CBS NEWS/MTV/NEW YORK TIMES POLL Fr release: June 26th, 2007 6:30 P.M. EDT THE STATE OF THE YOUTH NATION: 2007 June 15-23 rd, 2007 Interviews fr this pll were cnducted amng 659 17 t 29 year- lds interviewed by telephne June 15 June 23rd, 2007. The pll was cnducted jintly by CBS News, The New Yrk Times and MTV. Respndents were part f natinwide representative samples identified in husehlds previusly interviewed by CBS News Plls and frm randmdigit dial samples. The margin f errr fr this survey is +/- 4% pints fr results based n the entire sample. SUMMARY Yunger Americans aged 17 t 29 believe they will be a frce in the upcming 2008 electin: nearly eight in ten think their generatin will have a lt r sme impact n wh the next president will be. And even at this early stage, yung peple are tuning in: six in ten are paying a lt r sme attentin. Mst say the upcming presidential electin is ne f the mst imprtant r the mst imprtant electin in their lifetime. Many yunger Americans are getting wired int the campaign: the internet is a widely-used way fr yunger Americans t cnnect t the candidates. One-third say they have been t the website f a plitical candidate, and 15% have cnnected t a candidate thrugh a scial netwrking site like MySpace r Facebk. Yunger Americans chse the ecnmy and the war as the issues that will matter mst in their vting decisins next year. But n many specific tpics f cncern, yunger Americans say Presidential candidates aren't giving them enugh pririty: student lans, jb training, health care fr the uninsured and reducing il use are all very imprtant t yunger peple but mst say the candidates are nt addressing these specific tpics enugh. Abut half f Americans 17 t 29 call themselves enthusiastic abut a candidate and Barack Obama and Hillary Clintn have captured the enthusiasm f yunger Americans far mre than their Demcratic rivals and any f the Republican candidates nw running.
When yunger Americans lk at the current crp f presidential candidates, they see a diverse array f backgrunds and persnal experiences represented. Yunger peple dn t think being black r female is a hindrance t getting elected amng the peple they knw, but being a Mrmn might be. YOUNG PEOPLE AND INFLUENCE ON CAMPAIGN 2008 Yung Americans believe they will have an impact n this electin. 77% f 17 t 29 year lds think their generatin will have a lt r sme impact n wh the next president will be. HOW MUCH INFLUENCE DO YOU THINK PEOPLE OF YOUR GENERATION WILL HAVE ON THE PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION? A lt 34% Sme 43 Nt much/nne 22 Still, abut half f yung Americans think they will have less influence n the presidential electin than lder peple. 17 t 29 year lds say the 2008 presidential electin is ne f the mst imprtant if nt the mst imprtant electin in their lifetime. IN YOUR LIFETIME, THIS ELECTION IS The mst imprtant 22% One f the mst imprtant 43 As imprtant as thers 29 Less/nt imprtant 5 80% disagree with the statement: It makes n real difference wh is elected President -- things g n just as they did befre." Even at this early stage, yung peple say they are tuning in t the presidential campaign. Nearly six in ten are paying a lt r sme attentin. Back in the summer f 2003, nly 35% f adults under 30 were paying attentin t the campaign. Tday, adults natinwide are paying a bit mre attentin than yunger peple.
ATTENTION TO 2008 CAMPAIGN Nw 7/2003 All Americans 17-29 18-29 5/07 A lt 14% 7% 20% Sme 44 28 46 Nt much/nne 41 65 44 Cllege grads are mre likely t say they re paying attentin t the 2008 campaign. 65% say they are, cmpared t 58% f thse withut cllege degrees. There are gender differences. 40% f yung wmen say their generatin will have a lt f influence n selectin f the next president, cmpared t 28% f yung men. Sme have gtten persnally invlved in the plitical arena in sme way. 28% say they have dne smething like jining a plitical club, wrking n r vlunteering fr a campaign in sme way, r attending a rally. EVER DONE SOMETHING TO GET INVOLVED IN POLITICS? Yes 28% N 72 74% f the 17 t 29 year lds interviewed say they are registered t vte. And amng thse currently nt registered, mst plan t d s befre the 2008 electin. Amng thse already registered r thse wh plan t, 43% say it will be their first time vting in a presidential electin, while 57% have vted befre. If the 2008 electin were being held tday, 54% f 17-29 year lds say they wuld vte fr the Demcratic candidate; 32% wuld chse the Republican. In 2004 mre Americans 18-29 turned ut t vte in the Presidential electin than had in 2000, but the ttal electrate in 2004 was higher, t. Their turnut bst helped yung peple keep their influence amid an electrate that increased frm 2000 t 2004; accrding t CBS News Exit Plls, they cmprised 17% f vters in each year.
