CBS NEWS/NEW YORK TIMES POLL For release: Wednesday, February 26, 2014 6:30 pm ET

Most Disappointed in Obama Presidency; Assessments of Economy & Countrys Direction Remain Negative
February 19-23, 2014

Shortly into his sixth year in office, a majority of Americans (59%) are now disappointed in Barack Obamas presidency so far. His overall approval rating is 41%, down from last month (46%) and close to the level it was in December. Most are unhappy with Washington (79%), and views of the economy and the direction of the country remain negative. On issues: 56% support same-sex marriage, 65% favor increasing the federal minimum wage, and eight in 10 are concerned their income is not keeping up with the cost of living, including 55% who are very concerned. Amid continued pessimism about the economy and direction of the country, 59% of Americans say they are disappointed in Mr. Obamas presidency (including 37% who are very disappointed); 40% are satisfied. Much of this discontent comes from Republicans and independents, but a quarter of Democrats express at least some disappointment. Disappointment with Barack Obamas presidency has grown since the summer of 2012, and much of that rise has been among independents. 40% of independents say they are very disappointed today, up from 27% in August 2012. Feelings About Obama Presidency So Far? Total Reps Dems Inds Very satisfied 10% --% 24% 6% Somewhat satisfied 30 8 51 27 Total Satisfied Somewhat disappointed Very disappointed Total Disappointed 40% 22 37 59% 8% 23 68 91% 75% 17 7 24% 33% 26 40 66%

Total (8/2012) 12 35 47% 22 30 52

President Obamas overall approval rating is now 41%, a dip of five points from last month and similar to what it was in December. 51% disapprove of the job he is doing. President Obamas Job Rating 1/2014 12/2013 11/2013 7/2013 2/2013 46% 42% 37% 48% 52% 47 50 57 45 38

Approve Disapprove

Now 41% 51

2/2012 50% 43

More specifically, Mr. Obama gets low marks for his handling of both foreign policy and the economy. Fewer than four in 10 approve of his job performance in each of these areas. 1

Approve Disapprove Washington and Congress

President Obamas Job Ratings on Foreign Policy Economy Now 1/2014 Now 1/2014 39% 42% 38% 41% 48 42 57 53

But its not just the President -- most Americans are disillusioned with the way things are going in Washington generally, and they continue to hold negative views of Congress. 79% are unhappy about the way things are going in the nations capital, including three in 10 who are angry. Majorities of all partisan stripes are displeased. Still, dissatisfaction and anger have lessened somewhat since the federal government shutdown last fall. Feeling about the Way Things are Going in Washington Now 10/2013 Enthusiastic 1% 2% Satisfied 18 8 Dissatisfied 49 44 Angry 30 43 Congress remains unpopular with the American public -- just 13% approve of the job it is doing, and 80% disapprove. Job Rating of Congress 1/2014 12/2013 10/2013 11% 10% 9% 82 83 85

Approve Disapprove

Now 13% 80

9/2013 14% 80

2/2013 14% 77

Issues Facing the Country The poll asked about a number of issues, both foreign and domestic. Over half of Americans think same sex marriage should be legal. Views are similar to what they were last summer (55% supported it), but a turnaround from the spring of 2012 when just 42% thought same-sex marriage should be legal. There are partisan differences: a majority of Republicans think it should not be legal, while most Democrats and independents think it should be. Same-Sex Marriage All Reps Dems Inds 56% 40% 70% 56% 39 55 27 40

Legal Not legal

On the economic and domestic side, two-thirds of Americans support increasing the federal minimum wage. More personally, eight in 10 are concerned their income is not keeping up with the cost of living, including 55% who are very concerned. 50% think the health care law has good things in it but changes need to be made to make it work better; four in ten want the law repealed entirely (including 70% of Republicans). Most think any plan to reduce the budget deficit should include both spending cuts and tax increases. 2

Just under half of Americans think global warming is caused by human activity, while another third say it is caused by natural patterns in the earths environment and 14% think it does not exist. Two-thirds of Democrats believe human activity causes global warming, while Republicans are inclined to think natural patterns in the environment are responsible. Issues: Economic and Domestic Raise Federal Minimum Wage to $10.10 an Hour? Total Reps Dems Inds Favor 65% 42% 86% 62% Oppose 33 54 12 36 Concerned income not keeping up with cost of living Very 55% 46% 60% Somewhat 26 30 22 Not 18 24 18 Views of Health Care Law Working well, keep in place Good things, but changes needed Needs to be repealed entirely Reduce Budget Deficit by: Only tax increases Only spending cuts Both Global Warming Due to: Human activity Natural patterns Does not exist

