Economy Now the Most Important Issue for Americans by a Wide Margin

Ratings of President, Congress at or Near Historic Low Points

ROCHESTER, N.Y. – September 24, 2008 – The latest Harris Poll finds that the financial crisis has moved the economy, which was already at the top of the list of concerns for Americans, far ahead of all other political issues that people want the government to address. According to some of the findings of a new Harris Poll of 1,015 U.S. adults surveyed by telephone between September 17 and 21, 2008 by Harris Interactive^®:

Fully 54 percent of adults now feel that the economy is one of the two most important issues for the government to address. This is up from 43 percent in August, 38 percent in June and only 13 percent in October of last year. It is the first time in several years that any issue has topped 50 percent;
The only other issues to be mentioned by more than 9 percent of adults are health care (21%, up from 15% in August), "the war", (17%) and gas and oil prices (11%; down from 15% in August and 20% in June). This is the first time in more than four years that less than one in five Americans have mentioned "the war" (which for purposes of this poll may include the war in Iraq or Afghanistan and possibly the "war on terror");
President Bush’s ratings (24% positive and 75% negative) are equal to his lowest-ever ratings in April and virtually unchanged since then;
A massive 77 percent to 16 percent majority believes the country is on the wrong track, in which is actually an improvement over June, when they were 80 percent to 14 percent;
An even larger 81 percent to 16 percent majority gives Congress negative ratings, almost as bad as the 83 percent to 13 percent who felt this way in June; and,
The ratings of the Republicans (74% negative) and the Democrats (75% negative) in Congress are both extraordinarily bad, and at or very close to their historic lows.

So What?

With only six weeks until the Elections on November 4^th, it seems that in 2008, as in 1992, "it is the economy, stupid" and the voters’ confidence in the candidates’ ability to handle the economy will determine who will be our next president. This poll also underlines the importance of "change" in the election; the public continues to be very dissatisfied with both President Bush and Congress and believe that the country is headed in the wrong direction.

While nothing is set in concrete, and many things may happen to influence the election over the next six weeks, it seems highly probable that the winner will be the candidate who is perceived to be better at handling the economy and moving the country in a new direction. But Donald Rumsfeld was right when he said that "stuff happens", along with Yogi Berra who believed "it ain’t over until it’s over", so stay tuned for six more weeks of this roller coaster ride.

TABLE 1

PRESIDENT BUSH'S OVERALL JOB RATING

Not Sure’s Excluded

"How would you rate the overall job President George W. Bush is doing as president – excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?"

Base: All adults

	TREND	Positive*	Negative**
	TREND	%	%
2008	September	24	75
	August	25	74
	June	24	75
	April	26	72
	February	28	69
2007	December	32	68
	October	27	72
	September	31	67
	July	26	73
	April	28	70
	February	32	67
2006	November	31	67
	October	34	63
	September	38	61
	May	29	71
	April	35	63
	February	40	58
	January	43	56
2005	November	34	65
	August	40	58
	June	45	55
	April	44	56
	February	48	51
2004	November	50	49
	October	51	49
	September	45	54
	August	48	51
	June	50	49
	April	48	51
	February	51	48
2003	December	50	49
	October	59	40
	August	57	41
	June	61	36
	April	70	29
	February	52	46
2002	December	64	35
	November	65	33
	August	63	37
	May	74	25
	April	75	23
	January	79	19
2001	December	82	17
	November	86	12
	October	88	11
	August	52	43
	May	59	35
	March	49	38
	February	56	26

*Positive = excellent or pretty good. **Negative = only fair or poor.

TABLE 2
CONGRESS’ OVERALL JOB RATING
Not Sure’s Excluded

"How would you rate the overall job the Congress is doing– excellent, pretty good, only fair, or poor?"

Base: All adults

	TREND	Positive*	Negative**
	TREND	%	%
2008	September	16	81
	August	18	77
	June	13	83
	April	17	77
	February	20	76
2007	December	17	79
	October	20	77
	September	22	74
	July	24	72
	April	27	69
	February	33	62
2006	September	24	73
	May	18	80
	February	25	71
	January	25	72

*Positive = excellent or pretty good. **Negative = only fair or poor.

TABLE 3
RATINGS OF REPUBLICANS IN CONGRESS
Not Sure’s Excluded

"And how would you rate the job Republicans in Congressare doing – excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?"