THE INTERNET AND THE CAMPAIGN Visits t plitical internet sites g tgether with enthusiasm and attentin t plitics. Mst yung peple wh have visited either a plitical website f sme kind, r candidates' MySpace pages, have a candidate whm they feel enthusiastic abut. Thse wh haven't visited any such sites are much less likely t say they feel enthusiastic abut any candidate. Yung peple wh have visited a plitical page r website are much mre likely than thse wh haven't t say they're paying a lt f attentin t the campaign (28% f them are.) Yung peple wh have visited the sites are a bit mre likely t say their generatin will have a lt f impact in 2008 than are thse wh have nt visited. 71% f yunger Americans have visited netwrking sites such as MySpace, Friendster, and Facebk at least nce at sme pint, including 56% wh have their wn page. This is especially true f thse under age 25. 25% f thse wh have been t such netwrking sites have visited a page belnging t, r assciated with, a plitical candidate, including sme wh have signed up r registered with them. EVER VISITED A POLITICAL CANDIDATES' PAGE ON SITES LIKE MYSPACE OR FACEBOOK? (Amng thse using scial netwrking sites) Yes, visited pages 15% Yes, visited & signed up, vlunteered, etc. 10 N 74 31% f 17 t 29 year lds have at sme pint directly visited a plitical r campaign site f sme kind, including ne in 10 wh have signed up fr mailing lists, vlunteered, r dnated mney nce there. EVER VISITED ANY POLITICAL OR CAMPAIGN WEB SITES? Yes, visited sites 22% Yes, visited & signed up, vlunteered, dnated etc. 9 N 69
THE ISSUES AND THE ELECTION Yunger Americans chse the ecnmy and jbs, and the war, as the issues that will matter mst in their vting decisins next year. 23% pick the ecnmy and 20% name Iraq. Educatin (15%), the envirnment (12%), terrrism (10%) and health care (10%) als register in duble-digits. TOP ISSUE IN VOTING NEXT YEAR? Ecnmy/jbs 23% Iraq 20 Educatin 15 Envirnment 12 Terrrism 10 Health care 10 Immigratin 8 But tw-thirds f yunger Americans (65%) say the candidates are NOT giving their issue enugh attentin. This is especially true fr thse wh name issues besides Iraq. Of thse wh say educatin, the envirnment r health care is their tp pririty, 84% think the candidates are NOT making that issue enugh f a pririty. Of thse wh pick the ecnmy, 67% say the candidates are nt giving the ecnmy enugh pririty. But f thse wh pick Iraq, nly 26% think candidates aren't giving that enugh pririty; 64% f them say candidates are. On sme specific aspects f these issues, yung peple see a discnnect between their pririties and the candidates'. On student lans, jb training, health care fr the uninsured and lwering il and gas use, large majrities say these particular plicies ARE imprtant but majrities als say the candidates ARE NOT giving thse items enugh pririty. YOUR PRIORITIES VS. CANDIDATES PRIORITIES Plicies are Candidates are Imprtant t yu NOT priritizing it Reducing il/gas use 90% 59% Student lans 88% 67% Jb training 88% 68% Health care cverage 88% 54%
90% say gvernment plicies that prmte lwer il and gas use are imprtant t them (including 63% wh call it very imprtant) But 59% candidates are nt making that enugh f a pririty. 88% say jb training and pprtunities fr yunger wrkers are imprtant t them (including 62% wh call it very imprtant.) But 68% say candidates are nt making that enugh f a pririty. 88% say prviding health care t the uninsured is imprtant t them (including 60% wh call it very imprtant) But 54% say candidates are nt making that enugh f a pririty. 88% say student aid such as lans and grants are imprtant t them (including 59% wh call it very imprtant) But 67% say candidates are nt making that enugh f a pririty. OTHER ISSUES: GUNS Mre than ne in fur yunger Americans calls guns a serius prblem in their cmmunity. ARE GUNS A PROBLEM IN YOUR COMMUNITY? Yes 27% N 70 When yunger Americans lk back n the vilence at Virginia Tech that tk place last spring, their views are similar t the reactins expressed by Americans natinwide shrtly after the tragedy. Mst say stricter guns laws wuld have helped prevent at least a little f the vilence. AT VIRGINIA TECH, STRICTER GUNS LAWS WOULD HAVE HELPED 17-29 All Americans Nw April 2007 A lt 25% 32% A little 30 21 N effect 42 43 28% think allwing adults t carry cncealed handguns wuld have made the situatin at Virginia Tech wrse. 23% disagree and think
that wuld have helped the situatin. Mre than fur in ten think cncealed weapns wuld have had n impact. One in five yunger Americans reprts wning a firearm themselves. Thse wh wn guns are mre likely t say that stricter gun cntrl laws wuld have had n impact at Virginia Tech. HEALTH CARE Like mst Americans, mst yunger Americans think the US health care system needs either fundamental changes (55%) r must be entirely rebuilt (35%.) Yunger Americans are even mre supprtive (62%) f ne natinal, gvernment-administered health care system than Americans as a whle (47%) in a February 2007 CBS News/NY Times Pll. Abut three in fur yung peple wh d nt have health insurance favr a gvernment-run plan. One in five Americans 17-29 reprts that they d nt currently have health insurance. OTHER SOCIAL ISSUES Abrtin is ften a heated tpic in Presidential campaigns. Yunger Americans see this issue abut the same way as all Americans. 37% f yunger Americans wuld make abrtin generally available; in a May 2007 CBS News/New Yrk Times Pll abut the same number f all Americans agreed. Mst yunger Americans think pssessin f a small amunt f marijuana shuld nt be treated as a criminal ffense. Yunger Americans are mre accepting f the idea f same-sex marriage. 44% say same-sex cuples shuld be able t legally marry; nly 28% all f Americans agree. While 30% f yunger Americans wuld have n legal recgnitin fr a gay cuple's relatinship; mre, 35%, f Americans feel this way. Half f yunger Americans (50%) say being hmsexual is smething a persn cannt change. But mst Americans (53%) in Octber 2006 said being hmsexual was a chice.
