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The Point Being: An Ipsos Podcast

A weekly podcast series by Ipsos’ U.S. Polling Team where Chris Jackson, Mallory Newall and guests discuss the latest news on American public opinion.

19 November 2021

The author(s)

Chris Jackson Senior Vice President, US, Public Affairs
Mallory Newall Vice President, US, Public Affairs

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November 19 - Thanksgiving special - For the last polling team podcast of 2021, the team takes on Thanksgiving – what people are eating, and which pie is their favorite (spoiler, pumpkin takes the crown). Further polling reveals that Americans planning to celebrate with people outside their immediate household had not fully resolved their expectations around whether other people should be vaccinated, or get tested if not. On a more positive note, just 45% expected conversations about COVID and vaccines to lead to disagreements around the Thanksgiving table. Happy Turkey Day!

October 21 - A return to normal? Most Americans still feel that a full return to pre-COVID normal is a way off. Some believe it could be a year or more. But some have already returned to their pre-COVID ways. Paradoxically, the vaccinated are more likely than the unvaccinated to see a longer horizon before they can return to life as it once was.

October 15 - Sports – a simple and straightforward pastime, right? Less so, when you start polling about them. That’s because sports don’t exist in a vacuum. They represent big money and reflect our deepest social and cultural values. The team talks about America’s favorite sports, while unpacking disparities in participation across race and ethnicity, income, and gender.

October 8 - The pandemic’s impact on mental health: Ahead of World Mental Health Day, the team dives into some recent survey on how Americans fared mentally and emotionally during the pandemic. On the balance, most said their mental health stayed the same, but some groups were more likely than others to say that their mental health got worse, such as Democrats and women. There are some silver linings however – the pandemic also prompted around one in five to reevaluate their life priorities and work/life balance.

October 1 - The politics of the pandemic: As the COVID death toll reaches 700,000, Americans are growing less trusting of Biden on the pandemic. This is still largely dictated by partisanship, but speaks to the uncertainty the country is grappling with as progress on vaccinations moves incrementally. Also, the team discusses how news consumption relates to views on ivermectin.

September 16 - Vaccine skepticism and back to school collide: The rate of vaccinations in the US continues to increase incrementally, putting new pressure on the Biden administration to take decisive action. At the same time, back to school is in full swing. Parents strongly want their children back in the classroom, virus or no virus. The team discusses how parents really feel about the risks of back to school, the academic impact of COVID-driven online learning, and mask and vaccine mandates for students and teachers.

September 10 - On the eve of the 20^th anniversary of 9/11, it remains one of the most influential events of the 21^st century. The team discusses its legacy, from the war in Afghanistan to heightened measures that are still with us today.

September 2 - Parents feel that it is harder to be a parent these days than it was 20 years ago. Who can blame them, when you consider that a pandemic got piled on top of the usual stresses of parenting? At the same time, teenagers had a rough go of the pandemic too. The team dives into what parents are going through and a Washington Post/Ipsos survey comparing the experiences and perspectives of teens today relative to 2005.

August 26 - Americans struggle with a delicate work life balance: How do Americans really feel about work? For one, many think Americans “work too much,” particularly millennials. But above all else, Americans want flexibility, in when and where they work. The idea of a four-day work week also doesn’t sound too bad to many Americans, but they are less willing to take a pay cut to make that a reality. At the same time, more than half say they worry that if they take time off, they will be seen as less of a hard worker.

August 18 - Where America stands on Afghanistan: Chris, Mallory, and Sarah unpack why the immediate public opinion polling around Afghanistan and the U.S. withdrawal looks so unexpectedly bipartisan. Plus, we dip into the Ipsos archive and look back at a decade of public opinion polling on the topic, while trying to make sense of how this may play out for Biden in the coming days, weeks, and beyond.

August 12 - Potholes over politics: There are a few things Americans can agree on, with infrastructure being one of the bright spots. A majority across parties would like to see America’s roads and bridges revamped. And though the vast majority of Americans get around by car, many show support for greener, alternative modes of transportation – such a desire to improve or create public transit options, particularly in urban and suburban areas.

August 6 - Anxiety about Delta bleeds into economic uncertainty: The share of Americans who are firmly opposed to getting vaccinated slips to its lowest level yet, at 15%, in the most recent edition of the Axios-Ipsos Coronavirus Index. Yet Americans are uneasy as cases continue to rise, impacting outlook on the broader economy. Taking a step back from these larger issues, Ipsos polling finds that Americans are still finding ways to unwind and relax.

