Poll Hub

Americans have shifting opinions about the January 6th attack on the U.S. Capitol. Our latest poll with NPR and PBS NewsHour looks at how the Jan. 6 hearings may be changing public opinion about the attack, Trump's role in it, and what should happen as a result. We're looking deep into the data to find some surprises.

Next, we look at America’s top-of-mind issue: inflation. Americans are stressed out as prices continue to rise on many products and services. Even as gas prices are falling, Americans across the political spectrum are unhappy about the economy.

Finally, are you more likely to remember someone's name or face? This week's Fun Fact discovers that, thanks to a new poll we did asking an old question during two different decades, most Americans have an easier time remembering one of these!

If you thought America's health care problems ended with the passage of Obamacare, think again. We're looking at data from a recent NPR and Kaiser Family Foundation poll on healthcare debt in the U.S. Noam Levey, a Senior Correspondent for Kaiser Health News, joins to help us understand the newest health care crisis.

Next, we look at pride in America. According to a recent Gallup Poll, Americans are in a funk. The majority of Americans are unhappy, think the country is heading in the wrong direction, and pride in the country is at historic lows. We agree on that, but not on the reasons why we're down.

Finally, no one thinking about summer vacation this year can escape accelerating inflation. So this week's Fun Fact heads back to the 50's to see how much a family trip cost then. And yes, we check out the numbers in today's dollars!

With the Supreme Court’s June 24th decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, we take a deep dive into our post-ruling poll with NPR and the PBS NewsHour. @DaraPurvis, Associate Dean for Research and Partnerships and Professor of Law at Penn State University, helps us understand the disconnect between the Court and the majority of Americans. What does it say about America, the Court, and what happens post-Roe?

Next, we are looking at New York State politics by checking in on Kathy Hochul’s easy victory in the New York Democratic primary. Does her win mean her moderate brand of politics is ascendant in New York and can she help get other Democrats elected in what is likely to be a tough environment this November?

Finally, don’t blow that bubble! Lee’s Fun Fact goes back to the 1950s and may reignite the divide over children chewing bubble gum.

With the possibility of a bi-partisan deal in the Senate to pass the first new gun legislation in a quarter century, we ask special guest Ron Brownstein, why now? As Senior Editor at The Atlantic and Senior Political Analyst at CNN, Brownstein has a special knack for looking at polling data and finding things other reporters miss. In this episode, he explains what he's found and how it is, at least, partially responsible for the movement after so many years.

Ron sticks around to help us understand how the January 6th Hearings are playing. We're taking a look at recent polling, the ratings, and how it's all being covered in the media. Will the hearings, no matter how compelling the evidence presented that Donald Trump effectively led an attempted coup, change any minds or make any difference in the November midterms? Lee and Ron compare notes on that one.

Finally, we figured since we had him on the show, we might as well go all-Brownstein and talk to Ron about his new New York Times bestseller, Rock Me on the Water: 1974-The Year Los Angeles Transformed Movies, Music, Television, and Politics. It's all about how the pop culture of 1970s L.A. both predicted, and beat, the political movements of Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan. Plus, there's a fun story about the Beatles missing a big gig.

Dr. Stanley Harris, author of The People Value Proposition: See one, Do one, Teach one... LEAD, A Physician's Journey to Leadership, is a medical doctor and an experienced executive. Diversity, inclusion, and the role of leadership are on the agenda. Learn the key to inclusion and how organizations can work to be more diverse and more effective. Plus, how Dr. Harris thinks we can foster leadership qualities in children.

Then, we're going deep into the data in our powerful new NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist Poll on gun rights vs. gun reform.

For Poll Hub's 250th episode, we’re talking jobs and inflation – how come Americans seem to care only about the one that’s bad right now? 

Then, we dig into results from our brand-new poll in conjunction with the Center for Sports Communication here at Marist College as we approach the 50th anniversary of Title IX. What do Americans think now about the impact of that landmark legislation that, among other things, changed women’s sports forever?