THE WAR IN IRAQ Just like Americans verall, thse age 17 t 29 say the war in Iraq is the mst imprtant prblem facing the cuntry. 32% say it is the mst imprtant prblem, fllwed by the ecnmy and jbs (9%), and immigratin (8%). Mst yung peple say the war in Iraq is ging badly and 58% think the U.S. shuld have stayed ut f that cuntry in the first place. Assessments f the Iraq war amng Americans natinwide are similar. HOW IS THE IRAQ WAR GOING? 17-29 All Americans Nw 5/07 Very well 2% 2% Smewhat well 25 21 Smewhat badly 34 29 Very badly 38 47 Thse aged 17 t 29 are mre ptimistic than Americans verall n the questin f whether the U.S. will ultimately succeed in Iraq. Hwever, as with all Americans, few think success is "very" likely. WILL THE U.S. SUCCEED IN IRAQ? 17-29 All Americans Nw 5/07 Very likely 10% 12% Smewhat likely 41 33 Nt very likely 28 29 Nt at all likely 19 24 47% think the war has had n impact n this cuntry s safety frm terrrism. Fewer, 31%, say the war has made the U.S. safer. 87% f yung peple are ppsed t reinstating the military draft. REINSTATING THE MILITARY DRAFT? Favr 9% Oppse 87 In additin, 56% d nt think a reinstatement f the draft is likely, but 42% say it culd happen.
THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES Americans 17-29 vlunteer Barack Obama and Hillary Clintn as candidates they are enthusiastic abut thugh many (45%) d nt name any candidate as eliciting such enthusiasm. ARE YOU ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT ANY 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE? Barack Obama 18% Hillary Clintn 17 Rudy Giuliani 4 Mitt Rmney 2 Fred Thmpsn 2 Other 4 N, nne f them 45 Clintn generates mre enthusiasm amng wmen. 22% f wmen 17 t 29 are enthusiastic abut Clintn while 17% are enthusiastic abut Obama. Amng yung peple wh plan t vte in a Demcratic primary, 29% are enthusiastic abut Hillary Clintn, and 26% name Barack Obama. 36% f this grup is nt excited abut any f the presidential candidates. Rudy Giuliani tps the enthusiasm list amng Republican candidates. Amng Republican primary vters, specifically, 13% are enthusiastic abut Rudy Giuliani, fllwed by Mitt Rmney (9%), ptential candidate Fred Thmpsn (7%) and declared candidate Jhn McCain (2%). 48% f these vters culd nt name a candidate they are enthusiastic abut. Sme yung Republican primary vters are actually excited abut a Demcrat: 8% f them name Barack Obama. Republican primary vters are mre likely than Demcratic nes t say there is n ne they're enthusiastic abut. Seven in 10 yung Americans say the current rster f presidential candidates represents a wide array f persnal backgrunds and experiences. 22% say their backgrunds and experiences are basically the same. THE 2008 PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATES REPRESENT Diverse backgrunds and experiences 71% Mstly the same backgrunds and experiences 22
Americans 17 t 29 d nt think race r gender wuld affect the vte f peple they knw. 66% think mst peple they knw wuld vte fr a black candidate, and 59% say mst wuld vte fr a wman candidate. Nearly seven in 10 think mst peple they knw wuld have n prblem vting fr a candidate wh had smked marijuana, while less than ne in fur say mst wuld vte fr a candidate wh had used ccaine. Hwever, yung peple think a candidate's religin r sexual rientatin culd be factrs with the peple they knw: nly 28% f 17 t 29 year lds think mst peple they knw wuld vte fr a candidate wh was a Mrmn, and nly ne in fur think mst wuld vte fr a gay r lesbian candidate. WOULD MOST PEOPLE YOU KNOW VOTE FOR A CANDIDATE WHO? Wuld Wuld nt Ever smked marijuana 68% 28 Is black 66% 30 Is a wman 59% 38 Is a Mrmn 28% 59 Is gay r lesbian 25% 70 Ever used ccaine 22% 74 Accrding t yunger Americans, the best age fr a President is in their 40s r 50s. By cmparisn, a majrity f all registered vters natinwide 55% - think the best age is the 50s. BEST AGE FOR A U.S. PRESIDENT 17-29 Registered vters Nw 3/2007 30s 14% 5% 40s 44 26 50s 33 55 60s 5 9 70s 1 5 VIEWS OF THE CANDIDATES 41% f Americans 17 t 29 have a favrable pinin f Barack Obama and 19% view him unfavrably. 41% f yunger Americans view Hillary Clintn favrably, but even mre 43% - view her unfavrably. Of all the Republican candidates, Rudy Giuliani is viewed favrably by the largest number f yunger Americans - 32% f yunger Americans have a favrable pinin f him while 19% view
