Poll finds most Americans welcome Dem control
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/10/08/art.capital.flower.gi.jpg caption="A new poll suggest a majority of Americans welcome Democratic control."]
WASHINGTON (CNN) - It was one of John McCain's closing arguments: "We're getting a glimpse of what one-party rule would look like under Obama, Pelosi, and Reid. Apparently it starts with lowering our defenses and raising our taxes," the Republican presidential nominee said repeatedly on the campaign trail in the final weeks leading up to Election Day.
But a new national poll suggests why a majority of voters didn't seem to buy that argument, as Barack Obama beat McCain in the presidential election and the Democrats made major gains in both the House, under Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and the Senate, under Majority Leader Harry Reid.
In the CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Tuesday, 59 percent of those questioned said Democratic control of both the executive and legislative branches will be good for the country, compared with 38 percent saying such one-party control will be bad.
"That much good will from the public opens a window of opportunity for the Democrats," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "But the public expects results, and may not listen to excuses for very long if a Democratic Congress and a Democratic White House can't get their act together in time."
The poll also indicates that the public has a positive view of the Democratic Party, with 62 percent saying they have a favorable opinion and 31 percent an unfavorable opinion of the party. For the Republicans, a majority, 54 percent, said they have an unfavorable view of the GOP while 38 percent hold a positive view.
"The public has a positive view of the Democratic Party while the GOP 'brand' is hurting," Holland said. "Overall views of the Democratic Party have gone from 53 percent favorable in October to 62 percent favorable now; the GOP overall has seen a 5-point drop in its favorable rating."
The 62 percent figure is the "the highest opinion of the Democrats in at least 16 years, since before Bill Clinton got elected," said CNN Senior Political Analyst Bill Schneider.
"When has the Republican Party image ever been that bad? Answer: When the Republican Congress impeached President Clinton at the end of 1998," he added.
The poll indicates the public is split regarding the top Democrats in Congress. And that's an improvement.
"Democratic congressional leaders, much maligned this fall, have also seen a boost in their approval rating," Holland said. "Nearly half of those polled now approve of how congressional Democrats are handling their job, up from just a third who felt that way a month ago."
Schneider added, "Same thing happens when you ask them about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. Good-bad, 50-50, among voters who even know who they are."
It's a different story for the GOP, with just 24 percent approving of how Republican leaders are handling their jobs and nearly three in four disapproving.
But that doesn't mean the public wants to see the GOP shut out of government. Seven out of eight want the Democrats to include Republican views in any legislation they pass.
"What about those times, and they will occur, when Barack Obama and the Democratic leaders in Congress disagree," asked Holland. "The public is likely to side with Obama: 59 percent say they are more likely to trust him than the congressional Democrats."
With Senate contests in Alaska, Georgia, and Minnesota still unresolved, the Democrats have increased from 51 to 57 seats in the 100-seat chamber. That includes two independent senators, Joe Lieberman and Bernie Saunders, who caucus with the Democrats.
In the House of Representatives, the Democrats have picked up 20 seats, reaching 255, with six out of 435 races still undecided.
"There's an opening here for a new Democratic majority. But it's just that, an opening," Schneider said. "It all depends on how President Obama does. And whether he can overcome the red-blue divide in the country - something neither of the baby-boomer presidents, Bill Clinton and George W. Bush, could do."
The CNN/Opinion Research Corp. poll was conducted Thursday through Sunday, with 1,246 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
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It seems as though the Republicans had their chance, not once, but twice, to fix this country. But Mr. Bush was so adament and stubborn about deregulating the banks and all..... The Democrats are FOR all the people, not just a few.... They are even here to help all you Republicans who helped ruin this country's economic system. Clinton had the deficit paid OFF..... and now look where we are at....all UNDER THE LEADER OF THE REPUBLICAN PARTY.... I am dumbfounded as to why you Republicans think the Democrats are going to ruin the country. That blows my mind.
I am not sure it's so much the Democrat party platform and taking control from the Republicans. I do believe the election results were in favor of change from the direction the country has been headed, change in fixing problems (even noticing there are problems), and solutions the candidates offered. In 2008 I believe the voters turned out in such vast numbers to vote issues and not vote for the party.