July 29 - Level setting on the unvaccinated: The unvaccinated are not monolithic – some are more open to getting the vaccine than others. The most opposed show little sign of moderating their stance, complicating the path to recovery. At the same time, a majority of Americans believe that mask requirements should be in place for the unvaccinated.

July 22 - For Americans, the biggest draw of the Olympics is gymnastics, putting them somewhat at odds with the rest of the world, which tends to be more excited about soccer. And while COVID looms over the games, it is also making a resurgence in the U.S. Americans show new levels of concern about the Delta variant and the prospect of returning to pre-pandemic life.

July 14 - Workplaces in flux: How Americans feel about returning to in-person work is still modulated by lingering concerns about the pandemic. At the same time, some workers are feeling more confident about carving out a more fulfilling and rewarding career as they find new negotiating power as the labor market heats up.

July 8 - What is and isn’t changing about how Americans see crime: This week Chris, Kate, and Sarah discuss the new USA Today/Ipsos poll on crime and policing, specifically how worried people are about these problems, views towards Black Lives Matter and police reform, and how news source influences people’s attitudes on these issues.

July 1 - Pride in America is sometimes complicated: Chris, Mallory, Kate, and Sarah are back! This week we dive into how the country is celebrating July 4th and then we zoom out to look at how people feel about being an American, more broadly.

June 25 - Public opinion and Pride: This week we are taking a look at LGBT issues as Pride, a time dedicated to remembering and celebrating LGBT people, rights, and history, wraps up. Chris and Sarah dive into how public opinion evolved around same-sex marriage, where Americans stand on other pressing issues for LGBT people, along with how the LGBT community feels about Pride.

June 17 - As President Biden meets with world leaders, a plurality say they feel that America’s international standing is stronger under him. Yet partisans are highly divided around Biden’s ability to handle America’s global affairs and are similarly split on what America’s top foreign policy priorities should be. For now at least, Americans are mostly focused on domestic policy issues as the country continues to move towards a post-pandemic state of mind.

June 3 - Americans are hitting the road… and maybe the office? Following Memorial Day and the unofficial start of summer, we look at where Americans are going on vacation and what they value the most coming out of the pandemic. At the same time, people are beginning to sketch out what back to the office looks like for them, what they want out of it, and how people expect their habits to change when showing up in person for work.

May 25 - The nation commemorated the death of George Floyd and subsequent Black Lives Matter protests. This week’s podcast highlights the findings of the Axios/Ipsos Hard Truth Civil Rights & Social Justice survey, which examines how different the experience of daily life can be for Black, Hispanic, Asian and white Americans, and the McKinsey American Opportunity Survey, which investigates the extent to which economic opportunity hinges on identity.

May 19 - With the US in something of a betwixt and between phase of the pandemic (not quite over, but not as bad as it once was), Americans are showing signs of trending towards greater optimism. Mallory, Chris, Sarah and Kate discuss how Americans feel about the state of their mental health, the economy, and the employment situation at this stage of the pandemic.

May 13 - American reemergence: For the first time since the pandemic began, less than half of Americans say they think returning to their pre-COVID lives poses a risk. But while more Americans are getting back out into the world, progress on vaccines is hitting some roadblocks. Mallory, Sarah, Chris and Kate discuss where the dividing lines lie as the nation moves towards a more “normal” summer, hopefully.

May 6 - Mother’s Day is right around the corner. For some, it will still be a more cautious, virtual affair. But this summer, Americans – and American families in particular – intend to get out more, with plans to take travel, go to concerts, amusement parks, and more. At the same time, parents are more hesitant about vaccines for themselves and for their children.

April 29 - Biden’s 100 Days: How do Americans feel about the ambitious proposals that President Biden outlined in a joint address to Congress on the eve of his first 100 days in office? Chris, Mallory, Sarah and Kate discuss the findings of an Ipsos snap survey on his address, as well as what Americans believe the role of government should be, and whether they see a path towards greater unity in the years ahead.

April 23 - In a rare instance of bipartisan consensus, Americans agree on the guilty verdict in the Chauvin trial. But views on police reform, protecting law and order over the right to protest don’t look the way they did in June 2020, shortly after George Floyd’s death. Chris, Mallory, Sarah and Kate discuss how perspectives on these critical issues have changed over the past year.

April 16 - Optimism about an economic rebound rose to the highest point in 19 years, a measure both of how difficult the past year has been and Americans’ current high hopes for the future. Much of the economic recovery thus far has been predicated on the successful vaccine rollout, but will things get bumpier for that process in some parts of the country and among some demographics? Chris, Sarah and Kate dive into what the latest Ipsos research has to say.