him unfavrably. A majrity f yunger Americans wh cnsider themselves Republican have a favrable pinin f him. A majrity f yunger Americans are unable t frm an pinin yet abut Jhn McCain, Fred Thmpsn, r Mitt Rmney. OPINION OF THE CANDIDATES Undecided/ Favrable Unfavrable Dn t knw Barack Obama 41% 19 39 Hillary Clintn 41% 43 17 Rudy Giuliani 32% 19 49 Jhn Edwards 24% 24 51 Jhn McCain 20% 26 53 Fred Thmpsn 10% 8 82 Mitt Rmney 7% 17 75 METHODOLOGY Interviews were cnducted amng 659 17 t 29 year lds by telephne frm June 15-23, 2007. The pll was cnducted jintly by CBS News, The New Yrk Times and MTV. These respndents were part f natinwide representative samples identified in husehlds previusly interviewed by CBS News Plls and frm RDD samples. Weighting The sample is weighted t ensure that the distributin f interviews mirrrs the distributin f the entire ppulatin f 17 t 29 yearlds acrss a variety f variables. The weighting prcedures are as fllws: 1. Each respndent receives a weight inversely prprtinal t his r her prbability f selectin. Fr respndents in previusly interviewed husehlds, this weight is the husehld weight in the riginal survey, times the number f 17-29 year lds nw in the husehld. Fr the RDD sample, it is the number f 17-29 year lds in the husehld divided by the number f telephne lines. These weights are nrmalized s that the average weight in the RDD sample and in each f the riginal surveys is ne. 2. The weights were then adjusted t match Census Bureau estimates f 17 t 29 year-lds by age, presence f bth 17-24 year lds and 25-29 year lds in the same husehld, educatin, gender, marital status, and census regin.
Margin f Errr The margin f errr fr this survey is plus r minus fur percentage pints fr results based n the entire sample. That means that 95 times ut f a hundred, the results are within fur percentage pints f what they wuld be if the entire universe f 17 t 29 year-lds were interviewed. The errr fr subgrups is larger.
CBS NEWS/MTV/NEW YORK TIMES POLL The State f the Yuth Natin: 2007 June 15-23, 2007 q1 Suppse a reprter stpped yu n the street and wanted t interview yu. If he r she asked yu t name the mst imprtant issue facing peple f yur generatin tday, what wuld yu tell them? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female War in Iraq 18 16 19 Envirnment/glbal warming 8 10 6 Health care 6 7 6 Educatin 5 4 6 Scial Security 5 4 5 Ecnmy/jbs 8 10 7 Crime / Vilence 4 2 6 Miscellaneus Scial Issues 4 5 2 Drugs/kids and drugs 5 4 6 Gas prices/heating il 2 3 1 Mral values/family values 2 3 1 Terrrism (general) 2 3 0 Other 17 16 19 DK/NA 14 13 16 q2 D yu apprve r disapprve f the way Gerge W. Bush is handling his jb as President? Apprve 28 24 32 Disapprve 66 70 62 DK/NA 6 6 6 q3 D yu feel things in this cuntry are generally ging in the right directin r d yu feel things have pretty seriusly gtten ff n the wrng track? Right directin 26 25 27 Wrng track 70 69 70 DK/NA 4 6 3 q4 What d yu think is the mst imprtant prblem facing this cuntry tday? War in Iraq 32 23 39 Ecnmy/jbs 9 12 7 Immigratin 8 6 9 Terrrism (general) 5 6 4 Gas/Heating Oil Crisis 5 7 4 The President/Gerge W. Bush 4 4 5 Health Care 3 2 4 Pverty / Hmelessness 2 1 2 Envirnment 2 2 3 Freign Plicy 2 2 2 Pliticians/Gvernment 2 3 0 Freign aid/attn. t Dmestic 2 3 0 Budget Deficit/Nat l Debt 2 1 2 Miscellaneus Scial Issues 2 3 1 Mral/Family/Religius values 2 2 3 Other 12 15 10 DK/NA 6 8 5
