Three in Ten Americans Are Not Knowledgeable About U.S. Political Issues.

Two-thirds of Americans are not Knowledgeable about Political Issues in Other Countries

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- As the presidential primary seasons continues to heat up, the candidates may have their work cut out for them as they work to get people interested in the election. Just one third

These are some of the results of a Harris Poll of 2,225 adults surveyed online between July 6 and 13, 2007 by Harris Interactive([R]).

Certain groups say they are more knowledgeable than others. For example, over two in five men (44%) say they are very or somewhat knowledgeable compared to only one in five women (20%) who say the same thing. Politically, Republicans are more knowledgeable than Democrats (35% versus 29% who say they are extremely or very knowledgeable), but Liberals are more knowledgeable than Conservatives (42% versus 35%).

One reason Americans may not be knowledgeable about U.S. political issues is that they do not really like learning about these issues. Four in ten adults say they strongly like learning about political issues in the U.S. compared to just over one-quarter (28%) who like learning about these issues and one-third (32%) who do not like learning about them. Again, men are more likely to say they strongly like learning about these issues than women are (50% versus 30%). Also, over half (53%) of Liberals say they strongly like learning about U.S. political issues compared to two in five (41%) of Conservatives and just one-third (34%) of Moderates.

World Political Issues

While large numbers may say they do not know much about U.S. political issues and do not like learning about them, the numbers are even worse when it comes to political issues outside of the United States. Two-thirds of U.S. adults (68%) say they are only somewhat or not at all knowledgeable about political issues in nations other than the U.S. while one-quarter (24%) are fairly knowledgeable and just eight percent are extremely or very knowledgeable. Again, this is mostly likely due to a dislike about learning about these issues. Well over half (57%) say they do not like learning about political issues in other countries, while one-quarter (26%) say they like learning about political issues in other countries and 17 percent strongly like learning about these issues.

Again, men are slightly more likely than women to say they are knowledgeable about political issues in other countries as well as like learning about these issues. While three-quarters (78%) of women say they are only somewhat or not at all knowledgeable about political issues in other countries, over half (57%) of men say the same. Also, half of men (48%) and two-thirds of women (65%) do not like learning about political issues in other countries.

TABLE 1

KNOWLEDGE OF U.S. POLITICAL ISSUES

"How knowledgeable do you feel that you are about political issues in the U.S.?"

Base: All Adults

[TABLE OMITTED]

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 2

KNOWLEDGE OF U.S. POLITICAL ISSUES - BY POLITICAL PARTY AND PHILOSOPHY

"How knowledgeable do you feel that you are about political issues in the U.S.?"

Base: All Adults

[TABLE OMITTED]

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 3

LIKE LEARNING ABOUT U.S. POLITICAL ISSUES

"How much do you like learning about political issues in the U.S.?"

Base: All Adults

                     Total  >          >  Ge  >











                      Male  >          >  Fe  >











%                           >       %  >      >
%










Strongly Like (NET)     40  >          >  50  >

30









Very strongly like      19  >          >  26  >

12









Strongly like           21  >          >  24  >

18









Like                    28  >          >  27  >

29









Do Not Like (NET)       32  >          >  23  >

40









Somewhat like           23  >          >  18  >

28









Do not like at all       9  >          >   5  >

12

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

Strongly like (NET) = Very Strongly Like and Strongly Like

Do Not Like (NET) = Somewhat Like and Do Not Like At All

TABLE 4

LIKE LEARNING ABOUT U.S. POLITICAL ISSUES - BY POLITICAL PARTY AND PHILOSOPHY

"How much do you like learning about political issues in the U.S.?"

Base: All Adults

[TABLE OMITTED]

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 5

KNOWLEDGE OF WORLD POLITICAL ISSUES

"How knowledgeable do you feel that you are about political issues in nations other than the U.S.?"

Base: All Adults

[TABLE OMITTED]

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

TABLE 6

LIKE LEARNING ABOUT WORLD POLITICAL ISSUES

"How much do you like learning about political issues in other countries?"

Base: All Adults

                     Total  >          >  Ge  >











                      Male  >          >  Fe  >











%                           >       %  >      >
%










Strongly Like (NET)     17  >          >  25  >

10









Very strongly like       6  >          >  10  >

3









Strongly like           11  >          >  14  >

7









Like                    26  >          >  27  >

25









Do Not Like (NET)       57  >          >  48  >

65









Somewhat like           38  >          >  37  >

40









Do not like at all      19  >          >  12  >

25

Note: Percentages may not add up to exactly 100% due to rounding.

Strongly like (NET) = Very Strongly Like and Strongly Like

Do Not Like (NET) = Somewhat Like and Do Not Like At All

Methodology

This Harris Poll([R]) was conducted online within the United States between July 6 and 13, 2007 among 2,225 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, region and household income were weighted where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the population. Propensity score weighting was also used to adjust for respondents' propensity to be online.

All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore, Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100% response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close to this ideal.

Respondents for this survey were selected from among those who have agreed to participate in Harris Interactive surveys. The data have been weighted to reflect the composition of the adult population. Because the sample is based on those who agreed to participate in the Harris Interactive panel, no estimates of theoretical sampling error can be calculated.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

J30279 (July)

Q640, 645, 650, 655

About Harris Interactive

Harris Interactive is the 13th largest and fastest-growing market research firm in the world. The company provides innovative research, insights and strategic advice to help its clients make more confident decisions which lead to measurable and enduring improvements in performance. Harris Interactive is widely known for The Harris Poll, one of the longest running, independent opinion polls and for pioneering online market research methods. The company has built what it believes to be the world's largest panel of survey respondents, the Harris Poll Online. Harris Interactive serves clients worldwide through its United States, Europe and Asia offices, its wholly-owned subsidiaries Novatris in France and MediaTransfer AG in Germany, and through a global network of independent market research firms. More information about Harris Interactive may be obtained at www.harrisinteractive.com.To become a member of the Harris Poll Online and be invited to participate in online surveys, register at www.harrispollonline.com.

Harris Interactive Inc. 08/07