AP Poll: More Americans Upbeat Than Not

(CBS/AP)  For the first time in years, more Americans than not say the country is headed in the right direction, a sign that Barack Obama has used the first 100 days of his presidency to lift the public's mood and inspire hopes for a brighter future.

Intensely worried about their personal finances and medical expenses, Americans nonetheless appear realistic about the time Mr. Obama might need to turn things around, according to an Associated Press-GfK poll. It shows most Americans consider their new president to be a strong, ethical and empathetic leader who is working to change Washington.

Nobody knows how long the honeymoon will last, but Mr. Obama has clearly transformed the yes-we-can spirit of his candidacy into a tool of governance. His ability to inspire confidence - Mr. Obama's second book is titled "The Audacity of Hope" - has thus far buffered the president against the harsh political realities of two wars, a global economic meltdown and countless domestic challenges.

"He presents a very positive outlook," said Cheryl Wetherington, 35, an independent voter who runs a chocolate shop in Gardner, Kansas. "He's very well-spoken and very vocal about what direction should be taken."

Other AP-GfK findings could signal trouble for Mr. Obama:

While there is evidence that people feel more optimistic about the economy, 65 percent said it's difficult for them and their families to get ahead. More than one-third know of a family member who recently lost a job.

More than 90 percent of Americans consider the economy an important issue, the highest ever in AP polling.

Nearly 80 percent believe that the rising federal debt will hurt future generations, and Mr. Obama is getting mixed reviews at best for his handling of the issue.

And yet, the percentage of Americans saying the country is headed in the right direction rose to 48 percent, up from 40 percent in February. Forty-four percent say the nation is on the wrong track.

Not since January 2004, shortly after the capture of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein, has an AP survey found more "right direction" than "wrong direction" respondents. The burst of optimism didn't last long in 2004.

And it doesn't happen much.

Other than that blip five years ago, pessimism has trumped optimism in media polls since shortly after the invasion of Iraq in the spring of 2003.

The "right track" number topped "wrong direction" for a few months after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks, according to non-AP media polls, and for several months late in the Clinton administration.

So far, Mr. Obama has defied the odds by producing a sustained trend toward optimism. It began with his election.

In October 2008, just 17 percent said the country was headed in the right direction. After his victory, that jumped to 36 percent. It dipped a bit in December but returned to 35 percent around the time of his inauguration and has headed upward since.

As President Obama concluded his trip to Europe earlier this month, a CBS News/New York Times poll found that Americans were more positive about the respect accorded to a U.S. president than they had been in years.

Sixty-seven percent said world leaders respected Mr. Obama, while 18 percent say they did not. It was a sharp contrast to the response when the same question was asked about George W. Bush in July 2006: Just 30 percent then said the president is respected by the leaders of other countries.

Mr. Obama is keenly aware that his political prospects are directly linked to such numbers. If at the end of his term the public is no more assured that Washington is competent and accountable and that the nation is at least on the right track, his re-election prospects will be doubtful.

Mr. Obama himself has conceded as much.

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[OMGyouarekidding]

The man and his cabal (yes, cabal) are nationalizing banks, throwing billions of dollars into a PRIVATE corporation (Chrysler) and funding outrageous and, quite frankly, ridiculous spending projects and then wags a finger at the public.

Barney Franks and Chris Dodd want to investigate banking fraud and indict everyone? Well, who's looking at the two of them? Just because Barney Franks squeals the loudest and is calling for everyone's heads doesn't mean that he was not one of the prime instigators in forcing banks to change their lending practices by allowing sub-prime mortgages, no downpayments to non-qualifying buyers. Don't point the finger now, Barney. Your prints are all over it.

And as for Pelosi...she and her cohorts were all about enhanced interrogations. They voted for it and now they want to say "we didn't know?" When are the politicians going to quit lying?

Bush and McCain should have stood up to Barney Franks and Chris Dodd in 2001 and again in 2003 when there were indications that the mortgage industry was in crisis.

And Hedge funds, derivatives, short/blind sales on Wall Street should have been regulated years ago by many other Presidents. But it didn't happen and do you know why? It's because of the lobbyists and the money that was being made because it was unregulated. They got the money and the taxpayers are holding the bag.

