CBS NEWS POLL

For release: Sunday, October 11, 2015

10:30 am EDT

Congress, Boehner Receive Poor Marks

October 4-8, 2015

Just 23% of Americans and 23% of Republicans approve of the job John Boehner is
doing as Speaker of the House of Representatives. More than twice as many 52% -disapprove. Conservative Republicans are especially likely to disapprove (66%).

Congress continues to receive very low approval ratings: 12% approve, and 79%
disapprove.

President Barack Obamas approval rating is 45% in this poll; 46% disapprove. His
approval rating has been similar all year.

46% view the economy as in good shape now, while 53% assess it as bad.

Congress
Speaker of the House of Representatives John Boehner announced he will be leaving Congress
at the end of this month. In this poll, 23% approve of the job he is doing as Speaker, while more,
52%, disapprove, and 24% dont have an opinion.
The Republican Speaker receives poor marks from members of his own party. Just 23% of
Republicans approve of the job he is doing as Speaker. Approval falls to 19% among
conservative Republicans; 66% of them disapprove. Among those who describe themselves as
supporters of the Tea Party, 22% approve.
Boehners Job Approval Rating

Approve
Disapprove
Dont know

All
23%
52
24

Reps
23%
58
19

Dems
29%
51
20

Inds
19%
50
31

Tea
Party
22%
62
16

Conservative
Republicans
19%
66
15

Americans continue to give Congress decidedly poor marks. Only 12% of Americans approve of
the job Congress is doing, while 79% disapprove.

Approve
Disapprove

Now
12%
79

8/2015
17%
74

Congress Job Rating

6/2015
5/2015
15%
12%
78
80

3/2015
22%
70

10/2014
15%
78

The Parties
Views of both parties are more negative than positive but that has been true for some time.
Americans are slightly more apt to view the Democratic Party favorably.

Favorable
Not favorable

Views of the Parties

Republican Party
Democratic Party
Now 8/2015
Now 8/2015
32% 31%
40% 38%
59
60
52
52

Democrats are more likely to see their own party in a positive light than Republicans are to say
the same about their party.

Favorable
Not favorable

Views of the Parties

Republican Party
Democratic Party
Among Republicans Among Democrats
64%
87%
31
9

President Obama
As has been the case since early this year, President Obamas overall job approval rating
remains mixed: 45% of Americans approve of the job he is doing as President and 46%
disapprove. The Presidents approval rating has been largely unchanged since January.

Approve
Disapprove

Now
45%
46

President Obamas Overall Job Rating

8/2015
6/2015
1/2015
10/2014
44%
42%
46%
42%
47
48
46
50

11/2013
37%
57

And while views of the presidents handling of the economy are also mixed, negative
assessments outweigh positive views on his handling of foreign policy. On that issue, just 36%
approve and 53% disapprove. In May, evaluations were similar.
President Obamas Ratings on Issues
Approve
Disapprove
Economy
47%
48
Foreign policy
36%
53
The Economy, Direction of the Country
Views on the condition of the economy have changed little since the summer. Now, 46% of
Americans think the economy is at least fairly good, while slightly more -- 53% -- say it is bad.

Good
Bad

Now
46%
53

8/2015
48%
51

Condition of the Economy

10/2014
10/2013
43%
32%
55
66

10/2012
32%
67

10/2011
14%
86
2

Slightly more Americans think the economy is getting worse (29%) than getting better (24%),
though just under half 45% - think the economy is staying about the same.

Better
Worse
Same

The Economy Is Getting

Now 8/2015
10/2014
24% 28%
29%
29
25
25
45
45
45

10/2013
21%
38
41

By more than two to one, Americans see the country as headed in the wrong track. A majority of
Americans has said the country is on the wrong track for years now.

Right direction
Wrong track

Now
30%
63

The Country is Headed in the..

7/2015
10/2014
10/2013
27%
29%
23%
66
65
72

10/2012
40%
53

10/2011
21%
74

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------This poll was conducted by telephone October 4-8, 2015 among a random sample of 1,251 adults
nationwide. Data collection was conducted on behalf of CBS News by SSRS of Media, PA. Phone
numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones.
The poll employed a random digit dial methodology. For the landline sample, a respondent was randomly
selected from all adults in the household. For the cell sample, interviews were conducted with the person
who answered the phone.
Interviews were conducted in English and Spanish using live interviewers.
The data have been weighted to reflect U.S. Census figures on demographic variables.
The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage
points. The error for subgroups may be higher and is available by request. The margin of error includes
the effects of standard weighting procedures which enlarge sampling error slightly.
This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

CBS NEWS POLL

Congress, Boehner Receive Poor Marks
October 4-8, 2015
Q1. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?

Approve
Disapprove
Don't know/No answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total Rep
Dem Ind
%
%
%
%
45
13
83
41
46
82
13
45
8
5
4
14

Jul15e
%
44
47
9

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?
Jul15c
Right direction
Wrong track
Don't know/No answer

30
63
6

11
87
2

57
37
7

25
66
9

27
66
7

Q3. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling foreign policy?
May15c
Approve
Disapprove
Don't know/No answer

36
53
11

12
83
5

69
20
11

28
56
15

37
49
14

Q4. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy?
Jul15e
Approve
Disapprove
Don't know/No answer

47
48
5

17
80
3

81
16
3

43
49
8

44
49
7

Q5. Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?
Approve
Disapprove
Don't know/No answer

12
79
9

9
85
7

18
72
10

10
81
9

17
74
9

Q6. In general, is your opinion of the Republican Party favorable or not favorable?
Favorable
Not favorable
Don't know/No answer

32
59
9

64
31
6

10
85
4

26
59
15

31
60
9
4

Q7. In general, is your opinion of the Democratic Party favorable or not favorable?

Favorable
Not favorable
Don't know/No answer

TOTAL RESPONDENTS
Total Rep
Dem Ind
%
%
%
%
40
7
87
30
52
91
9
56
8
2
4
14

Jul15e
%
38
52
9

Q8. 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
Don't know/No answer

6
40
31
22
2

3
28
37
31
1

9
60
21
8
2

5
35
33
25
2

4
44
33
18
1

Q9. Do you think the economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?
Better
Worse
Same
Don't know/No answer

24
29
45
1

9
41
49
*

45
16
38
1

19
31
48
2

28
25
45
1

Q10. Do you approve or disapprove of the way John Boehner is handling his job as Speaker of the House of
Representatives?
Feb14c
Approve
Disapprove
Don't know/No answer

23
52
24

Weighted

Total Respondents

Unweighted
1,251

Total Republicans
Total Democrats
Total independents

379
364
508

343
362
545

23
58
19

29
51
20

19
50
31

26
55
19