q5 D yu apprve r disapprve f the way Gerge W. Bush is handling the situatin with Iraq? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Apprve 22 25 18 Disapprve 72 68 75 DK/NA 6 7 7 q6 D yu apprve r disapprve f the way Gerge W. Bush is handling the campaign against terrrism? Apprve 37 39 35 Disapprve 56 57 54 DK/NA 7 4 11 q7 D yu apprve r disapprve f the way Cngress is handling its jb? Apprve 32 34 31 Disapprve 54 57 51 DK/NA 14 9 18 q8 Hw wuld yu rate the jb pprtunities fr peple f yur generatin -- are they excellent, pretty gd, nly fair, r pr? Excellent 9 12 6 Pretty gd 41 39 43 Only fair 35 32 38 Pr 14 15 13 DK/NA 1 2 0 q9 Hw much d yu think the gvernment in Washingtn cares abut peple f yur generatin -- a lt, sme, nt much, r nt at all? A lt 8 9 6 Sme 47 43 51 Nt much 34 35 33 Nt at all 11 13 9 Dn't knw/n answer 0 0 1 q10 Hw much attentin have yu been able t pay t the 2008 presidential campaign -- a lt, sme, nt much, r n attentin s far? A lt 14 16 13 Sme 44 45 43 Nt much 25 22 29 Nne at all 16 17 14 DK/NA 1 0 1 q11 In 2008, hw much influence d yu think peple f yur generatin will have in deciding wh the next President will be -- a lt, sme, nt much, r n influence at all? A lt 34 28 40 Sme 43 49 38 Nt much 20 21 19 Nne at all 2 2 2 DK/NA 1 0 1
q12 D yu think peple f yur generatin will have mre influence than peple lder than yu in deciding wh the next president will be, less influence, r abut the same amunt f influence as peple lder than yu? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Mre 18 18 18 Less 45 43 47 Same 36 39 34 DK/NA 1 0 1 q13 D yu think yur generatin will be better ff, wrse ff, r abut the same as yur parents' generatin? Better ff 25 30 21 Wrse ff 48 41 55 Abut the same 25 28 22 DK/NA 2 1 2 q14 Cmpared t previus presidential electins, d yu think the 2008 electin fr President next year will be the MOST imprtant electin f yur lifetime, ne f the mst imprtant, abut as imprtant as thers, less imprtant, r nt imprtant at all? The mst imprtant 22 25 20 One f the mst imprtant 43 41 46 Abut as imprtant as thers 29 26 32 Less imprtant 3 3 2 Nt imprtant at all 2 4 0 DK/NA 1 1 0 q15 Thinking abut the candidates nw running fr President, is there any candidate that yu feel enthusiastic abut? IF YES: Wh is that? Barack Obama 18 19 17 Hillary Clintn 17 12 22 Rudy Giuliani 4 4 4 Mitt Rmney 2 1 3 Fred Thmpsn 2 4 0 Sam Brwnback 1 1 0 Jhn Edwards 1 0 2 Jhn McCain 1 1 0 Rn Paul 1 3 0 N 45 43 47 Other 0 0 0 DK/NA 8 12 5 q16 If the 2008 electin fr President were being held tday, wuld yu prbably vte fr the Republican candidate r wuld yu prbably vte fr the Demcratic candidate? Republican 32 31 32 Demcratic 54 50 57 Other (vl.) 1 2 0 Wn't vte (vl.) 1 1 2 Depends (vl.) 4 6 3 DK/NA 8 10 6
q17 (I'm ging t name sme pssible 2008 presidential candidates and ask yu what yu think f them. If yu haven't heard much abut smene I name, just tell me.) Is yur pinin f Rudy Giuliani favrable, nt favrable, undecided, r haven't yu heard enugh abut Rudy Giuliani yet t have an pinin? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Favrable 32 35 28 Nt favrable 19 20 19 Undecided 26 26 26 Haven't heard enugh 23 19 27 Refused 0 0 0 q18 Is yur pinin f Jhn McCain favrable, nt favrable, undecided, r haven't yu heard enugh abut Jhn McCain yet t have an pinin? Favrable 20 24 16 Nt favrable 26 32 21 Undecided 28 24 33 Haven't heard enugh 25 20 30 Refused 1 0 0 q19 Is yur pinin f Mitt Rmney favrable, nt favrable, undecided, r haven't yu heard enugh abut Mitt Rmney yet t have an pinin? Favrable 7 8 6 Nt favrable 17 22 10 Undecided 12 12 13 Haven't heard enugh 63 57 70 Refused 1 1 1 q20 Is yur pinin f Fred Thmpsn favrable, nt favrable, undecided, r haven't yu heard enugh abut Fred Thmpsn yet t have an pinin? Favrable 10 14 5 Nt favrable 8 10 5 Undecided 10 7 12 Haven't heard enugh 72 68 76 Refused 0 1 2 q21 Is yur pinin f Hillary Rdham Clintn favrable, nt favrable, undecided, r haven't yu heard enugh abut Hillary Rdham Clintn yet t have an pinin? Favrable 41 33 48 Nt favrable 43 51 35 Undecided 15 13 16 Haven't heard enugh 2 3 1 Refused 0 0 0 q22 Is yur pinin f Jhn Edwards favrable, nt favrable, undecided, r haven't yu heard enugh abut Jhn Edwards yet t have an pinin? Favrable 24 28 21 Nt favrable 24 28 20 Undecided 28 26 31 Haven't heard enugh 23 18 28 Refused 1 0 0
