CBS News Poll

For release: Friday December 3, 2010

6:30 PM EST

Where America Stands: Issues Facing the Country

November 29 - December 2, 2010

• There is widespread concern about the budget deficit, and it transcends partisanship:
most Democrats, Republicans and independents consider it a very serious problem.

• Americans continue to rate the economy negatively, but the poll shows signs of optimism
among the public that the economy is improving --31% now say the economy is getting
better. While the President’s approval rating on the economy has risen slightly, many still
think he has spent too little time dealing with it.

• The President’s overall job approval rating is 48% in this poll, up slightly since last
month.

• 69% of Americans now support allowing gays and lesbians to openly serve in the
military, up from 62% in October.

The Deficit

Amid the release of a deficit reduction plan by the chairmen of the President’s debt commission,
73% of Americans think the budget deficit is a very serious problem for the country right now, an
increase of 21 points since 2005. Another one in five describes the budget deficit as somewhat
serious.

How Serious A Problem Is The Budget Deficit?

Now 2/2005 3/2004
Very 73% 52% 50%
Somewhat 21 38 36
Not 4 9 11

Significant majorities of Republicans (85%), Democrats (64%), and independents (74%) all say
the country’s deficit is a very serious problem – but Republicans are most likely to do so.

The Economy

Americans continue to hold grim views of the current economy. Eight in 10 say the nation’s
economy is in bad shape, a figure that has held fairly steady over the last two years.

Condition of the Economy

Now 10/2010 9/2010 4/2010 12/2009
Good 18% 21 17% 26% 22%
Bad 82 78 81 72 77
However, Americans are more optimistic about the country’s economic outlook than they have
been for months. 31% say the economy is getting better, the highest number since April. 24%
think it’s getting worse and 44% say it is staying the same.

Is the Economy…
Now 10/2010 9/2010 5/2010 4/2010 12/2009
Getting better 31% 25% 22% 30% 41% 29%
Getting worse 24 28 30 28 15 23
Staying the same 44 46 48 42 43 47

The poll was conducted prior to the release of the latest unemployment figures on December 3.

The President

While some Americans see better economic times on the horizon, President Barack Obama still
receives criticism on the issue. Nearly half say the President has spent too little time trying to
create jobs and fix the economy; fewer - just over a third - think he has spent the right amount of
time on the issue.

Time Pres. Obama has Spent on Economy

Now 7/2010
Too much 5% 8%
Too little 49 52
Right amount 37 33

The President is also seen as having done too little for small businesses – 64% of Americans
express that view. Only a quarter says he has done the right amount. At the same time, four in 10
think Barack Obama has done too much for large corporations.

How Much has Obama Done for…?

Small businesses Large corporations
Too much 1% 40%
Too little 64 13
Right amount 25 31

The increase in optimism about the economy may have helped the President a bit; his approval
rating on handling the economy is up slightly from last month and about where it was in
October. 43% now approve, up from 40% in November, but still more - 50% - disapprove.

President Obama’s Handling of the Economy…

Now 11/2010 10/2010 7/2010 10/2009 3/2009
Approve 43% 40% 42% 40% 54% 61%
Disapprove 50 53 50 54 38 29

And President Obama’s overall job approval rating is also up slightly from last month. 48% now
approve of the job he is doing, while 42% disapprove.

President Obama’s Overall Job Rating

Now 11/2010 10/2010 5/2010 4/2010
Approve 48% 45% 45% 47% 51%
Disapprove 42 45 47 43 39
Approval among independents has risen as well, from 40% last month to 45% now.

However the President’s approval rating on foreign policy has dipped: 40% now approve, while
45% disapprove.

President Obama’s Handling of Foreign Policy

Now 11/2010 7/2010 4/2010
Approve 40% 46% 44% 48%
Disapprove 45 37 41 38

Congress

Most Americans still disapprove of the job Congress is doing; just 17% approve.

Congress’ Job Approval

Now 10/2010
Approve 17% 14%
Disapprove 72 76

Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell

Amid the debate over the government’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy regarding gays and lesbians
serving in the military, most Americans – 69% - favor allowing them to serve openly, including
53% who strongly favor it. Just 23% are opposed. Support for permitting gays and lesbians to
serve openly has inched up since October.

