Volume 6, Issue 5 • May 2010

THE ECONOMY

Recession Effects
In this issue of Political Report, we look at opinions about the Supreme Court, oil companies, immigration, and more. All
of these issues are attracting substantial public attention, but worries about the economy are still dominating concerns
on Main Street. There is substantial anxiety about a variety of day-to-day concerns such as having enough money to pay
normal monthly bills and being able to pay the rent or mortgage. More people are saying that they will delay their retire-
ment past age 65, and more are saying that they will have to rely on Social Security and not private sources of retirement
income. We also look at the pain of prolonged unemployment.

Q: Do you think . . . ? Q: For you and your family, does it . . . ?

The nation’s economy is getting better 49% Feels like the economy is getting better
Getting worse 37 for you and your family 36%
Staying about the same (vol.) 11 Getting worse 38
Note: The University of Michigan’s survey of consumer confidence Staying the same (vol.) 24
shows a preliminary May 2010 rating of 72.2, up from 68.7 in May 2009. Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

Q: Thinking of the last six months—that is, since November Q: And thinking of the last six months—that is, since
of last year—have . . . ? November of last year—has . . . ?
I or someone in my family has lost a job Someone I know personally
in the last six months as a result of other than a family member
economic conditions 29% has lost a job in the last six months 63%
Has not 69 Has not 36
Note: In May 2009, those responses were 28 and 70 percent, Note: In May 2009, those responses were 60 and 39 percent,
respectively. respectively.
Source: AP-GfK/Roper, latest that of May 2010. Source: AP-GfK/Roper, latest that of May 2010.

Q: What do you think is . . . ?

The most important problem facing this country today
(Top 5, volunteered responses)
May 2010 May 2009
Economy in general 26% 47%
Unemployment 22 14
Poor health care/hospitals;
high cost of health care 15 9
Dissatisfaction with government/
Congress/politicians; Poor leadership;
corruption; Abuse of power 12 8
Immigration/illegal aliens 10 2
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of May 2010.
(continued on the next page)

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(continued from the previous page)

Q: Which one of the following items do you think . . . ?

Most important for the federal government
to be working on right now
The economy and jobs 47%
The deficit and government spending 15
Terrorism and national security 8
Wars in Iraq and Afghanistan 7
Immigration 5
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

Obama and the Economy

Q: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the economy? (CBS/New York Times, Quinnip-
iac, Gallup/USA Today)
Q: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Obama is handling the economy? (ABC/Washington Post)
Q: And please tell me if you approve, disapprove or neither approve nor disapprove of the way Barack Obama is han-
dling each of the following issues. How about the economy? (AP-GfK/Roper)
Q: Do you generally approve or disapprove of the job that Barack Obama is doing in handling the economy? (NBC/Wall
Street Journal)

Approve Disapprove Approve Disapprove

CBS/New York Times AP-GfK/Roper
February 2009 55% 24% April 2009 58% 35%
April–May 2010 48 47 May 2010 45 52

ABC/Washington Post NBC/Wall Street Journal

February 2009 60% 34% February 2009 56% 31%
April 2010 49 49 May 2010* 48 46
Note: *Asked of a half sample.
Quinnipiac
February–March 2009 57% 33%
April 2010 40 55

AEI POLITICAL REPORT CONTRIBUTORS

Karlyn Bowman, Senior Fellow; John Fortier, Research Research Assistants: Jennifer Marsico, Editor; Andrew
Fellow; Norman Ornstein, Resident Scholar; Rugg, Editor.
Michael Barone, Resident Fellow.

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 Anxieties about the Economy
People are more worried about a variety of economic factors than they were in 2001. In 2001 for example, a third were
worried about not being able to pay normal monthly bills. Today, more than four in ten are worried. A quarter in 2001
were worried about not being able to pay their mortgages or rent; in Gallup’s latest poll, 38 percent gave that response.
Q: Next, please tell me how concerned you are right now about each of the following financial matters, based on your
current financial situation. Are you . . . ?
Very/Moderately worried Not too worried/Not worried at all
Not having enough money
for retirement
66% 2010 32%
53 2001 43

Not being able to pay medical

costs in the event of a serious
illness or accident
61% 2010 37%
50 2001 49

Not being able to maintain the

standard of living you enjoy
54% 2010 45%
43 2001 56

Not being able to pay medical

costs for normal health care
48% 2010 48%
44 2001 55

Not having enough money to pay

your normal monthly bills
44% 2010 54%
32 2001 68

Not being about to pay your rent,

mortgage, or other housing costs
38% 2010 56%
24 2001 72

Not being able to make the

minimum payments on your
credit card bills
24% 2010 58%
18 2001 63
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of April 2010.