q23 Is yur pinin f Barack Obama favrable, nt favrable, undecided, r haven't yu heard enugh abut Barack Obama yet t have an pinin? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Favrable 41 39 44 Nt favrable 19 26 13 Undecided 18 17 19 Haven't heard enugh 21 18 24 Refused 1 0 0 q24 Wuld yu describe the candidates nw running fr President as a grup f peple wh have diverse persnal backgrunds and experiences, r as a grup f peple wh have mstly the same kind f persnal backgrunds and experiences? Diverse 71 65 76 Same 22 26 18 DK/NA 7 9 6 q25 In deciding wh yu wuld like t see elected President next year, which ONE f the fllwing issues will be mst imprtant t yu? 1. Educatin, r 2. Terrrism and natinal security, r 3. The envirnment and glbal warming, r 4. the ecnmy and jbs, r 5. Health care, r 6. The war in Iraq, OR 7. Immigratin? Educatin 15 16 13 Terrrism and nat l security 10 10 11 Envirnment/glbal warming 12 15 10 The ecnmy and jbs 23 23 24 Health care 10 7 13 The war in Iraq 20 18 22 Immigratin 8 8 7 Smething else/nne (vl.) 0 0 0 DK/NA 2 3 0 q26 And d yu think the candidates fr President are making [Issue Named in q25] enugh f a pririty, r nt enugh f a pririty? * AMONG THOSE WHO SELECTED AN ISSUE IN Q25 * Health Iraq Educatin Terrrism Envirnment Ecnmy Care War Enugh 6 33 9 14 17 64 Nt enugh 81 54 91 67 81 26 T much (vl.) 2 0 0 0 0 1 Dk/NA 10 13 0 19 2 9 q27 Hw imprtant t yu are gvernment plicies that prmte jb training and jb pprtunities fr yunger wrkers -- very imprtant, smewhat imprtant, nt t imprtant, r nt at all imprtant? Very imprtant 62 57 67 Smewhat imprtant 26 26 26 Nt t imprtant 9 12 7 Nt at all imprtant 2 4 0 DK/NA 1 1 0
q28 And d yu think the candidates fr president are making that enugh f a pririty, r nt enugh f a pririty? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Enugh 19 21 17 Nt enugh 68 67 69 T much (vl.) 0 1 0 Dk/NA 13 11 14 q29 Hw imprtant t yu are gvernment plicies that prvide insurance cverage t peple wh dn't have it -- very imprtant, smewhat imprtant, nt t imprtant, r nt at all imprtant? Very imprtant 60 52 68 Smewhat imprtant 28 29 27 Nt t imprtant 8 12 4 Nt at all imprtant 4 7 0 DK/NA 0 0 1 q30 And d yu think the candidates fr president are making that enugh f a pririty, r nt enugh f a pririty? Enugh 32 32 31 Nt enugh 54 51 57 T much (vl.) 1 1 0 Dk/NA 13 16 12 q31 Hw imprtant t yu are gvernment plicies that try t reduce gas and il use by cnsumers -- very imprtant, smewhat imprtant, nt t imprtant, r nt at all imprtant? Very imprtant 63 65 61 Smewhat imprtant 27 24 30 Nt t imprtant 5 5 5 Nt at all imprtant 4 5 3 DK/NA 1 1 1 q32 And d yu think the candidates fr president are making that enugh f a pririty, r nt enugh f a pririty? Enugh 32 30 34 Nt enugh 59 61 57 T much (vl.) 1 1 0 Dk/NA 8 8 9 q33 Hw imprtant t yu are gvernment plicies cvering lans, grants, and student aid that helps pay fr cllege -- very imprtant, smewhat imprtant, nt t imprtant, r nt at all imprtant? Very imprtant 59 59 59 Smewhat imprtant 29 31 27 Nt t imprtant 7 6 8 Nt at all imprtant 4 5 3 DK/NA 1 0 3
q34 And d yu think the candidates fr president are making that enugh f a pririty, r nt enugh f a pririty? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Enugh 21 24 18 Nt enugh 67 67 67 T much (vl.) 0 0 0 Dk/NA 12 10 15 q35 D yu think mst peple yu knw wuld vte fr a presidential candidate wh is a Mrmn, r nt? Wuld 28 32 25 Wuld nt 59 57 61 Dn't knw/n answer 13 11 14 q36 D yu think mst peple yu knw wuld vte fr a presidential candidate wh is black, r nt? Wuld 66 70 63 Wuld nt 30 28 32 Dn't knw/n answer 4 2 5 q37 D yu think mst peple yu knw wuld vte fr a presidential candidate wh is a wman, r nt? Wuld 59 61 57 Wuld nt 38 36 41 Dn't knw/n answer 3 3 2 q38 D yu think mst peple yu knw wuld vte fr a presidential candidate wh has ever smked marijuana, r nt? Wuld 68 71 66 Wuld nt 28 26 29 Dn't knw/n answer 4 3 5 q39 D yu think mst peple yu knw wuld vte fr a presidential candidate wh has ever used ccaine, r nt? Wuld 22 23 21 Wuld nt 74 74 74 Dn't knw/n answer 4 3 5 q40 In general, what is the best age fr a president f the United States -- in their 30s, in their 40s, in their 50s, in their 60s, r in their 70s? 30s 14 14 14 40s 44 43 46 50s 33 33 32 60s 5 5 4 70s 1 1 1 DK/NA 3 4 3