Base: All adults

	TREND	Positive*	Negative**
	TREND	%	%
2008	September	22	74
	August	21	73
	June	21	75
	April	20	73
	February	22	72
2007	December	23	73
	October	19	76
	September	22	73
	July	21	76
	April	22	74
	February	26	69
2006	November	24	72
	September	24	71
	June	25	72
	May	20	76
	March	27	68
2005	November	27	69
	August	32	64
	June	37	58
	April	36	61
2004	September	38	56
	August	40	54
	June	39	53
	April	35	55
	February	40	52
2003	December (low)	37	51
	April (high)	52	41
2002	August (low)	41	49
	January (high)	58	34
2001	October (high)	67	24
	August (low)	37	52
2000	May (low)	33	60
	February (high)	38	55
1999	October (low)	32	58
	September (high)	39	55
1998	June (low)	31	62
	February (high)	44	53
1997	June (low)	31	67
	February (high)	38	58
1996	May (low)	29	69
	January (high)	33	66
1995	November (low)	35	63
	April (high)	42	56

*Positive = excellent or pretty good.

**Negative = only fair or poor.

TABLE 4
RATINGS OF DEMOCRATS IN CONGRESS
Not Sure’s Excluded

"And how would you rate the job Democrats in Congress aredoing – excellent, pretty good, only fair or poor?"

Base: All adults

	TREND	Positive*	Negative**
	TREND	%	%
2008	September	21	75
	August	22	74
	June	21	73
	April	23	70
	February	26	70
2007	December	23	73
	October	29	67
	September	24	70
	July	31	64
	April	35	58
	February	41	52
2006	November	36	57
	September	29	67
	June	26	70
	May	23	72
	March	24	70
2005	November	25	70
	August	31	65
	June	33	61
	April	34	64
2004	September	34	60
	August	35	58
	June	31	59
	April	32	57
	February	33	58
2003	December	28	61
	October	34	56
	August	30	60
	June	41	51
	April	39	52
	February	38	54
2002	August (low)	38	54
	January (high)	52	40
2001	October (high)	68	24
	May (low)	40	51
2000	September (high)	48	44
	June (low)	38	52
1999	October (low)	42	50
	January (high)	50	47
1998	September (high)	49	47
	June (low)	41	53
1997	June (low)	36	60
	February (high)	43	54
1996	May (high)	36	62
	January (low)	31	68
1995	November (high)	34	64
	July (low)	30	66

*Positive = excellent or pretty good.

**Negative = only fair or poor.

TABLE 5
RIGHT DIRECTION OR WRONG TRACK
No Opinion’s, Not Sure’s and Decline to Answer’sExcluded

"Generally speaking, would you say things in the countryare going in the right direction or have they pretty seriously gotten off on thewrong track?"

Base: All adults

	TREND	Right Direction	Wrong Track
	TREND	%	%
2008	September	16	77
	August	18	76
	June	14	80
	April	15	75
	February	23	69
2007	December	18	74
	October	22	67
	September	24	63
	July	19	70
	February	29	62
2006	November	31	58
	August	26	64
	May	24	69
	February	32	59
2005	November	27	68
	January	46	48
2004	September	38	57
	June	35	59
2003	December	35	57
	June	44	51
2002	December	36	57
	June	46	48
2001	December	65	32
	June	43	52
2000	October	50	41
	June	40	51
1999	June	37	55
	March	47	45
1998	December	43	51
	June	48	44
1997	December	39	56
	April	36	55
1996	December	38	50
	June	29	64
1995	December	26	62
	June	24	65
1994	December	29	63
	June	28	65
1993	June	21	70
	March	39	50
1992	October	15	78
	June	12	81
	January	20	75
1991	December	17	75
	January	58	32
1990	October	20	73
	February	48	43

TABLE 6
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR GOVERNMENT to address

"What do you think are the two most importantissues for the government to address?"