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 Retirement Anxiety
Another indication of economic anxiety comes from surveys about retirement plans. More people than at any time since
1995 are saying that they will delay their retirement past age 65. The number saying they will rely on Social Security is up,
while the proportion saying they expect to rely on money in their 401(k)s, a work pension plan, or private saving is down.

Q: At what age do you expect to retire?

60% Expected age of retirement

50%
Under 65

40%
34%

30% At 65 29%
27%
20%
Over 65
10%

0%
1995 1996 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010

Note: Asked of non-retired adults. Responses for categories under ages 55, 55–59, and 60–64 were combined into one category (under 65) in
the figure above.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of April, 2010.

Q: When you retire, how much do you . . . ?

Expect to rely on the following sources of money for retirement
2010 2001
Social Security 34% 28%
Money from an inheritance 9 7
Other savings such as regular savings
accounts or CDs 22 16
Annuities or insurance plans 8 7
Rent and royalties 6 5
Part-time work 18 10
Individual stock or stock mutual fund
investments 20 24
A 401(k), IRA, Keogh, or other retirement
savings account 45 58
A work-sponsored pension plan 23 34
The equity you have built up in your home 20 24
Note: Asked of non-retired adults.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of April 2010.

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 The Pain of Unemployment
In August 2009, the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce development at Rutgers, working with the online polling firm
Knowledge Networks, examined the demographic characteristics and attitudes of a large sample of people who were
unemployed. In March 2010, only 21 percent of those looking for work in the August survey had found a job. Two-thirds
remained unemployed, and 12 percent said they had left the labor market. As this survey and others show, males have
been hit especially hard by the downturn. In August 2009, 60 percent of the unemployed were male and 40 percent
female. Seventy-one percent of this group of men were still unemployed and looking for work in the March 2010 survey.

————August 2009———— ————————In March 2010————————

(Employment status of those unemployed
in August 2009)
Newly
Unemployed Still unemployed employed
67% 21%

60% Male 71% 18%

40 Female 62 26

30% 18–29 years 57% 29%

43 30–49 72 21
28 50 and older 72 12

53% H.S. education or less 64% 19%

29 Some college 75 20
19 Bachelor’s degree or more 65 28

53% White, non-Hispanic 71% 21%

41 Black/Hispanic 63 22

54% Less than $30,000 68% 19%

22 $30,000–$60,000 64 22
24 $60,000 and over 70 26
Note: Category “left the labor force” not shown.
Source: Knowledge Networks for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University and the State University of
New Jersey, latest that of March 2010.

Q: How long have you been actively seeking employment?

Of the unemployed
Searching for work for more than seven months
(August 2009) 48%
Searching for work for more than seven months
(March 2010) 70
Source: Knowledge Networks for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University and the State University of
New Jersey, latest that of March 2010.
(continued on the next page)

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(continued from the previous page)
Q: Which of the following have you done since being unemployed?
Since being unemployed
Sold some of my possessions 37%
Received public assistance
like welfare or unemployment 37
Used food stamps 28
Went to a soup kitchen or free food pantry 17
Note: Responses are from those who were unemployed in the March 2010 survey. T
Source: Knowledge Networks for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University and the State University of
New Jersey, March 2010.

Q: Did you do any of the following while you were unemployed?

While unemployed
Put off plans for home 68%
Used money from savings set aside for other
things or retirement to make ends meet 63
Borrowed money from family or friends 50
Increased credit card debt 41
Missed a credit card payment 23
Missed a mortgage or rent payment 20
Declared personal bankruptcy 6
Note: Selected categories shown. Responses are from those who were unemployed in the March 2010 survey.
Source: Knowledge Networks for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at Rutgers University and the State University of
New Jersey, March 2010.