q41 Wuld yu agree r disagree with the fllwing statement? It makes n real difference wh is elected President -- things g n just as they did befre. ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Agree 20 17 22 Disagree 80 83 76 DK/NA 0 0 2 q42 In general, is yur pinin f the Republican party favrable r nt favrable? Favrable 38 37 39 Nt favrable 55 55 54 DK/NA 7 8 7 q43 In general, is yur pinin f the Demcratic party favrable r nt favrable? Favrable 58 55 60 Nt favrable 35 36 33 DK/NA 7 9 7 q44 Regardless f hw yu usually vte, d yu think the Republican party r the Demcratic party cmes clser t sharing yur mral values? Republican 36 39 34 Demcratic 52 50 55 Bth (vl.) 1 0 2 Neither (vl.) 5 7 4 DK/NA 6 4 5 q45 Regardless f hw yu usually vte, d yu think the Republican party r the Demcratic party is mre t likely t reinstate the military draft? Republican 66 69 62 Demcratic 16 17 16 Bth (Vl.) 1 1 1 Neither (Vl.) 5 5 4 Dn't knw/n answer 12 8 17 q46 Which f these cmes clsest t yur view?...abrtin shuld be generally available t thse wh want it, abrtin shuld be available but under stricter limits then it is nw, abrtin shuld nt be permitted? Generally available 37 40 34 Available but w/ limits 38 40 35 Shuld nt be permitted 24 20 28 Dn't knw/n answer 1 0 3 q47 Which cmes clsest t yur view?...gay cuples shuld be allwed t legally marry, gay cuples shuld be allwed t frm civil unins but nt legally marry, there shuld be n legal recgnitin f a gay cuple's relatinship? Allwed t legally marry 44 43 44 Civil Unins 24 21 27 N legal recgnitin 30 33 26 Dn't knw/n answer 2 3 3
q48 D yu think being hmsexual is smething peple chse t be, r d yu think it is smething they cannt change? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Chse 43 45 42 Cannt change 50 48 52 Dn't knw/n answer 7 7 6 q49 Which f the fllwing three statements cmes clsest t expressing yur verall view f the healthcare system in the United States? 1) n the whle, the healthcare system wrks pretty well and nly minr changes are necessary t make it wrk better r 2) there are sme gd things in ur health care system, but fundamental changes are needed r 3) ur healthcare system has s much wrng with it that we need t cmpletely rebuild it. Minr changes 10 9 10 Fundamental changes 55 56 53 Cmpletely rebuild 35 33 36 DK/NA 0 2 1 q50 Which d yu think wuld be better fr the cuntry: 1. Having ne health insurance prgram cvering all Americans that wuld be administered by the gvernment and paid fr by taxpayers, OR 2. Keeping the current system where many peple get their insurance frm private emplyers and sme have n insurance. One prgram 62 62 63 Current system 32 32 32 Cmbinatin (vl.) 2 1 2 Neither (vl.) 2 1 2 DK/NA 2 4 1 q53 Which cmes clser t yur view: 1. Glbal warming is a very serius prblem and shuld be ne f the highest pririties fr gvernment leaders OR 2. Glbal warming is serius but des nt need t be a high pririty OR 3. Glbal warming is nt serius and can be addressed years frm nw. Very serius 54 59 50 Serius but nt high pririty 35 29 41 Nt serius 10 11 8 Never needs t be addressed 1 1 0 DK/NA 0 0 1 q54 Which cmes clser t yur pinin: 1) America shuld always welcme all immigrants, OR 2) America shuld always welcme sme immigrants, but nt thers, OR 3) America cannt affrd t pen its drs t any newcmers? Welcme all 30 34 25 Welcme sme 47 46 49 N newcmers 21 18 24 DK/NA 2 2 2
q55 D yu think mst peple yu knw wuld vte fr a presidential candidate wh is gay r lesbian, r nt? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Wuld 25 25 26 Wuld nt 70 68 72 DK/NA 5 7 2 q56 D yu favr r ppse reinstating the military draft in the United States? Favr 9 13 6 Oppse 87 84 89 Dn't knw/n answer 4 3 5 q57 Hw likely d yu think it is that the United States will reinstate the military draft in the next few years -- very likely, smewhat likely, nt t likely, r nt at all likely? Very likely 13 13 13 Smewhat likely 29 20 37 Nt t likely 39 40 37 Nt at all likely 17 23 10 dk/na 2 2 3 q58 D yu think pssessin f small amunts f marijuana shuld r shuld nt be treated as a criminal ffense? Shuld 41 40 42 Shuld nt 58 58 57 DK/NA 1 2 1 q59 Lking back, d yu think the United States did the right thing in taking military actin against Iraq, r shuld the US have stayed ut? Right thing 38 38 38 Stayed ut 58 57 