Poll dancing -- 08.16.12

No state is safe from America's obesity epidemic [Gallup, 8/16]:

Nearly seven in 10 adults in West Virginia, Mississippi, and Kentucky are either overweight or obese -- more than in any other state in the first half of 2012. At the other end of the scale is Colorado, the least overweight state in the union, but even there, 55.1% of residents are overweight or obese. ...

An average of 62.8% of all American adults were overweight or obese in the first half of 2012...

Faith in credibility of national newspapers, cable news and network news has fallen [Pew Research Center 8/16]:

Across all 13 news organizations included in the survey, the average positive believability rating (3 or 4 on a 4-point scale) is 56%. In 2010, the average positive rating was 62%. A decade ago, the average rating for the news organizations tested was 71%. Since 2002, every news outlet’s believability rating has suffered a double-digit drop, except for local daily newspapers and local TV news. The New York Times was not included in this survey until 2004, but its believability rating has fallen by 13 points since then.

Paul Ryan's favorability is low, but... [Purple Strategies, 8/15]:

At 45% to 39%, Paul Ryan is the only member of either major party ticket who currently has higher favorables than unfavorables. He is extremely well-liked among Republicans (80%/9%), and independents have an overall favorable opinion of him (46%/37%).

The horse race

Obama up in Penn. [Franklin and Marshall College 8/16]: "The president currently leads Romney among registered voters in Pennsylvania 44% to 38% with 15% undecided."

Tightening in Wis. [Rasmussen 8/16]: "Statewide telephone survey of Likely Voters shows Romney with 48% support to President Obama’s 47%."