WASHINGTON (CNN) - A new poll out Thursday indicates that less than quarter of Americans think things are going well in the country.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. Poll showed that only 24 percent have a positive outlook for the country, while 76 percent say things are on the wrong track.
That figure is the lowest number on record since 1980, and the third time in four decades that the number has dropped so low.
Recent CNN/Opinion Research Corp. polling has shown a steady drop in the country's mood. In April 2007, 51 percent said things in the country were going badly. A year later, 70 percent felt that way.
"Only three events - Watergate, the Iran hostage crisis, and the economic downturn of 1992 - have driven below 30 percent the number who think things are going well," CNN's polling director Keating Holland said. The mood of the country has been assessed since 1974.
The poll sampled 1,041 adult Americans by telephone on July 27-29, 2008. The margin of error was plus or minus 3 percentage points.
From CNN Politics
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Yes, the country's mood is down, disgusted, and anxious for good news. We're so tired of being manipulated, monitored, sampled, and treated like we are simple, insignificant, and gullible.
We are Americans and by nature optomistic. We are the most wonderful nation that there ever was, and we are barely 200 yars old. We know things could be better. It's never too late for a true leader to grab hold of everyone and make things right again.
China says we are in decline, and that the 21st Century is their century. We found them in poverty and illiteracy, living behind a big stone wall. They'd be nothing without the US market place.
Where is that great leader who is supposed to arise at times like this?
With Hillary trashed out of the race by the lying, cheating, self-impressed, race-baiting, celebrity pop star- we are left with NO good choice for president.
Of the two- McCain is less devious, evil, self-centered and power hungry.
So Obama- it ain't gonna be.
Obama will be the nail in our coffin.
I guess when you have brilliant comments like 'if you keep air in you tires and keep your car tuned up, we won't have to drill for more oil'
(Dumbama comment 7/30/2008) one probably wouldn't have a favorable outlook.
I agree with that 25% of the country–we're in the toilet. Why? George Walker Bush, the Commander In Cheek without a brain. Yes, I know it's easy to blame Bush, but it's also true. What has he done? Keep us safe from the terrible Al Qaeda? Yes, they are terrible but how do we know what George did? You can't prove a negative, anybody could have done what he did. He also broke the laws, over and over again.
George Walker Bush is the WORST PRESIDENT IN MODERN HISTORY. And the only thing we have to be grateful for as far as his presidency is the fact that he's leaving. Yes, in 5 months–thank God. We will be rid of the stench of the Bush mediocrity. We will have a chance to take our country back and move forward.
I love America and hate George Bush.
Given this poll, how in the world can John McCain be running in a dead heat with Barack Obama? If race were not an issue McCain would be 20-25 points behind right now.
AMERICA IS FINALLY WAKING UP TO THE FACT THAT THE EMPORER HAS NO CLOTHES. Thank goodness we can all see clearly. We can vote for a problem solver and get the country back on track. We can be civil to each other, and talk about issues before moving forward.
We want a president, not a king.
Ding, Dong...the king is almost dead (figuratively).
Should there be any doubt/question when CA STATE WORKERS reduces their Wage to the Federal Minimum? Better yet, wives of young Marines turn up dead, 25% of the treasury's reserves would be taken if they bailout the banks in the mortage crisis. 2 fighting "Presidential Candidates" not nominated as president busy dividing the country between black and white and women. Gas @4.00 Milk @4.00 Bread @ 4.00. We're clearly in the time of the end.
Wake up CNN. USA once greatest country in the world going downhill quickly.
Right, it's almost unanimous that republican control has run the country into the dirt but this election between a standard republican and a progressive democrat is dead even. I can not believe that!
pelosi and reid will drive this nation into chaos. those two are absolutely clueless partisans, but they did profit from their liberalism at the poors expense.
Until the Cowboys win the Super Bowl, the Cardinals the World Series and Ronald Reagan comes back from the grave the mood will be down.
Unless of course I win the lottery in which case none of that matters.
And the negative McCain campaign is not helping.
The upcoming election is one reason why people are so pessimistic. We really have no one to vote for!! Obama is a definite NO and McCain is not much better. We will again be voting for the lesser of two evils, only this time the evils are much worse.
DAH.... WHY in the world would we need a poll to tell US that we think the country is going in the WRONG direction!!!!
I mean Jesus, give the American people a LOT more credit. We are not all George Bush and John McCain's here. Many of us do have some level of intelligence, even if this Administration clearly does not.
This country HAS been headed in the WRONG direction since we went into an UNNECESSARY WAR over WMDs !!! It has snowballed since then....AND we can clearly trace the problem back to George W. Bush and all his greedy buddies and Senators like John McCain who supported all his STUPID policies.
Let's call it like it is people. This country NEEDS a UHAUL and it needs it FAST. We can't AFFORD another 4-8 years of FAILED POLICIES under the leadership of Sen. McBush.
Vote for the OLD man if you want...but be prepared for the WORSE and more of it.
Report: McCain Received $881,450 From Big Oil Since He Announced Support For Offshore Drilling
In Texas alone, June oil and gas-connected donations to McCain’s Victory ’08 Fund, his hybrid fundraising venture with the RNC and state committees, reached $1,214,100.
Of that total, $881,450, or 73 percent, came after June 15. McCain announced his position in favor of offshore drilling on June 16.
This REALLY doesn't surprise me.
We need change! Who has it? Barack Obama. Who cares that he is the opposite of the worst president in modern History? He has a funny middle name and his last name is somewhat similar to Osama. He must be bad!
Grow up, America
Obama '08
things are bad b/c we have not lived up to our potential in the new millenium
Why don't you develop a poll which asks very simply: do you believe CNN and other media outlets are doing a good job in covering the presidential race ?
Thank you John McCain, George Bush, and the Republican Party.
For me, in my lifetime, this Democratic Primary was a new low. Bashing women and Hillary supporters in order to win in a liberal party? I am now an Independent and as of today, knowing Hillary will not be VP but some other unknown female is being considered, well too insulting for my vote. No way BO. McCain 'O8 from a DEM who hates the Republicans, but I hate being betrayed as a twenty five year DEM volunteer by BO and the DNC more! Yes there are important issues to consider and this is one of them!
And some Americans consider McCain a real American hero…..what a phony! McCain is a shameless liar, who lacks honesty, character and integrity. He is a hypocrite! A vote for McCain is simply a continuation of the eight years of Bush. McCain has a 95% support agreement rating with Bush.
And yet they will consider voting for McCain? Please CNN. These polls are ridiculous and contradictory.
1000 out of how many million?
Give me a break!
I don't understand how 24% of intelligent adults in the U.S. could think things are going good in their country. Are there that many oil moguls and munitions magnates in America? Oh I forgot about the private contractors and mercenaries which might bump the total up.
I agree with the 76% who think we are circling the drain.
Obama '08
we had a dove (bill clinton) in the office followed by an militarily inexperienced man this led to 9-11 that led to the begining of the down fall of the economy. the opposition helped defeat many good bills that would have helped the economy, bush did not do it alone. the public is starting to see that. what they need now is an EAGLE to again bring pride and strenght to america that person is john mccain not another dove