It's still early days for the 2012 presidential election, and while the news media are avidly following the travel schedules, debate performances and general comings and goings of various candidates and potential candidates alike, most voters themselves have yet to focus on the election or the potential field. What's more, that's typical for this point in time in a presidential election cycle.
Just one in four voters are paying a lot of attention to the campaign now - about the same as in June 2007. Attention was even lower during the summers of 2003 and 1999; then, just over one in ten were paying a lot of attention. In December 1995, the earliest point in the 1996 election cycle in which the question was asked in CBS News Polls, 17 percent were paying a lot of attention.
It may be quite a few months before voters start tuning in to next year's election in greater numbers. If 2007 is a guide, that could happen as late as December. It wasn't until late in 2007 that the percentage paying a lot of attention to the campaign rose above 30 percent, and it wasn't until the midst of the primaries in early 2008 that more than half were paying a lot of attention.
And bear in mind that a lot can - and probably will - change between now and the first primaries early next year. According to a CBS News Poll conducted in June 2007, Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani were the favorites for each of their parties' nominations.
That June, Clinton led Obama among Democratic voters in polls conducted by CBS News as well as CNN, ABC News, NBC News/Wall Street Journal and Gallup, among others.
And Giuliani also led the rest of the Republican candidates in CBS News Polls as well as in polls conducted by CNN, NBC News/Wall Street Journal, ABC News and Gallup.
Both Clinton and Giuliani were best-known to voters at the time.
Most voters don't know much about many of the candidates (and potential candidates) running for the Republican nomination this year, leaving open the potential for change this year too.
According to a CBS News Poll released earlier in June, two thirds or more of Republican voters have yet to form an opinion of Michele Bachmann, Tim Pawlenty, Herman Cain, Rick Santorum or Jon Huntsman. Half don't have an opinion yet of Mitt Romney - and he ran for the Republican nomination in 2007-2008.
Meanwhile, President Barack Obama's approval rating continues to hover just below the 50% mark, potentially leaving room for a Republican contender to unseat him next year. As to who that may be - it's just too soon for most voters to say.
SO BARACK OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION WANT TO RAISE TAXES ON SMALL BUSINESSES.
PRETTY STUPID POLICY, ISN'T IT? - ESPECIALLY IN AN ECONOMY THAT NEEDS SMALL BUSINESSES TO CREATE JOBS.
HERE IS ABSOLUTE PROOF THAT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION SIMPLY TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND ANY OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO CREATE JOBS - AND THAT WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IS A DISASTER:
Still quoting the right wing slanted press because no credible new organization will print your preferred fabrications. Topped off inflammatory insults proving your total lack of credibility there, One.
The republicans had a free hand for 8 years and look how they handed things over. The golden age and budget surplus's in 2000 to free fallin depression era economy in 08.
Maybe just maybe trickle down economics just puts more money into rich peoples swiss bank accounts. Maybe it is pissin down the backs of the middle class.
The really big problem with the whole American economic system (which has destroyed our economy and many others in the world, and is causing global climate change) is globalization.
We need to go back to local economies. Stop investing in bankster houses and other giant corporations. Buy local and organic. Grow your own food if possible and trade services instead of buying. If millions of us do it we have a chance to survive.
Have not had enough of the failed Republicon economic policies yet? Want more corporate welfare, lower wages and lower home price huh. Did not study much economics or history in school, huh?
Yes, it's early and there will be others to join in. I hope Rick Perry of Texas runs. He has a balanced budget, more jobs than other states, businesses are moving there constantly, the ONLY GOVERNOR to hold office and be re-elected over and over for the MOST YEARS EVER in the history of the USA. The TRUE figures reported on TV of new jobs CREATED are 437,000 NOT 2 million as the Obama adminstration reported AND 237,000 out of the 437, 000 where CREATED in Texas under Gov. Perry! Leaves 200,000 for the rest of the United States! Now that is saying something!!! He knows how to run a country and balance a budget!
Rick Perry prayed for rain to stop the drought...God ignored him Rick prayed to stop the "downward spiral of America"..God ignored him I'm going to stick with God and ignore Rick Perry.
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Tells ya something.
PRETTY STUPID POLICY, ISN'T IT? - ESPECIALLY IN AN ECONOMY THAT NEEDS SMALL BUSINESSES TO CREATE JOBS.
HERE IS ABSOLUTE PROOF THAT OBAMA AND HIS ADMINISTRATION SIMPLY TOO STUPID TO UNDERSTAND ANY OF THE FUNDAMENTALS OF WHAT IT WILL TAKE TO CREATE JOBS - AND THAT WHAT THEY ARE DOING TO THE AMERICAN ECONOMY IS A DISASTER:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4bYNkXu5qs&feature=player_embedded
Read about it here:
http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/geithner-taxes-small-business-must-rise
IT IS TIME TO RID OUR GOVERNMENT OF THE OPPRESSIVE COMMUNISTS THAT CONTROL THE WHITE HOUSE AND THE SENATE!
BARACK OBAMA AND THE DEMOCRATS ARE THE SWORN ENEMIES OF AMERICAN BUSINESSES, LARGE AND SMALL!
Maybe just maybe trickle down economics just puts more money into rich peoples swiss bank accounts. Maybe it is pissin down the backs of the middle class.
LOL!
Anyone who is willing to take the gloves off can beat Obama and the National Socialist.
We need to go back to local economies. Stop investing in bankster houses and other giant corporations. Buy local and organic. Grow your own food if possible and trade services instead of buying. If millions of us do it we have a chance to survive.
Rick prayed to stop the "downward spiral of America"..God ignored him
I'm going to stick with God and ignore Rick Perry.