PUBLIC OPINION

John Hawkins reminds us that most Americans really don’t pay that much attention to politics, yesterday’s Gallup Poll Analyses – Rush Limbaugh a Well-Known but Highly Polarizing Figure. Among those surveyed, large percentages had never heard of Rush Limbaugh (9%), Ann Coulter (69%), Dennis Miller (30%) and Al Franken (49%).

This isn’t really news. Indeed, looking at some other recent Gallup polls makes the picture even worse. As of November 14, 50% had too little knowledge about Howard Dean to have an opinion. As of November 11, 3% of those surveyed admitted to never having heard of Vice President Cheney. And, I guarantee you, if the poll had asked people to actually name the VP, rather than simply react to his name, that percentage would have been much, much higher.

FILED UNDER: Public Opinion Polls, US Politics, , , , , ,
James Joyner
About James Joyner
James Joyner is Professor and Department Head of Security Studies at Marine Corps University's Command and Staff College. He's a former Army officer and Desert Storm veteran. Views expressed here are his own. Follow James on Twitter @DrJJoyner.

Comments

  1. M. Murcek says:

    This is why voter apathy is not all downside. I don’t want people who are not paying attention deciding the country’s politics. Of course, to an extent they are, but it’s a limited extent.

    That works for me.

  2. Paul says:

    Amen to the above comment- let the idiots stay home.

    Anyway there was a survey about half way thru the Clinton ear that asked people to name the veep. Something like 56% could not even name him.

    I always chuckle when I see poll numbers on a certain politician. Half the people don’t even know who the guy is. How can they have an opinion?

    P

  3. Paul says:

    lol the survey was not halfway thru Clinton’s ear… it was thru the Clinton era.