April 8 - Election misinformation is as intractable as ever: On this week of the Point Being podcast, the team discusses how some Americans have yet to accept the results of the 2020 election. Partisanship continues to influence opinion on a host of issues, from the election, to the January 6th riot at the US Capitol, and President Biden’s infrastructure plan.

April 2 - COVID, immigration... and baseball? The gang is back! On this episode, Chris, Mallory, Sarah and Kate discuss what issues the public wants Biden to prioritize and how that looks different across political lines. Plus, we get into MLB Opening Day, and whether Americans support capacity limits in stadiums, and how they feel about requiring vaccine passports or proof of a negative COVID test before fans can attend games.

March 25 - This week Mallory and Sarah discuss public opinion polling surrounding the recent mass shooting events, what the data tells us about anti-Asian sentiment and conspiracies during the pandemic. Plus, we preview a USA Today/Ipsos poll on gun control and some of the trend data we have on the issue going back to 2017.

March 19 - President Biden’s approval is riding (relatively) high, buoyed by his handling of the pandemic. With a new vaccine timeline from the president, promising small BBQs by July 4th, Chris, Mallory, Kate, and Sarah explore whether Americans pick up what the president is putting down and who still will not get the vaccine.

March 11 - This week marked the beginning of Derek Chauvin’s trial, and next week will mark the first anniversary of Breonna Taylor’s death. Reflecting back on these events, on this episode of the podcast, Kate and Sarah talk with Mallory and Chris about how views on race, policing, and the Black Lives Matter movement have evolved over the past ten months.

March 5 - On this episode, Kate and Sarah talk with Mallory and Chris about where the public stands on masks and reopening as some states move to rollback pandemic restrictions. Plus, an added bonus about WFH burnout and how people currently working from home feel about going back to the office one day (spoiler: it's complicated).

March 1 - This week Kate and Sarah talk with Mallory and Chris about new signs of hope on the economic front and how this may be connected to resurgent confidence in the government to handle the current crisis. As an added bonus, we also touch on an independent Ipsos survey looking at how sexual identity varies across generations.

February 18 - This week Kate and Sarah talk with Mallory and Chris about the pandemic: how people feel about the vaccine, when people believe the pandemic will be over, and what people can expect the next normal to look like. For now, a plurality is not making concrete post-pandemic plans to travel or celebrate. Are people just burnt out right now, or has people's behavior changed for the foreseeable future?

February 12 - We’re back…again! After a (long) hiatus, Chris Jackson and Mallory Newall are back with the Point Being podcast, joined by data journalists Sarah Feldman and Kate Morris. A new format, a new year… and another impeachment trial. This week, we explore attitudes around former President Trump’s second impeachment and find that the more things change the more they stay the same.

Reuters/Ipsos Poll: Second Trump Impeachment Trial

Axios/Ipsos Poll: Majority of Americans now support removing Trump from office

Conservative media consumers run the opinion gamut. How is conservative media responding?

How misinformation primed Trump’s supporters for Capitol riot

NPR/Ipsos: More than 1 in 3 Americans believe a ‘deep state’ is working to undermine Trump

Ipsos poll: Misinformation around U.S. Capitol unrest, election spreading among Americans

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Episode 98, June 25th, 2020 — Ipsos’ Mallory Newall, Sarah Feldman, and Kate Morris discuss Ipsos’ newest public polling, including how news consumption – specifically, what channel you’re watching – plays a role in opinions about the virus.

Episode 97, June 12th, 2020 — We’re back! Chris Jackson and Mallory Newall are back with a socially distant podcast, joined by data journalists Sarah Feldman and Kate Morris. This week, they dive into data on the current mood of the country, plus new polling for Axios and USA Today about COVID-19 and sentiments toward the protests happening across the country.

Episode 96, March 11th, 2020 — Chris Jackson, Mallory Newall, and Sara Machi discuss how Americans are responding to the Coronavirus and subsequent government actions.

Episode 95, February 12th, 2020 — Chris Jackson and Sara Machi delve into the results of the New Hampshire primary and their implications on the 2020 presidential election.

Episode 94, February 6th, 2020 — Despite all the recent events such as the Iowa Caucus and the State of the Union Address, Chris Jackson and Sara Machi discuss how American public opinion has stayed relatively constant.

Episode 93, January 29th, 2020 — This week Chris Jackson and Sara Machi discuss how the environment has steadily become a top issue with a majority of Americans agreeing that reducing the effects of global climate change is important, even across party lines.

Episode 92, January 21st, 2020 — This week Chris Jackson and Sara Machi share fresh public opinion data on Hispanic American and African American priorities in the 2020 presidential election, impeachment, Iran, and the January Democratic debates.

Listen to Episode 92