PrintOctober 12, 2009
What Americans think about Obama's Nobel Prize
A Rasmussen survey finds that 58% of Americans believe that politics plays a role in who gets the peace prize:
A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 58% of American adults now believe that politics plays a role in the awarding of the Nobel Prize. That's an 18-point jump from 40% a year ago.
Just 21% of Americans say politics does not play a role in the awarding of the Nobel Prize. Twenty-one percent (21%) are not sure.
Interestingly, that 21% who believe politics does not play a role is the same percentage of self identified liberals in the country.
The breakdown by party is interesting too:
Given Obama's win, it's not surprising to find that 76% of Republicans think politics play a role in the awarding of the prize while Democrats are evenly divided. Sixty-six percent (66%) of adults not affiliated with either party say politics are at play in the giving of the award.
There has been a change from previous polls on the number of people who view the Nobel prizes as prestigious:
But 48% of all Americans now say, generally speaking, that Nobel Prizes are the most prestigious award a person can win, up 10 points from 38% in 2008. Unchanged is the belief by 32% that the Nobels are not the most prestigious awards. Twenty percent (20%) aren't sure.
Democrats, by a 57% to 19% margin, say the Nobel prize is the most prestigious award a person can win. Republicans and unaffiliateds are evenly divided on the question.
Also worth noting, Americans place more stock in the Nobel prize for medicine than they do the peace prize.
Little changed is the perception that the Nobel Prizes for Medicine and Peace are the most prestigious of the individual awards presented each year. Thirty-two percent (32%) rate the award for medicine as the most prestigious, followed by 27% who say the same of the Peace Prize. A year ago, the two were tied at 29% support each.It seems that even many Democrats are looking on this award as political puff. But it is also interesting that because an American won it, the people seem to place a little more emphasis on its importance, although not as prestigious as the award for medicine.
That might be a clue as to why a majority don't want the government messing with the health care industry.
Hat Tip: Ed Lasky
