News Interest
The public showed more interest in news about flooding along the Mississippi River and the continuing struggles of the U.S. economy than in news about the former IMF leader, Strauss-Kahn. About two-in-ten (19%) say they followed news about the flooding most closely, while 15% say the economy was their top story.
Three-in-ten (30%) say they followed news about the flooding very closely, while a comparable 33% say they followed news about the economy this closely.
Nearly one-in-ten (8%) say their top story for the week was Obama’s speech about the Middle East and his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu the next day at the White House. Two-in-ten (20%) say they followed this news very closely.
News Interest  | % following each story very closely  | Which mone story did you follow most closely?  | 36  | bin Laden/Pakistan  | 27  | Mississippi floods  | 30  | 19  | Economy  | 33  | 15  | 20  | Obama and Mideast  | 15  | 2012 elections  | 15  | IMF chief's arrest  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER May 20-22, 2011, 