New Op-Ed and Chart: American Attitudes Toward Russia

New Britain, CT, April 17, 2009 --(PR.com)-- Media analyst William Dunkerley has constructed a chart of the vacillations in American attitudes toward Russia. The chart suggests world events that may have been influential at times when opinions changed. In conclusion, he explores the political implications of his findings for presidents Obama and Medvedev. With American attitudes toward Russia being malleable, the presidents have a choice of leading opinion in a positive or a negative direction, either by their words or their deeds.

As President Barack Obama and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev recently met for the first time in England, Americans back home were thinking negative thoughts of Russia. A February Gallup poll showed that 60 percent held an unfavorable view. It’s not always been that way, however. In the aftermath of 9/11, at a time when Russia had made cooperative overtures, fully two thirds of Americans shared favorable opinions.

Russia has been the subject of many twists and turns in opinions, however. Way back in 1954, a scant 5 percent of Americans had favorable views of the Soviet Union. But by the late Perestroika period, well over sixty percent felt favorably of the Soviet state.

These conclusions come from an analysis of polling data from Soviet times to the present. It was performed by media analyst and consultant William Dunkerley. In an article appearing on OpEdNews.com, Dunkerley examines the ups and downs in American attitudes toward Russia. He found that American views seem to vary according to two factors: (1) geopolitical events, and (2) negative PR campaigns waged against Russia. What’s more, older Americans are much more likely to harbor unfavorable views than those under 30.

Please visit http://www.publishinghelp.com/consultant/amrcn09 for the chart, as well as a link to an op-ed piece that explores the mercurial nature of American attitudes toward Russia.

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