Q: How would you rate . . . ?

Pew (March 2010) Rutgers (March 2010)
National Response Unemployed Response
Personal financial situation is excellent/good 37% 15%
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, March 2010 and Knowledge Networks for the John J. Heldrich Center for Workforce Development at
Rutgers University and the State University of New Jersey, latest that of March 2010.

New AEI Public Opinion Studies Health Care Reform

Two new studies examine public attitudes toward business and While discussion over health care reform
attitudes about the economic crisis. These comprehensive studies has quieted considerably since the bill
bring together poll data from major pollsters, presenting the passed, pollsters continue to ask ques-
most recent polls as well as trends. Taking Stock of Business tions gauging public reactions. To view
<http://www.aei.org/paper/100013> examines polling data on the major trends on attitudes toward the
the confidence in business and Wall Street, executive pay and health care bill, see our special supple-
bonuses, attitudes toward regulation, and prestige, honesty, and ment on attitudes toward health care.
trust. The AEI Public Opinion Study on TARP, the Auto Bailout, <http://www.aei.org/outlook/100958>
and the Stimulus <http://www.aei.org/paper/100105> looks at
public reactions to each of these programs and to the expansion
of government’s role in the economy.

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 About Those Tuesday Primaries
Close readers of Political Report will notice that we haven’t looked closely yet at polls on the shape of the 2010 congres-
sional elections. We believe it is still very early. Including the primaries that took place this week, just 22 percent of states
that will have primaries have held them.
David Wasserman, the eminent House race analyst for the Cook Political Report, noted in commentary written before
Tuesday’s primaries that a dozen incumbents in recent elections (six Democrats and six Republicans) received under 70
percent of the vote in their primaries. This is one of many signs that Americans are deeply dissatisfied with Washington.
We saw more of that evidence with the defeat in Pennsylvania of long-serving Arlen Specter, the elevation of political
novice and Tea Party acolyte Rand Paul in Kentucky’s Senate race, and the success of Arkansas Lt. Gov. Bill Halter’s
labor-backed effort to force incumbent Senator Blanche Lincoln into a June runoff.
Polls show that at this stage Republicans are winning the enthusiasm game. Gallup data since March has shown that
they are more excited about voting this fall than are Democrats. Gallup also notes that “Conservatives are significantly
more enthusiastic than liberals or moderates, and those Americans who define themselves as ‘very’ conservative—about
10% of the registered voter population—are the most enthusiastic of all.”

The Supreme Court: An Institutional Review

Most people have only some confidence in the Supreme Court. While around 40 percent say the Court has remained
about the same in the past two decades, 28 percent say it has become more liberal, and 19 percent more conservative.
Today, a plurality believes the Court is about right. Of the remainder, 29 percent say it is too liberal, and 19 percent too
conservative. Early impressions of U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan are mostly good. People wanted President Obama
to nominate someone who would make the Court more conservative. The fact that she is a woman is not a big factor for
the public.
Q: As far as people in charge of running the U.S. Supreme Court are concerned, would you say you have a great deal of
confidence, only some confidence, or hardly any confidence at all in them?

Confidence in people running the Supreme Court

70%
Only some
60%

50%
46%
40% Great deal

30% 31%

20% Hardly any 21%

10%

0%
1966 1968 1971 1973 1976 1978 1981 1983 1986 1988 1991 1993 1996 1998 2001 2003 2006 2008 2010

Source: Harris Interactive, latest that of March 2010. (continued on the next page)

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Q: Just your impression . . . over the past two decades, do you think the Supreme Court has . . . ?
Supreme Court has
Become more conservative over the past two decades 19%
Become more liberal 28
Has stayed about the same 43
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, April 2010.

Q: Do you think the Supreme Court is too liberal, too conservative, or about right?
Supreme Court
2010 2008 2007 2003
Too liberal 29% 25% 20% 19%
Too conservative 19 31 29 26
About right 40 33 37 46
Source: Quinnipiac, latest that of April 2010.

Q: Generally speaking, how would you rate ______ choice of _______as a nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court . . . ?
—————————————————Rate choice of——————————————————
Kagan Sotomayor Alito Miers Roberts
(May 2010) (May 2009) (Nov 2005) (Oct 2005) (Jul 2005)
Excellent 13% 19% 17% 11% 25%
Good 27 28 26 33 26
Only fair 22 29 22 25 20
Poor 14 13 17 16 14
No Opinion 24 20 18 15 15
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of May 2010.