It sucks and CNN can't paint any lipstick on this pig and make it look like anything other than what it is.

[louiville2]

Hmmmm it seems leftist yellow journalism at work here. Maybe they need to stop just polling black neighborhoods.

Right Direction or Wrong Track
Voters? Opinions on America?s Direction Remain Stable
Wednesday, April 22, 2009


Thirty-seven percent (37%) of likely voters say the nation is heading in the right direction, showing no change from last week.

Still, 57% think the nation is heading in the wrong direction, also the same as last week, according to the latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.

The number of voters who say the nation is heading in the right direction is up 10 points from the week of President Obama?s inauguration and up 16 points from the week he was elected. Dating back to August 2006, that number never reached 30% until this February and hasn?t fallen below since. Optimism about the nation?s direction is at its highest level since October 2004.

Thirty-six percent (36%) of men and 38% of women say the country is heading in the right direction, both showing little change from last week. While 60% of men say wrong track, 55% of women agree.

[saucertosser]

So let me see... CBS cites the AP poll to show people like what BHO is doing, but ignore their own which calculates that 53% say the US is going the wrong way and 39% say it's the right direction.... Hmm, could it be that the AP poll is the ONLY one of the major polls that has more Americans liking the direction than not? CBS News a biased organization? Never! LOL

[omega39-2009]

Well, let's see. We are in a car travelling down a road and Obama is driving. We are going down a road (socialism) tried by so many throughout history...and all have crashed at the end of the road or gone over the cliff.

Posted by mortar29 at 9:04 AM : Apr 23, 2009

Nice analogy but the burning wreck of car, sticking out of the side of that huge tree, was put there by the previous administration.

[erasmus111]

Each person would probably come to a different conclusion as to which was the best way to go.

Posted by erasmus111 at 9:45 AM : Apr 23, 2009

What I meant was, they would probably come to a different conclusion as to how to "escape". Most would not sit there and die.

[erasmus111]

mortar29

Okay, say you are in a pit. : ) You are going to die if you can't get out. There are several things you can try to do to get out, but they could mean your death too. What are you going to do, just sit there? Or are you going to at least try to get out? Each person would probably come to a different conclusion as to which was the best way to go.

[erasmus111]

Well, let's see. We are in a car travelling down a road and Obama is driving. We are going down a road (socialism) tried by so many throughout history...and all have crashed at the end of the road or gone over the cliff.

We know, due to history and common sense, that the road he wants to take us on leads to destruction. We also know that many of our fellow Americans are either igonrant to these facts, or plain dont care about them.

And you say shut up, sit down, buckle up and hang on? Why would we not try to stop him?
Posted by mortar29 at 9:04 AM : Apr 23, 2009

Socialism? Care to explain?


"We also know that many of our fellow Americans are either igonrant to these facts, or plain dont care about them."

Again, that's YOUR opinion. There are many more that don't agree. What makes yours right? Maybe you are the ignorant one.

[trillion1]

Most American's are just thankful the gop isn't incharge any more. Not saying the Dems are great but we've all seen what the gop has done in the last 8 years.

[erasmus111]

If someone is "busting his butt" trying to fix things, but the things he is doing are all wrong...wouldnt it be better to do nothing?

Posted by mortar29 at 8:40 AM : Apr 23, 2009

But that is a matter of opinion, isn't it? That's YOUR opionion. And yes, there are some that feel the same as you. But there are also many more that feel he is doing the right thing. Only time will tell. Like I said, you are at the bottom, so do you just sit there doing nothing, or do you try things to see if you can make them better?

I see people b*tchin and complaining about stuff, yet they just sit there and do nothing. I say if you don't like the way things are, then you need to try and do things to make things better. Not everyone agrees on how things should be done, but to sit and do nothing is stupid. I figure if you aren't going to do anything then you should shut the hell up and quit whining.

If Obama can't make a difference in the 4 years he's got, then whine. Until then, shut up. He's all you got, make the best of it. Also, you have someone in there that will LISTEN at least. If you don't like something, WRITE A LETTER.

[tomadams99]

Keep drinking that koolaid AP...you may want to consider running a poll among the unemployed, particularly those recently layed off, and see what they have to say. Polls are baloney...they are the perfect tool of manipulation.