From David Hulen in Anchorage --

A new national poll from the Pew Research Center for the People & The Press suggests many voters think the answer is no.

Strong majorities of the public say the press has been fair to John McCain, Barack Obama and Joe Biden. But fewer than four-in-ten (38%) say the press has been fair to Sarah Palin. Many more believe the press has been too tough on Palin (38%) than say it has been too easy (21%).

While opinions about Palin coverage are highly partisan, many independents share the view that the press has been too tough on the Alaska governor. Among independents, 41% say the press has been too hard on Palin, 20% say the press has been too easy and 36% say the press has been fair. Republicans overwhelmingly believe the press has been too hard on Palin (63%). Just 7% say the press has been too easy on her. Nearly one-in-five Democrats (18%) agree that coverage of Palin has been too tough.

Republicans are not as critical of press coverage of McCain. About half (48%) say the press has been fair to the Arizona senator, while 44% say the press has been too tough and 6% say too easy. Among the general public, six-in-ten say coverage of McCain has been fair.

The polls found Americans are glued to coverage of the campaign.

About a month before Election Day, interest in campaign news is higher now than it has been in previous years in the final days before the election. Among registered voters, 61% say they are following campaign news very closely.