Although being a Republican was not particularly helpful, unless you are from Alaska and love Stevens and Palin. Must be the water up there.
I hope that the Democrats believe in the Constitution? The Republicans did not!
You think that might be why they got elected? Duh!
Americans who want a government bailout are eager for the dems to take control. Unfortunately, the end result will be 4 years of economic misery ending in terminal deficits and third-world living standards.
Ben in SC you are hilarious! "Ben SC November 11th, 2008 5:00 pm ET
...And for the anti Palin people…McCain ruined his own campaign. He couldn't excite a dog in heat. I bet when he comes homes his own dog gets depressed!"
I haven't laughed this hard in weeks!
Edwards will never come back. He would've been a disaster for the Democrats if he'd've won the nomination because of the bimbo bombshell that would've dropped.
That would have been it. Edwards risked giving the Repubs the presidency AGAIN by running.
In my opinion, he doesn't possess the judgement to be president. What a stupid situation that was on his part, especially given the Clinton Example.
Now it the time to lower the Maximum Interest Rate for Mortgages, Bank Loans, and Credit Cards! By lowering the maximum rate on these interest rate that almost every Americans use in their lives, you can give instant relief to all American who are suffering from mounting debt, by cutting their monthly costs! Hopefully you will lower Mortgages to a maximum of ten percent, Bank Loans to a maximum of twelve percent, and Credit Cards to a maximum of fifteen percent! It does not make much since to make Credit Cards Companies rich while Americans are going broke!
New Automakers who want to produce electric cars are making a big push to get them on the roads of America. The Big Automakers made a choice to scrap and destroy electric cars back in 2003, now they should be allowed to fail since they chose to sell more auto parts rather then look to the future or plan for the future!
@Total Control: Facism Next. You are a moron. I never heard anyone complain when the GOP was in control and tried to push their Facist agenda on America. Remeber the "Contract on America" and how they were going to change this country too bad the REpugs choked on the bone of resposibility. To bad you buddy Newt turned out to be a dirt bag and an adulterer. The GOP took all the power they had and sold the Americas down the river. Millions of jobs lost to outsourcing overseas. Just imagine if we still had all those jobs maybe we would not have over 6% unemployment. So just crawl back in your hole curl up and pleasure yourself to the voice of Rush and Hannity..
Sara from Arizona is correct – some states having more delegates, Nobama won (much to my chagrin). Do the math you idiot dems that are slamming Sara, 1/2 of the states = 25, McCain, carrying 23 states, is darn near half! The dems act like Nobama just absolutely blew McCain away! 52% – 47% isn't exactly a slam! You can try to compare it to Reagan's bit win of 48 states but you fall 11 short!
I certainly do. Do we have something to lose????
Personal to Tom:
Carter was dealt a tough hand – he inherited runaway inflation from Ford and it got wose.
And Clinton? By al accounts of all the politicos and historians, the most fiscally successful administration ever. Too bad you are incapable of being objective, but you're a Republican so it goes with the territory!
If Obama fails, you can lay it at Bush's feet, because Bush is leaving a real convoluted mess!
Yes, Reggie, they have. Good ol Pelosi pork-bellied a good sum for the fishermen and we're paying for it! They even got to pick the best $$ they made in 5 years!! Wish I could do that! So much for the dems! Stupid people. You'll all see!
Obama, Do not betray the people for a deal! We can wait till January 20 2009!
Sure! After this last administration has left us where we are, it should be a good thing to get back to the Clinton years with no war(s) AND a surplus! It will be hard, but, it has been proven by the Re'lic party [that] they are not able to do so...
You know, I was just thinking the other day, I wish the government could come along and take more of my money. I feel bad that someone has to actually get a job instead of sitting on his butt at home, trying to foster a rap career. Or that some you girl has to actually go out and support her kids instead of staying at home having babies to collect government money. I feel bad that we haven't been attacked yet, we need a good bombing, like maybe a city being destroyed or families ruined because of loss. I feel bad that the government hasn't been under the control of radical fringe peace groups who have no idea what it takes to survive in this world. I feel bad that we don't have an administration that will further tie our hands to the powers of foreign oil instead of gaining energy independence, all because some fat lout who used to be VP wants to make more money.