Allow Gay Men and Lesbians to Serve Openly in the Military

Now 10/2010
Favor 69% 62%
Oppose 23 28

Majorities of Democrats and independents and half of Republicans now favor allowing gay men
and lesbians to openly serve.

Allow Gay Men and Lesbians to Serve Openly in the Military

All Reps Dems Inds
Favor strongly 53% 32% 67% 54%
Favor not so strongly 16 18 12 17
Oppose strongly 15 30 9 11
Oppose not so strongly 8 8 5 9

North Korea

Most Americans suspect the current hostilities between North and South Korea could lead the
U.S. into a war in the region, but just a fourth thinks that scenario is very likely. Another 45%
think it is somewhat likely there will be a military conflict that draws in the U.S.

Will North-South Korean Conflict Lead U.S. into a War?

Very likely 25%
Somewhat likely 45
Not too/not likely 25
The START Treaty

Against the backdrop of the new START agreement and the delay in ratification, Americans
overwhelmingly favor the idea of the U.S. and Russia coming to an agreement to limit nuclear
weapons. These views are similar to those held more than thirty years ago, as the cold war
raged: in 1979, 77% favored the idea.

Favor or Oppose U.S. and Russia Agreement to Limit Nuclear Weapons?

Now 6/1979 6/1978
Favor 82% 77% 78%
Oppose 12 15 14

Majorities of liberals (91%), moderates (86%) and conservatives (74%) support an agreement to
limit nuclear weapons.

WikiLeaks

Recently the organization Wikileaks released a number of private U.S. diplomatic transmissions.
60% of Americans who’ve heard something about the matter (about three-quarters of the public)
believe that the information will have a damaging impact on U.S. relations overseas.

Will WikiLeaks Information Hurt U.S. Relations Abroad?

(Among those who’ve heard about the issue)
Yes 60%
No 30

There is partisan agreement on this: majorities of Republicans and Democrats think the
information will hurt the U.S., but Republicans are more likely to think that will happen.

In general, most Americans do not think the public has the right to know everything the
government does, if secret information concerns national security. Only 25% think everything
should be public, even if it might affect national security.

“Right to Know” vs. National Security Concerns: The Public Has…

Right to know everything 25%
No right to know national security secrets 73

Democrats (30%) are more likely than Republicans (18%) to think the public has the right to
know everything the government does.

______________________________________________________________________
This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1,067 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone
November 29-December 2, 2010. Phone numbers were dialed from RDD samples of both standard land-
lines and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or
minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.
CBS NEWS POLL
Where America Stands: Issues Facing the Country
November 29 – December 2, 2010

q1 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as President?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
*** Party ID ***
Total Rep Dem Ind Nov10b
% % % % %
Approve 48 18 75 45 45
Disapprove 42 77 15 43 45
DK/NA 10 5 10 12 10

q2 BLANK

q3 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy?

Approve 43 13 70 38 40
Disapprove 50 83 23 51 53
DK/NA 7 4 7 11 7

q4 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling foreign policy?

Approve 40 15 66 34 46
Disapprove 45 70 20 51 37
DK/NA 15 15 14 15 17

q5 Do you approve or disapprove of the way Congress is handling its job?

Oct10e
Approve 17 14 21 17 14
Disapprove 72 77 68 71 76
DK/NA 11 9 11 12 10

q6 How would you rate the condition of the national economy these days? Is it very good,
fairly good, fairly bad, or very bad?

Nov10b
Very good 1 0 1 1 2
Fairly good 17 12 23 15 18
Fairly bad 46 38 50 48 44
Very bad 36 49 26 35 35
DK/NA 0 1 0 1 1

q7 Do you think the economy is getting better, getting worse, or staying about the same?

Oct10e
Better 31 20 43 28 25
Worse 24 32 15 26 28
Same 44 48 40 45 46
DK/NA 1 0 2 1 1

q8 BLANK
q9 Do you think the public has the right to know everything the government does, even if
it might affect national security, or are there some things the public does not have a
right to know if it might affect national security?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
*** Party ID ***
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
Public has right to know 25 18 30 26
Public does not have right 73 81 69 72
DK/NA 2 1 1 2

q10-11 BLANK

q12 Do you think Barack Obama has been spending too much time, too little time, or the
right amount of time trying to fix the nation's economy and create jobs?

