A Tale of Two Polls

Poll: Nearly half hearing too much about Obama

Wed Aug 6, 10:47 AM ET

WASHINGTON – Barack Obama may be the fresh face in this year’s presidential election, but nearly half say they’re already tired of hearing about him, a poll says.

With Election Day still three months away, 48 percent said they’re hearing too much about the Democratic candidate, according to a poll released Wednesday by the nonpartisan Pew Research Center. Just 26 percent said the same about his Republican rival, John McCain. Read the rest of the article.

More Peruvians Favor Socialism Than Capitalism

by Steve Crabtree

WASHINGTON, D.C. — A simple contradiction helps illuminate growing political tensions in Peru: About half of Peruvians (49%), according to a 2007 Gallup Poll in the South American nation, say they personally are more socialist than capitalist in their attitudes, while just 16% say they are more capitalist than socialist. However, 45% of Peruvians view their country as more capitalist than socialist, while just 24% say it is more socialist than capitalist.

Garcia’s political weakness has made him vulnerable to attacks from populist leaders in the country’s southern Andean region, an area that has failed to see much of the economic progress enjoyed further north. Hernan Fuentes, head of the Puno region in the south, regularly criticizes Garcia’s economic liberalism, favoring the “socialist nationalism” model exemplified by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez. Populist former army officer Ollanta Humala, who narrowly lost the 2006 presidential election to Garcia, also has a political stronghold in the south. Read the rest of the article.