Data are from nationwide surveys of Americans 18 & older.

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USA Today/Gallup Poll. Feb. 14-15, 2009. N=1,029 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"As you may know, a single woman in California with six children recently gave birth to octuplets, or eight babies, after undergoing in-vitro fertilization. From what you know about this case, how do you feel toward this woman: very sympathetic, somewhat sympathetic, somewhat unsympathetic, or very unsympathetic?"

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2/14-15/09

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"Do you think these children will or will not receive adequate care, or don't you know enough to say?"

.

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"What actions do you think the state of California should take in this matter? Should it remove some or all of the children from her care, provide her with some type of special assistance, or should it not do anything special in this matter?" Options rotated

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USA Today/Gallup Poll. Jan. 30-Feb. 1, 2009. N=1,027 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"As you may know, the U.S. Postal Service is an independent agency of the U.S. government that has not received taxpayer funds since 1982. Now that the postal service is currently experiencing financial difficulties, which of the following would you most like to see done: provide government funding for the postal service, raise stamp prices significantly, or cut back on services, such as Saturday mail delivery and closing post offices?" Options rotated

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1/30 - 2/1/09

USA Today/Gallup Poll. Dec. 12-14, 2008. N=1,008 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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MOST ADMIRED MAN
"What man that you have heard or read about, living today in any part of the world, do you admire most? And who is your second choice?"

Ranked according to number
of responses in 2008

Combined First and Second Choices

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MOST ADMIRED WOMAN
"What woman that you have heard or read about, living today in any part of the world, do you admire most? And who is your second choice?"

Ranked according to number
of responses in 2008

Combined First and Second Choices

Associated Press-Ipsos poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Oct. 16-18, 2007. N=1,013 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.1.

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"In general, do you believe in or do you not believe in [see below]?"

.

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"Extra-sensory perception or ESP"

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"Unidentified flying objects or UFOs"

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"Ghosts"

    10/16-18/07

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"Spells or witchcraft"

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"Have you, personally, as an adult or as a child, ever [see below]?"

.

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"Woken up from sleep with sense of a strange presence in the room"

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"Seen or believed yourself to be in the presence of a ghost"

    10/16-18/07

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"Seen an unidentified flying object"

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"Seen a monster in the closet of your bedroom"

ABC News/Washington Post Poll. Dec. 11-14, 2008. N=1,003 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3 (for all adults).

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"Looking ahead to next year, are you more hopeful, or more fearful, about what the year 2009 holds in store for you personally?"

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12/15-18/05

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"How about for the world in general? Are your more hopeful, or more fearful, about what the year 2009 holds in store for the world in general?"

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12/15-18/05

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"Thinking about the next 12 months, would you say you feel optimistic or pessimistic about [see below]?"

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"The state of the national economy"

12/7-11/06

12/15-18/05

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"Your own family's financial situation"

12/7-11/06

12/15-18/05

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"The policies Obama will pursue"

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"The situation in Iraq" Half sample (Form A)

12/7-11/06

12/15-18/05

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12/7-11/06

12/15-18/05

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"The country's ability to defend itself against terrorist attacks" Half sample (Form B)

12/7-11/06

12/15-18/05

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"The situation in Afghanistan" Half sample (Form B)

Associated Press-AOL News Poll conducted by Ipsos Public Affairs. Dec. 12-14, 2006. N=1,000 adults nationwide. MoE ± 3.

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"I'm going to read you a list of items that may or may not happen in the year 2007. For each one, please tell me if it is very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely or not at all likely to happen in the year 2007. In 2007, how likely is it that [see below]? Is this very likely, somewhat likely, not too likely or not at all likely to happen in 2007?"

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"Gas prices will go up"

    12/12-14/06

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"The U.S. Congress will raise the minimum wage"

    12/12-14/06

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"Global warming will get worse"

    12/12-14/06

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"The United States will be hit with a major natural disaster"

    12/12-14/06

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"Terrorists will attack somewhere in the world with biological or nuclear weapons"

    12/12-14/06

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"The United States will be hit with a terrorist attack"

    12/12-14/06

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"A U.S. state will legalize gay marriage"

    12/12-14/06

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"Bird flu will arrive in the United States"

    12/12-14/06

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"The United States will go to war with Iran"

    12/12-14/06

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"A cure for cancer will be found"

    12/12-14/06

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"The military draft will be reintroduced"

    12/12-14/06

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"The United States will withdraw its troops from Iraq"

    12/12-14/06

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"The United States will go to war with North Korea"

    12/12-14/06

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"Jesus Christ will return to earth"

    12/12-14/06

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"Scientists will find evidence of extraterrestrial life"

    12/12-14/06

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"Looking back at the year 2006, overall would you say this was a good year or a bad year for the COUNTRY?"

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12/12-14/06

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"And looking back at the year 2006, overall would you say this was a good year or a bad year for YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?"

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12/12-14/06

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"Overall, are you optimistic or pessimistic about what the year 2007 will bring for the COUNTRY?"

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12/12-14/06

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"Overall, are you optimistic or pessimistic about what the year 2007 will bring for YOU AND YOUR FAMILY?"

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