a spouse, the press should almost always report the story. Just under two-thirds(65%) think a candidate's failure to pay income taxes should almost always be reported. Majoritiesalso believe lying about one's academic or military record should be pursued by reporters (61% forboth). Past marital infidelity should not be covered say most Americans. Only 23% say such a story shouldalmost always be reported on; 21% say this should sometimes be reported. If a candidate is havingan affair during the course of the campaign, the public is much less forgiving. Forty-three percent saythis conduct should almost always be reported, another 20% say it should sometimes be reported.These numbers are largely unchanged from 1987 when 41% said ongoing affairs should almostalways be reported and 25% said they should sometimes be reported. The public expresses some ambivalence about thenewsworthiness of past drug use. Only 23% believenews organizations should almost always pursue astory about a candidate smoking marijuana as ayoung adult. Another 19% say this should sometimesbe reported depending on the particularcircumstances. A 57% majority say such a storyshould almost never be reported. Cocaine use isviewed as somewhat more newsworthy. Just overone-third (35%) of Americans think stories about acandidate using cocaine as a young adult shouldalmost always be reported. Still, fully 40% say thesestories should almost never be reported. Similarly,36% of the public says the press should almostalways report on a candidate who is found to havehad a drinking problem in the past. Americans are much less interested in hearing aboutthe sexual orientation of political candidatesnowadays than was the case a decade ago. Today, only 38% of Americans say if a candidate is ahomosexual, this should almost always be reported by the media. This is down from 55% in 1987.The public is relatively uninterested in hearing about a candidate's psychiatric background. Fewerthan t...
