, with 57% saying journalists often let their political views affect coverage.
  • Twice as many voters believe the media is pulling for a Gore victory than for a Bush one.

• Partisan Tilt in Media Perception:

  • Republicans are more critical of the media's coverage of Bush, with 48% viewing it as fair and 43% as unfair.
  • Democrats and independents are more likely to see the media as fair to both candidates, with 75% and 75% rating Bush's coverage as fair.
  • Democrats and independents are also more likely to see the media as fair to Gore, with 75% and 80% respectively.

• Campaign Negativity:

  • 40% of voters think Bush has been too personally critical of Gore, while 29% believe Gore has been too critical of Bush.
  • Bush supporters are more likely to think Gore is not excessively critical (49%), while Gore supporters are more likely to think Bush is too critical (57%).

• Campaign Ads:

  • 61% of voters have seen Bush's ads, and 57% have seen Gore's.
  • Midwestern voters are most likely to have seen both candidates' ads, with 70% seeing Gore's and 70% seeing Bush's.
  • Gore's ads are more highly rated by Democrats and independents, with 64% of Democrats giving Gore's ads high marks.
  • Republicans are more favorable toward Bush's ads, with 59% rating them highly.

• Congressional Election Trends:

  • The battle for Congress is close and hard-fought, with Democrats leading by a slim 47% - 43% margin.
  • Local or state issues are the most important factor in congressional voting, with 42% of voters citing this as the key issue.
  • National issues are less significant, with only 21% of voters citing them as the most important.

• Party Control of Congress:

  • 46% of voters say party control will be a factor in their vote, while 50% say it will not.
  • Republicans and Democrats are more likely to consider party control than independents (51% vs. 36%).

• Support for Incumbents:

  • 60% of voters want their representative re-elected, compared to 17% who do not.
  • Republicans are the most satisfied with the current Congress, with 48% wanting most members re-elected, while 41% of Democrats and 32% of independents agree.

• Personal Concerns:

  • Financial pressures are the top concern for voters, with 28% citing it as the biggest problem.
  • Health care is now a top-tier issue, with 17% mentioning it.
  • Gore is seen as the better candidate to address financial and health care issues, while Bush is preferred by those concerned about taxes.

• News Interest:

  • The high price of gasoline was the top news story, with 56% following it closely.
  • The Sydney Olympics drew less interest than in previous years, with only 27% following it closely.
  • Health care, Firestone tire recall, and Middle East violence were also significant news topics.

Key Information

• Survey Methodology:

  • Conducted from October 4–8, 2000, with 1,009 registered voters and 1,331 adults.
  • Margin of error: ±3.5% for registered voters, ±3% for the general public.

• Historical Context:

  • In 1996, 59% of voters thought the media wanted Clinton to win, compared to 17% for Dole.
  • In 1992, 52% thought the media wanted Clinton to win, and 17% thought it wanted Bush.

• Demographic Insights:

  • Younger voters (under 50) are more concerned with economic issues.
  • Older voters (50 and above) are more troubled by health care.
  • Democrats are more likely to support Gore, while Republicans are more favorable toward Bush.

Conclusion

The survey indicates that while the media is generally seen as fair, there is a slight tilt toward Gore. Voters are more concerned with local issues and personal financial and health care concerns, with Gore being viewed as the better candidate to address these issues. The congressional race is closely contested, and incumbent support remains strong, despite the political climate.