News Interest Index: Public Closely Tracking Obama Transition

Report Read time:
News Interest Index: Public Closely Tracking Obama Transition

In addition to following the major economic headlines last week, the public tuned into news about the Obama transition.  Fully 49% followed news about plans for the new Obama administration very closely and one-in-four said this was the single news story they followed more closely than any other, making it the second most closely followed news story after the economy. 

Americans are paying close attention to the choices Obama has made thus far in staffing his administration. Half have heard a lot about the appointments Obama has made to his cabinet and senior White House staff.  And more than six-in-ten (62%) have heard a lot about the possibility that Obama will choose Hillary Clinton as secretary of state.   

The public is less tuned into news about the Obama family and their transition to the White House.  Roughly a quarter (23%) say they have heard a lot about what type of puppy the Obamas might get and where the two Obama girls will attend school.  Another 42% have heard a little about this, and 34% haven't heard anything at all. 

Read the full report Public Closely Tracking Obama Transition on the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press Web site.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up
Quick View
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

Sign up for our five-email course explaining the overdose crisis in America, the state of treatment access, and ways to improve care

Sign up

MORE FROM PEW

An aerial view of a vast wetland, with scattered vegetation visible on sandy islands. In Western Australia, a Conservation Model for the World
A presentation being given by a businesswoman to a group of participants at a business conference. Four Plan Features Can Boost 'Retirement Readiness'
A large group of people in formal or traditional attire stands together on a stage, with a digital background depicting marine life and the large text “WTO Agreement on Fisheries Subsidies.” WTO Needs to Redouble Its Effort on Fishing Subsidies
A man in a winter hat and sunglasses kneels on a rocky shoreline in front of a campfire, holding a metal mug with gloved hands. Behind him, in the water, a motorboat is moored to the shore. Cliffs rise on both sides of the water. Why Newfoundland’s South Coast Fjords Are Sacred
Composite image of modern city network communication concept

Learn the Basics of Broadband from Our Limited Series

Sign up for our four-week email course on Broadband Basics
Quick View

How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?

Pills illustration
Pills illustration

What Is Antibiotic Resistance—and How Can We Fight It?

Sign up for our four-week email series The Race Against Resistance.
Quick View
Pills illustration

Antibiotic-resistant bacteria, also known as “superbugs,” are a major threat to modern medicine. But how does resistance work, and what can we do to slow the spread? Read personal stories, expert accounts, and more for the answers to those questions in our four-week email series: Slowing Superbugs.