57% 26 16

6% 50 42

2% 27 70

13% 69 16

3% 49 45

4% 29 65

*% 44 53

8% 14 77

3% 31 63

46% 34 14

24% 47 22

66% 20 5

43% 36 15

Americans are divided about another domestic issue that has been in the news lately funding of pre-kindergarten programs. 47% think the federal government should fund such programs for all children, while 52% think it should be left to each individual state government to decide. 70% of Republicans think it should be left to the states, while 65% of Democrats think the federal government should fund it. On foreign policy matters, most support using drones against suspected terrorists in foreign countries, but 65% do not think the U.S. should take the leading role in solving international conflicts. There is partisan agreement on both of these issues. In its efforts to fight terrorism, 45% of Americans think the government has gone too far in infringing on peoples privacy, while 42% think the balance is about right. Independents are the most likely to think the government has gone too far. Issues: International and Foreign Policy Drone Attacks Against Suspected Terrorists Total Reps Dems Inds Favor 66% 81% 61% 61% Oppose 29 14 32 34 3

U.S. Take Leading Role in International Conflicts? Total Reps Yes 31% 34% No 65 64 Infringing on Peoples Privacy to Fight Terrorism: The Government Has Gone too far 45% 40% Not far enough 10 13 About right 42 45 The State of the Economy and Direction of the Country

Dems Inds 33% 29% 64 66

37% 10 51

54% 9 34

Americans are still pessimistic about both the economy and the direction the country is headed in overall. More than six in 10 think the economy is in bad shape, while just over a third rates it as good. These perceptions have not wavered much over the past year. Condition of the Economy 1/2014 12/2013 37% 37% 61 61

Good Bad

Now 37% 62

2/2013 32% 67

2/2012 23% 75

By a wide margin, more continue to think the country is off on the wrong track rather than headed in the right direction. Direction of the Country 1/2014 12/2013 9/2013 7/2013 33% 30% 29% 35% 61 63 66 60

Right direction Wrong track

Now 32% 63

2/2013 40% 54

2/2012 35% 59

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------This poll was conducted by telephone February 19-23, 2014 among a total of 1,644 adults nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by Social Science Research Solutions of Media, PA. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The poll included a general population sample of 1,003, along with additional interviews to yield the following sample sizes: 519 Republicans, 515 Democrats, and 610 independents. The additional interviews were obtained through callbacks to people indicating party id on a previous poll. The total sample was then weighted to party distribution targets from the general population portion of the poll. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The margin of error for Republicans, Democrats and independents is 6 points. The error for subgroups may be higher. Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS/ NEW YORK TIMES POLL Most Disappointed in Obama Presidency; Assessments of Economy & Countrys Direction Remain Negative February 19-23, 2014 Q1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President? TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 41 7 76 36 51 88 17 54 8 5 7 10

Approve Disapprove Don't know/No answer

Jan14c % 46 47 7

Q2. Do you feel things in this country are generally going in the right direction or do you feel things have pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track? Right direction Wrong track Don't know/No answer 32 63 6 7 91 2 58 35 7 26 67 7 33 61 6

Q3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling foreign policy? Approve Disapprove Dont know/No answer 39 48 13 11 78 10 69 18 14 32 53 14 42 42 15

Q4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy? Approve Disapprove Dont know/No answer 38 57 5 8 91 1 72 24 5 31 62 7 41 53 6

Q5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job? Approve Disapprove Dont know/No answer 13 80 7 8 86 6 16 78 6 14 78 8 11 82 7

Q6. How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good, fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad? Very good Fairly good Fairly bad Very bad Dont know/No answer 2 35 38 24 1 * 17 49 33 * 4 56 27 12 1 2 30 40 27 2 2 35 38 23 2

Q8B. Which comes closest to your feelings about the way things are going in Washington -- enthusiastic, satisfied but not enthusiastic, dissatisfied but not angry, or angry? TOTAL RESPONDENTS^ Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 1 1 3 1 18 7 29 17 49 57 50 44 30 35 17 36 2 1 1 3

Enthusiastic Satisfied but not enthusiastic Dissatisfied but not angry Angry Dont know/No answer

Oct13a % 2 8 44 43 3

^Interviews for q8b were conducted Feb. 20-23 among 1,295 respondents.

