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CBS News/New York Times Poll: Only 7 Percent Think U.S. Is On Right Track

Posted by JOE GANDELMAN, Editor-In-Chief in Politics.
Oct 14th, 2008 | Comments

A new and shocking CBS News/New York Times poll finds that only 7 percent of Americans polled thinks that the United States is on the right track:

A new CBS News/New York Times poll finds that 89 percent of Americans believe that country is on the wrong track, a new all-time high surpassing the 83 percent who said the same earlier this year. Just seven percent of Americans in the poll said they felt the country was headed in the right direction, down from 14 percent in September. Solid majorities of Republicans, Democrats and Independents agreed that the nation is on the wrong track.

The right direction/wrong track number is a key indicator of the mood of the country and just three weeks from Election Day is further evidence of the economic crisis that has rattled the presidential race. The poll was conducted Friday through Monday, mostly following last week’s historic drop in the stock market. Previous polls have shown voters are more confident in Barack Obama’s ability to improve the economy and both candidates have recently unveiled new proposals aimed at easing concerns.

The full CBS News/New York Times poll will be released at 6:30 ET tonight.

Expect a lot of discussion on this one, since it is now going to provide the backdrop for tomorrow’s McCain-Obama debate. Both candidates better be prepared to address the issue of this public perception since it is virtually certain that the debate moderator, CBS’s Bob Schieffer (who is coming up with the questions himself), will seek a comment on it.

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GreenDreams

That pretty much sums it up. The GOP held absolute power for 8 years (though during the past two just with filibuster, veto and a corrupt DOJ.) The Republican party got to show the whole world its stuff. Its stuff stinks, and voters are rejecting it now. Big time.

kritt11

I'm usually for divided government-- to prevent either party from getting too ingrained in Washington, but not this time.

The GOP has become amoral, antienvironment, and just plain obstructionist. I have no idea what they are supposed to stand for anymore-- except as protectors of business execs and upper class wealth. Their poltical campaigns are so low they have become ridiculous. Just look at even the respected Colin Powell testifying in Sen Stevens' case that his word was "sterling". what a load!

superdestroyer

kritt,

to get that seven percent, many Repulbicans would have to believe the U.S. is on th ewrong track. They probably believe that because the Bush Administration decide that it did not need to be conservative. How many Republicans were really for adding five trilion to the national debt, for open borders, and for expanding entitlements.

The real question now is what will the right direction be as the U.S. becomes a one party state. Do you really think that the pirvate sector employed middle class will feel that the U.S. is on the right track with an expanding government, larger entitlements, open borders, amnesty, and new restrictions on political speech, association, religion, and their children's education?

GreenDreams

Old talking points SD. The GOP is for coddling rich white men at everyone else's expense. "Tax and spend" "big government" "new restrictions" etc. All BS. GOP trashed the Constitution, spied on all of us, enthroned an imperial presidency, lied to us constantly, implemented the biggest government expansion in history, fouled the environment and pummeled the economy. You can't scare us by saying the Dems will do what the GOP has already done. The Dems have a much better record and the past 8 years prove it. The GOP simply lied outright about how it governs. We see the truth about your party now. The whole world does. And you, I guess, are a 7 percenter. That's pretty much the far far right fringe.

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