NYT Poll - Public Says Bush Needs to Pay Heed to Weak Economy

Public Says Bush Needs to Pay Heed to Weak Economy
By Adam Nagourney And Janet Elder
New York Times

Monday, 7 October, 2002

A majority of Americans say that the nation's economy is in its worst shape in nearly a decade and that President Bush and Congressional leaders are spending too much time talking about Iraq while neglecting problems at home, according to the latest New York Times/CBS News poll.

The poll found signs of economic distress that cut across party and geographic lines. Nearly half of all Americans are worried that they or someone in their household will be out of a job within a year.

The number of Americans who said they believe the economy is worse than it was just two years ago has increased markedly since the summer. The number of Americans who approved of the way Mr. Bush has handled the economy -- 41 percent -- was the lowest it has been in his presidency. Many people said they worried that a war in Iraq -- which most Americans view as inevitable -- would disrupt an already unsettled economy.