Q: Would you like to see President Obama nominate a new justice who would make the Supreme Court more liberal
than it currently is, more conservative that it currently is, or who would keep the court as it is now?

Would like a new justice who would make the Supreme Court...

More Liberal More Conservative Keep as it is now

42% 41% 41%

33%
30% 30% 29%
27% 28%
26%
24% 24%

Replacement for Replacement for Replacement for Replacement for

John Paul Stevens: David Souter: Sandra Day O'Connor: Sandra Day O'Connor:
May 2010 (Obama) May 2009 (Obama) Sept 2005 (Bush) June 2005 (Bush)

Note: On July 1, 2005, Justice O’Connor announced her resignation. On July 19, President Bush nominated John Roberts to succeed her. On
September 3, Chief Justice Rehnquist died. President Bush then announced that he would nominate Roberts to succeed the Chief Justice. In
October, he nominated Harriet Miers to take the O’Connor seat.
Source: The Gallup Organization, latest that of May 2010. (continued on the next page)

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(continued from the previous page)

Q: For each item I name, please tell me whether to you personally it would be . . .
A factor in favor of a
Supreme Court nominee Against No difference
Protestant 7% 5% 83%
Woman 15 3 81
African American 16 3 81
Gay or lesbian 4 25 71
Someone with experience as a judge 70 5 24
Someone with experience outside the legal profession
for example in the field of business or politics 35 26 38
Note: Those people who said that someone with experience outside the legal profession would be a factor in favor of a nominee were asked
which of two kinds of experience would be preferable. Fifty-six percent said someone with experience in business would be, while 36 percent
said someone with experience in politics would be.
Source: ABC News/Washington Post, April 2010.

Q: I’m going to read you a list of characteristics and affiliations and I’d like you to tell me whether or not you would be
comfortable with a Supreme Court Justice who has that characteristic or affiliation. Would you be . . . ?
Comfortable with characteristic/affiliation
of next Supreme Court Justice Not comfortable
A Mormon 65% 30%
A Christian who takes the Bible literally 62 35
A libertarian 57 32
A Muslim 43 53
An atheist 39 58
A socialist 31 64
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, April 2010.

Big Shots…
Q: I’m going to read you the names of several individuals and groups. Please tell me whether you have a generally
favorable or unfavorable opinion of . . . ?
Favorable opinion of
Laura Bush 68%
Barack Obama 53
Mike Huckabee 42
Mitt Romney 40
Sarah Palin 37
Newt Gingrich 32
Nancy Pelosi 28
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

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 Oil Companies and Public Opinion
While Americans think the leak in the Gulf of Mexico is a major environmental disaster, they also say that efforts to con-
trol it and prevent its spread will be successful. A bare majority sees it as an isolated incident; 35 percent see it as a
broader problem with offshore drilling. Neither President Obama nor the federal government is getting good marks for
handling the situation there. BP’s ratings are worse. Support for offshore drilling is down in all new polls.
Q: Now let me ask you about specific industries. Is your opinion of ____ industry highly favorable, or moderately favor-
able, or not too favorable, or rather unfavorable? (Roper)
Q: I am going to read you a list of companies and groups. For each one please tell me if you have a favorable or an
unfavorable opinion of each. How about oil companies? (Kaiser)
Q: Is your overall opinion of oil companies very favorable, mostly favorable, mostly unfavorable, or very unfavorable? (Pew)

Opinion of Oil Companies

Roper:
70% High/Moderatly
favorable
60% Kaiser:
50% 48% Very/mostly
favorable
40%
29%
30% March 1989: Exxon
Pew: Very/mostly
20% Valdez Spill 20%
favorable
10%
0%
1981 1983 1985 1987 1989 1990 1992 1994 1996 1998 2000 2001 2003 2005 2007 2009

Source: The Roper Organization, latest that of October 1997; PSRA/Pew Research Center, latest that of October 2005; Kaiser/Harvard/USA
Today, latest that of January 2008.

