The second key point is the salience:
The leak investigation is seen as a meaningful issue: About three-quarters call it a serious matter, and just over four in 10 see it as “very” serious. These are down slightly, however, by five and six points respectively, from their level in September 2003.
Fifty-three percent are following the issue closely ? a fairly broad level of attention. Those paying close attention (who include about as many Republicans as Democrats) are more likely than others to call it very serious, to say the White House is not cooperating, to say Rove should be fired if he leaked, and to say Miller is doing the right thing.
Now whether 53% really are following it closely is one thing, but 53% of people think it’s important enough to say they are is very significant.