MOSCOW, July 6, 2009. Russian Public Opinion Research Center (VCIOM) presents the data describing what Russians know about Barack Obama and what feelings he evokes.
Russians primarily know Barack Obama as being the new president of the United States (67%). Those who report that he is African-American and the first African-American to have become a senator are 6% for each group. Russians also think that he took a new political course and he is friendly to Russia (5%). Russians also mention that he is energetic and young (3%); he was a senator and he has his wife and children (1% for each). Sixteen percent do not know anything about Barack Obama; 22% were undecided.
Most of Russians are indifferent to Barack Obama; the share of such respondents have increased since January (36% against 33%). They are basically men (43%), 18-24-year-old respondents (45%) and CPRF electorate (44%). Every fifth (20%) have hopes for Barack Obama: most of them are Russians aged above 25 (20-22%) and “Fair Russia” party supporters (29%). Twelve percent of respondents view Obama favorably: they are mainly women (15%), 25-59-year-old respondents (14%), supporters of “Fair Russia” and “United Russia” parties (17% and 15% respectively); 11% of respondents respect him. Seven percent of Russians trust Obama, 5% distrusts him; 4% are skeptical about him; 2% feel antipathy; those who feel admiration and disappointment are 1% for each group.
As before, Russians feel neither condemnation nor hatred towards Barack Obama. Fifteen percent of respondents were undecided. Those who are indifferent to the American president are usually residents of middle-sized cities (44%). Respondents residing in big cities and rural area have hopes for Obama (23% and 24% respectively) and respect (13% for each); residents of big cities also tend to have favorable opinion (15%). Those who distrust President Obama are basically Muscovites and St.Petersburgians (12% against 5% of total respondents).
The initiative Russian opinion poll was conducted on June 27 – 28, 2009. 1600 respondents were interviewed at 140 sampling points in 42 regions of Russia.
The margin of error does not exceed 3.4%.
Do you know anything about Barack Obama and his activity? Who is he and what is he known for? (open-ended question, not more than three answers) | ||
| January 2009 | June 2009 |
New U.S. president | 72 | 67 |
African-American | 6 | 6 |
First African-American to elected as the President of the U.S. | 6 | 6 |
He conducts a new political course; he is friendly to Russia | - | 5 |
Young, energetic, smart | 5 | 3 |
He was a senator | 2 | 1 |
He has a wife and his children | 1 | 1 |
I know nothing about him | 17 | 16 |
Other | 1 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 4 | 8 |
What feelings does Barack Obama evoke for you? (close-ended question, not more than two answers) | ||
| January 2009 | June 2009 |
Indifference | 33 | 36 |
Hope | 20 | 20 |
Liking | 14 | 12 |
Respect | 11 | 11 |
Trust | 6 | 7 |
Distrust | 6 | 5 |
Skepticism | 3 | 4 |
Antipathy | 2 | 2 |
Admiration | 1 | 1 |
Disappointment | 1 | 1 |
Condemnation | 0 | 0 |
Hatred | 0 | 0 |
Hard to tell | 20 | 15 |
What feelings does Barack Obama evoke for you? (close-ended question, not more than two answers) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Age, years | ||||
18–24 | 25–34 | 35–44 | 45–59 | 60 and above | ||
Admiration | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Disappointment | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Hope | 20 | 12 | 20 | 21 | 21 | 22 |
Distrust | 5 | 5 | 8 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
Liking | 12 | 10 | 14 | 14 | 14 | 9 |
Respect | 11 | 9 | 13 | 9 | 12 | 10 |
Antipathy | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
Condemnation | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Trust | 7 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 7 | 6 |
Skepticism | 4 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 |
Indifference | 36 | 45 | 36 | 41 | 34 | 30 |
Love | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hatred | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 15 | 13 | 15 | 10 | 16 | 22 |
What feelings does Barack Obama evoke for you? (close-ended question, not more than two answers) | ||||||
| Total respondents | Type of settlement | ||||
Moscow &St.Petersburg | More than500thousand | 100–500thousand | Less than100 | Rural area | ||
Admiration | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 1 |
Disappointment | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 |
Hope | 20 | 17 | 23 | 14 | 17 | 24 |
Distrust | 5 | 12 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 4 |
Liking | 12 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 13 | 12 |
Respect | 11 | 6 | 13 | 6 | 11 | 13 |
Antipathy | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 |
Condemnation | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
Trust | 7 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 8 |
Skepticism | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 3 |
Indifference | 36 | 39 | 34 | 44 | 39 | 30 |
Love | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Hatred | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
Hard to tell | 15 | 11 | 12 | 14 | 18 | 18 |
Note: Using materials from the site www.wciom.ru or www.wciom.com, as well as distributed by VCIOM,
the reference to the source (or hyperlink for the electronic media) is obligatory!