I felt bad, but thank God we've got a new president coming in. Who, with the Congress will make all these things possible. Thanks guys!
Duck and cover...or is it bend over and grab your ankles?
This guy hasn't even taken office and already you are condemning him.
I heard on stupid caller on a radio show that I won't name say she doesn't feel safe anymore. That ranks right up there with HE's AN AARAB.
You should watch the history channel and see how the country faired when presidents pick cronies vs. people who were qualified.
She is our next best HOPE when Obama fails to do anything that he has promiced " we may not get there in a year, we may not get there in my first term" WHAT A LOSER
Why shouldn´t they? It´s easy. Many thousands Americans who voted for Obama and Dem Congress, many of them in jeopardy of losing their homes or already lost ones, lost or no health insurance covered, lost their jobs, and in the process they can no longer do leverage spending which sank their ship in the first place. So now they welcome Dem Government and congress bailing out their debts. So that they could maintain their lifelihood. Republicans wouldn´t do this big domestic spending except lowering taxes.
I think this is mainly because the American people have finally wised-up to the Republican rhetoric.
When the Republicans say less taxes, they really mean, "let's give rich people more money." When they say less government, they really mean, "Let's screw the common man. Let's cut their healthcare, social security, etc. Let's deregulate and have less environmental restrictions so the rich can get away with more". When they say privatize health care, they mean, "let's not give people any help in their medical bills. Let them go bankrupt from them."
They also say they want less goverment. But, they always want to increase military spending and go to ridiculous costly wars. That's more government. They want to illegalize abortion, that's more government. What they really mean is they want less government when it comes to helping the average guy out.
By the way, this is far from the end of the Republican demise. In 2010, 19 of the 34 seats up in the senate are Republican, and many of them are very vulnerable.
You BARACK BASHERS really need to GET A LIFE!
Do you think, for one minute, that BARACK SUPPORTERS
ARE EVEN GINING YOU A SECONDS CONSIDERATION?
Just like John McCain, you folks think that AMERICANS
ARE INCAPABLE OF THINKING FOR THEMSELVES,
well ......NEWSFLASH...AMERICANS ARE ON TO YOU
far from not being able to think for themselves, it just
says volumes when you realize that even the 5% of
AMERICANS WHO WILL BE GETTING A TAX INCREASE
under BARACK'S ADMINISTRATION, yes even THOSE
AMERICANS VOTED FOR BARACK.
I really have to admit that I was a teensey bit worried
but I should have given AMERICANS MORE CREDIT!
FOLKS YOU CAME THROUGH AND YOU CAME
THROUGH WITH FLYING COLOURS! THANK YOU,
FROM THE REST OF THE WORLD!
Now Barack Bashers....GET A LIFE! IT IS OVER, THE
PEOPLE OF AMERICA HAVE SPOKEN!
You people have lost their minds – just take a look at how the media backed Obama all the way. You wanted Obama and now you have got him. Now you want the Democratic Party to Rule!!! We are a democracy where all voices should be heard. Careful what you wish for – you just might get it.
Is a breath of fresh air to see a sane person in charge of the administration, Barack Obama has a head on his shoulders and he projects peace and security, we no longer have the cow boy telling us lies and most of all , the negative energy that Bush White House exuded in negative vibrations who were spread throughout the Union was simply unacceptable.
The rich paying very little taxes, in some instances none at all, however we the main streamers had to borrow money to pay the IRS. He run this Country with the criteria that everyone has a portfolio, and inflation started going up, only a few could have the very basic things
such as a nice car, a house etc. We are free at last, from this cold man that was raced in the cold of the money, Obama had very little so therefore he doesn't have a cold soul. I am ready for a neww energy so is everyone else.
tom-
More right wing bleating. Carter had his issues but he was not as bad a President as Bush or Nixon (or, in my opinion, Reagan). He was able to broker peace between Israel and Egypt. Ever read the Bible? Yeah, that one has been going on for a while.
Bush had no sense of diplomacy and saw no reason to negotiate, whether it was with foreign countries or the Democrats. Voters rightly saw that it was his administration and those who blindly followed him that were the problem.
Will this be better? Hope so. Sure can't be any worse.
The checks and balances did nothing but cause gridlock and filibusters the last 2 years. We needed to change this in order to get things moving.