Spontaneous, unprompted replies

Base: All Adults

	‘97	‘98	‘99	‘00	‘01	‘02	‘03	‘04	‘05	‘06	07	08	08	08	08	08
	May	Jan	Feb	Aug	Dec	Dec	June	Oct	Aug	June	Oct	Feb	Apr	June	Aug	Sept
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
The economy (non-specific)	8	9	7	5	32	34	25	28	19	14	13	41	47	38	43	54
(The) war	X	X	X	X	12	18	8	35	41	27	24	26	28	25	22	17
Healthcare (not Medicare)	10	11	12	15	5	10	14	18	11	12	25	22	17	17	15	21
Gas and oil prices	X	X	X	X	X	X	1	1	10	8	2	1	10	20	15	11
Employment/jobs	5	3	4	4	7	8	8	10	3	7	5	6	9	7	7	9
Immigration	2	1	*	1	1	1	2	2	3	20	12	12	9	8	6	6
Taxes	14	16	12	13	6	5	11	8	5	4	3	6	4	4	3	6
Energy	X	X	X	X	X	X	1	1	4	4	1	1	2	7	15	5
Iraq	*	*	1	X	X	11	3	9	6	8	14	14	10	9	8	5
Education	15	14	21	25	12	11	13	7	8	7	6	4	5	8	6	5
Foreign policy (non-specific)	3	5	4	3	2	4	2	3	2	2	4	2	3	3	3	4
National security	X	X	2	2	6	3	6	5	2	2	2	5	2	2	2	4
Budget/Government spending	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	5	6	5	2	2	3	3
Housing	X	X	X	X	X	1	1	*	*	1	2	2	5	2	3	3
Domestic/social issues (non-specific)	2	3	2	2	2	2	1	2	2	3	3	2	2	1	3	1
Military/defense	2	2	2	4	4	1	5	3	1	4	2	2	2	3	3	3
Homeland/domestic security/public safety	X	X	X	X	8	9	3	6	2	2	2	2	1	1	2	3
Inflation	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	1	2	3	*	2	3	1	2
Environment	3	2	3	3	1	3	2	1	3	3	3	2	2	4	3	2
Social security	6	6	24	16	3	2	4	4	10	5	3	4	3	1	1	2
Terrorism	X	X	X	X	22	17	11	7	7	4	4	3	2	2	2	2
Welfare	14	8	4	2	1	1	3	*	3	1	2	1	1	*	*	1
Crime/violence	19	13	8	10	1	2	3	1	3	2	2	1	1	1	2	1
AIDS	*	1	X	*	*	*	2	X	*	*	1	*	*	X	X	1
Abortion	2	2	2	6	1	1	1	4	2	1	2	1	2	1	1	1
Religion (decline of)	*	1	*	1	2	1	1	1	*	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
Honesty/Integrity/Moral Values	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	2	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	1
(Programs for) the poor/ poverty	3	2	2	3	1	2	3	*	4	4	4	4	1	2	2	*
Medicare	4	5	5	6	1	1	4	3	2	1	3	1	1	1	1	*
Homelessness	4	4	3	3	2	2	1	*	1	1	3	2	2	1	1	*
Programs for the elderly (not Medicare/Social Security)	1	1	1	2	1	1	3	*	*	*	1	1	*	1	1	*
Human/civil/women's rights	2	1	*	1	1	1	*	1	1	1	2	*	1	*	1	*
Downsizing government	X	X	X	1	*	X	X	1	*	1	1	1	*	*	1	*
Judicial/Legal Issues	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	*	2	1	1	1	1	1	1	*
Drugs	8	6	2	5	2	3	3	*	2	1	3	1	1	1	1	*
Same sex rights	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	1	1	2	*	*	1	*	*	*
Middle East peace process between Palestinians and Israel	X	X	X	X	2	2	2	*	1	*	*	*	*	X	*	*
School safety	X	X	X	X	X	X	2	*	1	1	1	*	*	*	*	*
Family values (decline of)	2	1	2	1	*	*	1	1	1	1	1	*	1	*	*	*
Ethics in government	*	*	*	*	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	1	*	*	*
Second Amendment (right to bear arms)	X	*	*	*	*	X	*	*	*	*	*	1	*	X	X	*
Peace/world peace/nuclear arms	1	3	3	1	2	2	3	*	1	1	2	1	*	*	*	*
Bush/president	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	X	1	*	*	*	*	*
Race Relations	X	2	*	1	1	*	*	X	*	*	1	*	*	*	1	X
Medical research	X	X	X	X	X	X	2	2	1	*	2	*	*	*	X	X
Other¹	8	19	2	19	3	8	8	8	1	6	5	4	4	7	5	5
Not sure/refused/no issue	9	12	16	18	11	10	12	9	8	6	8	3	2	3	3	6

* = Less than 0.5%, X = Not mentioned as specific issue

^{1 Including government/politics (nonspecific), disaster/Hurricane
relief, Foreign Aid, trade, disability, promoting democracy, election/voter
reform , Supreme Court, youth and FEMA

Methodology

The Harris Poll^® was conducted by telephone
within the United States between September 17 and 21, 2008 among a nationwide
cross section of 1,015 adults (aged 18 and over). Figures for age, sex,
race/ethnicity, education, region, number of adults in the household, size of
place (urbanicity) and number of phone lines in the household were weighted
where necessary to bring them into line with their actual proportions in the
population.
All sample surveys and polls, whether or not they use
probability sampling, are subject to multiple sources of error which are most
often not possible to quantify or estimate, including sampling error, coverage
error, error associated with nonresponse, error associated with question wording
and response options, and post-survey weighting and adjustments. Therefore,
Harris Interactive avoids the words "margin of error" as they are
misleading. All that can be calculated are different possible sampling errors
with different probabilities for pure, unweighted, random samples with 100%
response rates. These are only theoretical because no published polls come close
to this ideal.

These statements conform to the principles of disclosure of
the National Council on Public Polls.

J35109
QA1, QA2, QA3}

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