60 Dn't knw/n answer 4 5 2 q60 Hw wuld yu say things are ging fr the U.S. in its effrts t bring stability and rder t Iraq? Wuld yu say things are ging very well, smewhat well, smewhat badly, r very badly? Very well 2 4 1 Smewhat well 25 27 22 Smewhat badly 34 29 39 Very badly 38 41 34 Dn't knw/n answer 1 0 4 q61 Regardless f whether yu think taking military actin in Iraq was the right thing t d - wuld yu say that the U.S. is very likely t succeed in Iraq, smewhat likely t succeed, nt very likely t succeed, r nt at all likely t succeed in Iraq? Very likely 10 11 9 Smewhat likely 41 41 40 Nt very likely 28 25 31 Nt at all likely 19 22 16 DK/NA 2 1 4
q62 As a result f the United States' military actin against Iraq, d yu think the United States is mre safe frm terrrism, less safe frm terrrism, r hasn't it made any difference? ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Mre safe 31 34 28 Less safe 19 18 21 N difference 47 45 49 Dn't knw/n answer 3 3 2 q63 Hw big f a prblem d yu think guns are in the schls in yur cmmunity? Are guns a serius prblem r nt a serius prblem in the schls where yu live? Serius prblem 27 21 34 Nt a serius prblem 70 76 64 Dn't knw/n answer 3 3 2 q64 Thinking abut the vilence at Virginia Tech this past spring, d yu think that stricter gun cntrl laws wuld have dne a lt t prevent the vilence at Virginia Tech, dne a little, r had n effect n preventing the vilence at Virginia Tech? A lt 25 22 28 A little 30 25 35 N effect 42 49 35 DK/NA 3 4 2 q65 D yu think that allwing adults t carry cncealed handguns wuld have reduced sme f the vilence at Virginia Tech, wuld have made the vilence there wrse, r wuld that have had n effect n the vilence there? Reduced 23 27 19 Made wrse 28 24 32 N effect 46 47 44 DK/NA 3 2 5 q67 Where d yu usually get mst f yur news abut what's ging n in the wrld tday -- frm the newspapers, r radi, r televisin, r the internet, r smeplace else? Newspapers 12 12 11 Radi 7 9 6 Televisin 45 40 50 Internet 31 33 29 Smeplace else 4 5 4 Dn't knw/n answer 1 1 0 q68 Have yu ever used the Internet t visit netwrking sites like MySpace, Friendster, r Facebk? IF YES: D yu have yur wn page n any f thse sites? Yes, visited 15 17 12 Yes, visited AND have page 56 52 60 N 30 31 28 DK/NA 0 0 0
q69 Have yu ever visited any plitical candidates' pages n sites like MySpace, Friendster, r Facebk? IF YES: While yu were there did yu sign up fr any mailing lists, vlunteer, dnate mney, r becme a friend? * AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE VISITED NETWORKING SITES * ** Gender ** Ttal Male Female Yes, visited sites 15 18 12 Yes, visited AND signed up 10 11 10 N 74 71 78 DK/NA 1 0 0 q70 Have yu ever visited any plitical r campaign web sites? IF YES: While yu were there did yu sign up fr any mailing lists, vlunteer, r dnate mney? Yes, visited sites 22 24 20 Yes, visited AND signed up 9 11 8 N 69 66 72 q75 Have yu persnally ever dne smething t get invlved in plitics r plitical issues, such as wrk n a campaign, jin a plitical club, r attend a plitical rally r march? Yes, have dne 28 31 25 N, have nt dne 72 69 74 DK/NA 0 0 1 reg Sme peple are registered t vte and thers are nt. Are yu registered t vte in the precinct r electin district where yu nw live, r aren't yu? Yes 74 77 70 N 25 21 30 DK/NA 1 2 10 q77 D yu plan t register befre the 2008 electin, r nt? * AMONG THOSE NOT REGISTERED TO VOTE * Yes 77 82 73 N 21 18 23 DK/NA 2 0 4 prim Next year, are yu mre likely t vte in a Demcratic presidential primary r caucus, r a Republican primary r caucus r aren't yu likely t vte in a primary r caucus at all? AMONG THOSE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND THOSE WHO PLAN TO REGISTER Demcratic primary 45 39 51 Republican primary 25 27 24 Nt likely t vte 15 18 12 DK/NA 15 16 13
q78 Wuld 2008 be the first electin in which yu might vte fr president, r have yu vted in a presidential electin befre? AMONG THOSE REGISTERED TO VOTE AND THOSE WHO PLAN TO REGISTER First time vting 43 42 43 Have vted befre 57 58 56 DK/NA 0 0 1 UNWEIGHTED Ttal Respndents Age 17-29 659 WEIGHTED Ttal Male 17-29 303 333 Ttal Female 17-29 356 326