Q13B. In general which comes closest to your feelings about the Obama presidency so far? Would you say you are very satisfied, somewhat satisfied, somewhat disappointed or very disappointed? Aug12b 12 35 22 30 2

Very satisfied Somewhat satisfied Somewhat disappointed Very disappointed Dont know/No answer

10 30 22 37 1

8 23 68 -

24 51 17 7 *

6 27 26 40 2

Q40. Do you feel that the distribution of money and wealth in this country is fair, or do you feel that the money and wealth in this country should be more evenly distributed among more people? Jan14c 31 62 8

Fair Should be more even Dont know/No answer

31 63 5

56 37 7

10 87 3

33 60 6

Q40a. How concerned are you about your income not keeping up with the cost of living? Are you very concerned, somewhat concerned, not too concerned, or not at all concerned? Very concerned Somewhat concerned Not too concerned Not at all concerned Dont know/No answer 55 26 11 7 * 46 30 15 9 1 60 22 11 7 57 26 9 7 1

Q41. Do you think any plan to reduce the federal budget deficit should include (only tax increases), or (only spending cuts), or a combination of both tax increases and spending cuts? Sep11a 3 21 71 5 6

Only tax increases Only spending cuts Both Dont know/No answer

4 29 65 3

* 44 53 2

8 14 77 2

3 31 63 3

Q45. As you may know, the federal minimum wage is currently $7.25 an hour. Do you favor or oppose raising the minimum wage to $10.10? TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 65 42 86 62 33 54 12 36 2 3 2 2

Favor Oppose Dont know/No answer

Jan14c % 72 26 1

Q46. Which comes closest to your view about the 2010 health care law? 1. The law is working well and should be kept in place as is. 2. There are some good things in the law, but some changes are needed to make it work better. 3. The law has so much wrong with it that it needs to be repealed entirely. Working well and kept in place Good things, but changes needed Needs to be repealed entirely Dont know/No answer 6 50 42 2 2 27 70 1 13 69 16 2 3 49 45 3 6 56 34 4

Q48. Which statement comes closest to your view about global warming? 1. Global warming is caused mostly by human activity such as burning fossil fuels, 2. Global warming is caused mostly by natural patterns in the earth's environment or 3. Global warming does not exist. Mar13c 52 29 10 7 1 2

Human activity Natural patterns Global warming does not exist Caused by both (vol.) Not sure what it's caused by (vol.) Dont know/No answer

46 34 14 3 2 2

24 47 22 5 1 1

66 20 5 3 3 3

43 36 15 3 1 1

Q49 Do you think it should be legal or not legal for same sex couples to marry? Jul13b 55 39 6

Yes, legal No, not legal Dont know/No answer

56 39 4

40 55 6

70 27 3

56 40 5

Q50. Do you think laws regarding whether same-sex marriage is legal or not should be determined by the federal government or left to each individual state government to decide? May13b 33 60 1 6

Federal government Individual states Both Dont know/No answer

33 64 * 3

20 77 * 3

43 52 1 4

32 65 * 3

Q53. In general, do you think laws covering the sale of guns should be made more strict, less strict, or kept as they are now? TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 54 33 77 49 9 15 3 10 36 51 19 39 1 1 1 1

More strict Less strict Kept as they are Dont know/No answer

Dec13b % 49 12 36 3

Q51. Do you think that the federal government should fund pre-kindergarten programs for all children nationwide, or do you think it should be left to each individual state government to decide? Federal govt should fund pre-k Left to each state Dont know/No answer 47 52 2 28 70 2 65 33 2 44 54 2

Q56. Overall, in its efforts to fight terrorism, do you think the U.S. government has gone too far in infringing on peoples privacy, has it not gone far enough, or has the balance been about right? Jan14c 41 12 43 4

Too far Not far enough About right Dont know/No answer

45 10 42 2

40 13 45 2

37 10 51 2

54 9 34 3

Q57. Do you think the United States should or should not take the leading role among all other countries in the world in trying to solve international conflicts? Sep13a 34 62 5

Yes, should take the leading role No, should not take the leading role Dont know/No answer

31 65 4

34 64 3

33 64 3

29 66 6

Q58. Do you favor or oppose the US using unmanned aircraft or 'drones' to carry out missile attacks against suspected terrorists in foreign countries? TOTAL RESPONDENTS Total Rep Dem Ind % % % % 66 81 61 61 29 14 32 34 6 5 7 5

Favor Oppose Dont know/No answer

May13b % 72 22 6

Total Respondents Total Republicans Total Democrats Total independents

UNWEIGHTED 1,644 519 515 610

WEIGHTED

400 (24%) 517 (31%) 727 (44%)