Finally, if you could travel anywhere in the US to eat, where would you go? We’re time-traveling to see what Americans said back in the 50s. You may be surprised at what cities made the list.

Every ten years, the U.S. Census aims to make a count of every American, but in 2020, that job was harder than ever, only partly because of the pandemic. Earlier this year, the Bureau announced it had likely undercounted the number of non-whites across the country. Now, it says it also undercounted and overcounted people in 14 states -- in some cases by seemingly large amounts. How will this impact the users of census data, including government agencies, non-profits, and pollsters? NPR's Hansi Lo Wang joins the discussion to walk us through it all.

Then, we're looking at the GOP primary results in Georgia where two candidates Trump vehemently and actively opposed -- Governor Brian Kemp and Secretary of State Brad Raffensburger -- won big over Trump's handpicked competitors. Coupled with mixed results for Trump earlier this cycle, does it show the GOP is less Trump's party than the party of Trumpism?

Finally, based on all the bring-back-the-dinos-from-their-DNA movies, you may be surprised at the #1 pick when people are asked which extinct species they'd like to bring back. Spoiler: T-Rex may be big in Hollywood, but not many people want him/her/them in their backyard.

As with most American mass shootings, there's been a lot of talk about America's obsession with guns following the killing of 10 people at a supermarket in Buffalo. But, in this case, the alleged shooter left a racist manifesto that repeatedly referenced themes of something called the Great Replacement Theory. That theory posits government leaders and elites are purposely encouraging immigration and an increase in non-white birth rates in order to "replace" whites for the purposes of gaining political power. We look a recent polling that shows a significant chunk of Republicans believe this idea -- as do a perhaps surprising number of Democrats.

Later, we go deep into the data of our brand-new poll with NPR and the PBS NewsHour. We asked Americans about abortion rights and restrictions in light of the potential ruling from the Supreme Court that would overturn Roe v. Wade. This follows our long history of asking much more granular questions about abortion than just pro-life/pro-choice. There's movement in those numbers plus there's a fallout for faith in the Court itself. Plus, there are indications abortion may be a more salient election issue than in the past.

Then, Lee's Fun Fact asks which state you'd most like to vacation in -- other than your own. The top 5 is not unexpected but 11 other states have a dubious distinction....

Elon Musk wants Twitter and, should the deal to sell it to him for $44 billion close, he's going to get it. But, then what? He says he wants more free speech on Twitter and recently said Donald Trump's lifetime ban should be lifted. Would Marjorie Taylor Greene or Steve Bannon be next? And does Musk's free speech mean propaganda and lies or harassment and threats?

Then, it's college graduation season! Congrats to all the grads but, also, good luck: Most students today will be graduating with loan debts. While President Biden is expected to announce in coming weeks that the government will forgive at least $10,000 in debt for people making less than $125,000, there are still plenty of people who will be paying back loans for decades. We're digging into the debt question and how Americans think it should be solved.

Finally, sticking with the graduation theme, our fun fact is about just that. But to really change it up, we found a poll from 1938!

Earlier this week, a draft opinion overturning the Supreme Court's landmark Roe vs Wade ruling leaked. While only a draft, it was reported a majority of justices have signed on to overturn Roe and allow the states to make their own laws about abortion -- including banning or criminalizing it. At least 20 states are ready to severely restrict or ban abortion immediately or soon after any ruling. But, is this what a majority of Americans support? 

We're looking at both the straightforward poll questions, such as "Do you think the Supreme Court should overturn Roe?," as well as far more nuanced questions about various limitations put on abortion in many states. The issue is NOT, and has never been, black and white.

Then, there's the politics. Abortion has been a potent get-out-the-vote issue for Republicans but not so for Democrats. If Roe is overturned, will that change? The midterms are only a few months away and campaigns are already scrambling to address abortion. Plus, several traditional swing states have divided governments -- Democratic governors and Republican legislatures. The battles there this fall could be highly influenced by an end to Roe. We're looking at that as well.