Anger at Russian Americans misdirected since most also scorn Putin over Ukraine war

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… In a first-of-its-kind Suffolk University/USA TODAY national poll of Americans of Russian and Ukrainian heritage, we find that not only those of Ukrainian heritage but also Americans of Russian heritage overwhelmingly disapprove of the war.

In fact, most Americans of Russian heritage went beyond disapproving of the war in their responses. Compared to 87% who disapprove of the war, nearly as many would like to see Putin removed from office (82%) and charged with war crimes (70%). 85% of Americans of Russian heritage also disapprove of the job Putin is doing as president. …

Biden’s approval is lower among Ukrainians than it is for Russians. The poll shows an indication as to why. When asked whether the U.S. is doing too much, not enough, or offering the right amount of support, 70% of Ukrainians say the U.S. isn’t doing enough. CONTINUED

David Paleologos (Suffolk U.), USA Today

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Not a distant war: US residents with ties to Russia and Ukraine unite against Putin

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Their relatives are at war 5,000 miles away.

In the USA, though, residents who identify with their Russian heritage and those who identify with their Ukrainian heritage express strikingly similar views about the Russian invasion of Ukraine, a pair of exclusive USA TODAY/Suffolk University polls finds. The two groups are united in their opposition to Russian President Vladimir Putin and the war raging on his orders.

The invasion is opposed by nearly everyone in both groups: 87% of Russian Americans and 94% of Ukrainian Americans. Those of Russian descent have a more positive view of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy (72%) than they do of Putin (6%). By 9-1, they say Putin should be removed from office. CONTINUED

Susan Page, Chelsey Cox & Rick Rouan, USA Today

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Strong support for Russian sanctions even if gas prices increase

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The overwhelming support for sanctions on Russia’s oil and gas, and the willingness to pay more as a result, is the kind of widespread sentiment we don’t always see in public opinion these days: bipartisan, cutting across race, region, and even income. And it is driven, Americans say, by a desire to help Ukraine and punish Russia.

Some economic pain now might be seen as a hedge against bigger problems later, if it stops Russia, because Americans largely believe Russia has designs on invading other countries beyond Ukraine. People who think so are even more likely to support oil sanctions. CONTINUED

Anthony Salvanto & Fred Backus, CBS News

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Biden’s approval rating rises following Russian invasion of Ukraine

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The Russian invasion of Ukraine is playing out on social media and television in ways no European war ever has. The whole world has seen the violence and devastation of the biggest war in Europe since World War II.

The invasion has helped to shape and reshape opinions around the world and here at home about Russia, Ukraine and even political leaders not directly involved in the conflict. It’s also affected gas prices.

With that in mind, let’s take a brief look about how things have changed domestically. We’ll start with President Joe Biden’s popularity. CONTINUED

Harry Enten, CNN

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One More Census Takeaway: The End of an Era of Counting the Nation?

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Beyond the reports of undercounts and overcounts in population totals, there is another takeaway from the post-mortem of 2020 census data issued on Thursday: This could be the last census of its kind.

The next census will be taken in a nation where Amazon may have a better handle on where many people live than the Census Bureau itself. For some advocates of a more accurate count, the era in which census-takers knock on millions of doors to persuade people to fill out forms should give way in 2030 to a sleeker approach: data mining, surveys, sophisticated statistical projections and, if politics allows, even help from the nation’s tech giants and their endless petabytes of personal information. CONTINUED

Michael Wines, New York Times

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American Voters Now View Ukraine as Favorably as France, Germany and Japan

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As recently as a year ago, many Americans did not know what to make of Ukraine — if they knew anything about it at all. One-third of voters couldn’t say whether it was friendly or unfriendly to the U.S.

Not anymore.

In a striking — if perhaps not surprising — shift over the last year and since Russia’s invasion, an overwhelming majority of Americans now say Ukraine is a friendly country. CONTINUED

Nate Cohn, New York Times

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