"Public Opinion" is not truly the realm of the "public" as the name would imply. It is constructed, nay manuufactured, by opinion leaders-- often in very calculated and agenda-driven ways. For instance research shows, when the media covers a particular issue in depth, public opinion about the issue changes. Stop reporting about the issue, the importance or unimportance of it diminishes too. Whether it is climate change, immigration, or Paris Hilton's proclivities, you can expect what goes up to come down. The key is to have an reasonable idea of when it is up and when it is down. Campaigns, 527 groups, lobbies, and PR firms understand this well and, more so, the art and science behind it. I suggest that you get to know it too. This keeps you (and me) from being a pawn in a game that you wouldn't want to play if you had more than one set of facts to rely on.
The Media Education Foundation has some pretty good materials (for free that you can study). This one, in particular, is useful to understanding how public opinion is made.
Now you decide if this entry is an attempt to sway public opinion.
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