More than four in five said they learn about campaign news without looking for it. The number of people who say it does not make much difference who is elected president has grown significantly in eight years, from 18 percent to 30 percent. Four in 10 young adults say it makes no difference. I pine for the passing of the FDR generation, the civic generation. They are passing out of the electorate.
Ambivalence reigns American voters are ambivalent on whether they want change or continuity.
Bush plays on that when he offers a change in leadership while emphasizing many issues Democrats often make a top priority, such as education and Social Security. Four in 10 in the poll said they want to continue policies that have led to improved conditions, while almost half said they want changes in national policy to solve the remaining problems. The poll of 1,673 registered voters was taken June 14-21 and had an error margin of plus or minus 3 percentage points. Polls of registered voters, including this survey, show the race is close and analysts say public opinion is still fluid. The conventions and the debates are crucial in bringing that about.