Jul10b
%
Too much 5 6 5 5 8
Too little 49 72 29 51 52
Right amount 37 17 57 32 33
Don't know/No answer 9 5 9 12 7

q13 Do you think Barack Obama has done too much for small business owners, too little, or
has he done the right amount for small business owners?

Jan10b
Too much 1 1 1 1 0
Too little 64 84 46 66 62
Right amount 25 10 40 22 28
Don't know/No answer 10 5 13 11 10

q14 Do you think Barack Obama has done too much for large corporations, too little, or
has he done the right amount for large corporations?

Too much 40 47 31 44
Too little 13 25 8 9
Right amount 31 16 45 30
Don't know/No answer 16 12 16 17

q15 PREVIOUSLY RELEASED

q16 BLANK
q17 How much have you heard or read about information concerning U.S. diplomacy that was
made public by Wikileaks -- a lot, some, not much, or nothing at all?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
*** Party ID ***
Total Rep Dem Ind
% % % %
A lot 20 17 18 23
Some 27 24 25 30
Not much 26 23 30 24
Nothing at all 26 35 23 23
DK/NA 1 1 4 0

q18 Do you think publishing this information from Wikileaks will hurt U.S. relations with
other countries, or not?

** AMONG THOSE WHO HAVE HEARD ABOUT WIKILEAKS **

Will 60 74 52 59
Will not 30 17 37 31
DK/NA 10 9 11 10

q19 BLANK

q20 Do you favor or oppose the United States and Russia coming to an agreement to limit
nuclear weapons?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
June 1979
%
Favor 82 80 88 77 77
Oppose 12 15 7 16 15
DK/NA 6 5 5 7 8

q21 How much have you heard or read about North Korea and South Korea recently engaging
each other in some limited military actions -- a lot, some, not much, or nothing at all?

A lot 32 33 27 36
Some 40 41 44 35
Not much 21 23 23 17
Nothing at all 7 3 7 11
DK/NA 0 0 0 1

q22 How likely do you think it is that the current conflict between North and South Korea
will develop into a military conflict that will involve the United States--very likely,
somewhat likely, not too likely, or not at all likely?

Very likely 25 30 19 27
Somewhat likely 45 47 45 43
Not too likely 19 14 24 17
Not at all likely 6 6 6 6
DK/NA 5 3 6 7

q23-24 HELD FOR FUTURE RELEASE

q25 How serious a problem do you think the budget deficit is for the country right now --
very serious, somewhat serious, not too serious, or not at all serious?

** TOTAL RESPONDENTS **
*** Party ID ***
Total Rep Dem Ind Feb05b
% % % % %
Very serious 73 85 64 74 52
Somewhat serious 21 13 29 20 38
Not too serious 3 1 6 3 8
Not at all serious 1 0 1 2 1
DK/NA 2 1 0 1 1

q26-28 BLANK
q29-q41 RELEASED SEPARATELY

q42 Do you favor or oppose allowing gay men and lesbians to serve openly in the military?
Do you favor/oppose that strongly or not so strongly?

Oct10e
Favor strongly 53 32 67 54 46
Favor not so strongly 16 18 12 17 16
Oppose strongly 15 30 9 11 19
Oppose not so strongly 8 8 5 9 9
DK/NA 8 12 7 9 10

Q43-q61 FOR FUTURE RELEASE

q62 Think about your household income, would you say that it is more than enough so that
you can save money or buy some extras, just enough to meet your bills and obligations, or
is it not enough to meet your bills and obligations?

Feb10a
Can save and buy extras 29 34 24 29 25
Just enough to pay bills 42 44 44 38 57
Not enough to pay bills, etc 28 19 32 30 17
DK/NA 1 3 0 3 1

Q63 RELEASED SEPARATELY

q64 Do you consider yourself to be a supporter of the Tea Party movement, or not?

Yes 22 45 8 19
No 68 47 81 70
DK/NA 10 8 11 11

UNWEIGHTED WEIGHTED
Total Respondents 1067

Total Republicans 294 289 (27%)

Total Democrats 372 378 (35%)
Total Independents 401 400 (38%)