Washington Post-ABC News Poll
This Washington Post-ABC News poll was conducted by telephone September 29, 2008, among a random national sample of 520 adults and 424 registered voters. The results from the sample of registered voters has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus five percentage points. Error margins are higher for subgroups. Sampling, data collection and tabulation by TNS of Horsham, Pa.
*= less than 0.5 percent
1. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) Thinking about the next 12 months, would you say you feel (optimistic) or (pessimistic) about (ITEM)?
9/29/08 - Summary Table
Optimistic Pessimistic No opinion
a. the state of the national economy 43 53 4
b. your own family's financial
situation 61 34 5
Trend:
a. the state of the national economy
Optimistic Pessimistic No opinion
9/29/08 RV 43 53 4
4/13/08 RV 40 58 2
2/1/08 45 51 4
12/9/07 45 52 3
12/11/06 64 33 3
5/15/06 52 46 1
12/18/05 55 44 1
12/19/04 58 40 2
6/20/04 64 34 2
1/14/03 63 35 2
b. your own family's financial situation
Optimistic Pessimistic No opinion
9/29/08 RV 61 34 5
4/13/08 RV 66 31 3
2/1/08 67 30 3
12/9/07 72 25 3
12/11/06 82 16 2
5/15/06 79 20 1
12/18/05 73 26 1
12/19/04 75 23 2
2. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) In terms of its potential impact on the broader economy, do you think the country's current financial situation is a crisis, a serious problem but not a crisis, a problem but not a serious one, or not much of a problem at all?
------ Problem ------- --------- Not a problem -------
Serious Not serious Not much of No
NET Crisis problem NET problem a problem opin.
9/29/08 RV 94 52 43 5 4 * 1
3. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) The government has proposed using up to 700 billion dollars to shore up failing financial institutions on Wall Street. Some people say (it's a bailout that those companies don't deserve). Other people say (it's necessary to protect the broader economy). On balance, do you support or oppose this plan? Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?
-------- Support -------- --------- Oppose -------- No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opinion
9/29/08 RV 45 17 28 47 20 27 8
4. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) How confident are you that the federal government's efforts will prevent the country's current financial situation from getting worse - very confident, somewhat confident, not so confident or not confident at all?
---- Confident --- ----- Not confident ----- No
NET Very Smwht NET Not so Not at all opinion
9/29/08 RV 51 6 45 47 32 15 2
5. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) Who do you think deserves the most blame for the current financial situation?
9/29/08
President Bush 25
Wall Street financial
institutions/Banks 18
Federal government/government
in Washington 8
Congress 8
All/everyone/many different
parties 7
People/homeowners who borrowed
too much 5
Democrats 5
Republicans 5
Greed 4
Bill Clinton/Clinton
administration 2
Bad economic times 1
Deregulation 1
Companies/CEOs/Executives 1
Other 4
No opinion 5
6. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) As you may know, Congress today rejected the government's plan, and the stock market lost nearly 800 points. How concerned are you that today's vote in Congress could lead to a more severe economic decline in this country - very concerned, somewhat concerned, not so concerned or not concerned at all?
--- Concerned --- --- Not Concerned --- No
NET Very Smwt NET Not so At all opinion
9/29/08 RV 88 51 37 11 8 4 1
7. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) Who do you think is mainly responsible for the rejection of the plan in Congress - the (Democrats in Congress) or the (Republicans in Congress)?
Both Neither Bush No
Democrats Republicans equally (vol.) (vol.) (vol.) op.
9/29/08 RV 21 44 17 5 * 13
8. (ASKED OF REGISTERED VOTERS) Do you think the plan rejected by Congress today did (too much), (too little) or about the right amount to [ITEM]?
9/29/08 - Summary Table
Too much Too little Right amount No opinion
a. Help major financial
institutions that got
into trouble 34 28 27 11
b. Help the U.S. economy 12 49 27 12
c. Help ordinary Americans 5 61 22 12
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