Q: Do you think the leak in the Gulf of Mexico is . . . ? Q: From what you have read or heard, do you think . . . ?

Not too serious

a problem 4% Don’t
know
Efforts to
Serious
Major
20% control the
problem, spill and
environmental prevent
not a disaster
disaster spreading will
Unsuccessful
37% 55% be successful
29% 51%

Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, May 2010. Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, May 2010.

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(continued from the previous page)

Q: Do you think . . . ? Q: How would you rate the job______ has been doing . . . .?
The recent oil platform collapse and Responding to oil leak in the
oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico is ————Gulf of Mexico————
most likely an isolated incident 51%
Mostly an indication of a broader The federal BP Obama
problem with offshore drilling 35 government
Source: CBS News, May 2010.
Excellent/good 33% 24% 38%
Only fair/poor 54 63 36
Q: Do you think . . . ? Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, May 2010.

Oil spills like the one in the Gulf of Mexico

are unavoidable if the United States is going
to get an adequate supply of energy 41%
Don’t think so 45
Source: PSRA/Pew Research Center, May 2010.

Q: As I read some possible government policies to address America’s energy supply, tell me whether you would favor or
oppose each. First would you favor or oppose the government allowing more offshore oil and gas drilling in U.S.
waters? (PSRA/Pew Research Center)
Q: Would you favor allowing increased drilling for oil and natural gas off the U.S. coast, or do you think the costs and
risks are too great? (CBS)
Q: Do you favor or oppose increasing offshore drilling for oil and gas in U.S. coastal areas? (Fox News/Opinion Dynamics)
Q: Do you favor, oppose, or neither favor nor oppose drilling for oil and gas in coastal areas around the United States?
(AP-GfK/Roper)
Q: Do you support or oppose a proposal to allow more drilling for oil off the coast of the United States? (NBC/Wall
Street Journal)

——————————————Drilling for oil and gas——————————————

PSRA/Pew Fox/OD
Favor more Oppose Favor
Sept. 2008 67% 28% increasing Oppose
Apr. 2009 68 27 Apr. 2010 70% 22%
Feb. 2010 63 31 May 2010 60 33
May 2010 54 38
AP-GfK/Roper
CBS Favor
Favor Costs, risks increasing Oppose Neither
increased too great May 2010 50% 38% 10%
Aug. 2008 62% 28%
May 2010 46 41 NBC/Wall Street Journal
Support
allowing Oppose
May 2010 60% 34%

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 Immigration
Our friend at the Brookings Institution, demographer William Frey recently said that Arizona has the largest “cultural
generation gap” of any state because of the growth of the Latino population of children and young adults there. Eighty-
three percent of Arizona’s older people are white, but only 43 percent of its children are. All polls we have seen show that
people think immigration policy is a federal responsibility. At the same time, however, surveys show that people think
Arizona was right to act. In a Fox News/Opinion Dynamics question, a solid majority says that the Obama administration
should wait and see how the law works out; 15 percent say the administration should try to stop it.

Q: Do you think . . . ? Q: Do you think . . . ?

Laws regarding illegal immigration Arizona was right to take action by passing its
should be determined by the federal new immigration law and not waiting any
government 57% longer for the federal government to act 61%
By each state government 34 Securing the border with Mexico is the
Note: Fifty-two percent of Republicans, 54 percent of independents, responsibility of the federal government and
and 63 percent of Democrats said this is a federal responsibility. Arizona should have waited for the federal
Source: CBS News/New York Times, April–May 2010. government to take action on immigration 27
Note: Forty-three percent of Democrats, 72 percent of independents,
and 77 percent of Republicans said Arizona was right to take action.
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

Q: Do you think . . . ?
The Obama administration should try to stop the new Arizona immigration law 15%
Should wait and see how the law works 64
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

Q: Which one of the following is your . . . ?

Biggest concern when thinking about illegal immigration
———Responses of———
National response Rep. Dem. Ind.
Overburdening government programs and services 44% 52% 36% 46%
Taking jobs away from U.S. citizens 19 16 25 11
Leading to an increase in crime 6 5 7 9
Leading to an increase in terrorism 6 6 6 7
Changing the culture of the country 3 4 3 2
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

Q: Which of the following statements comes closest to expressing your overall view of immigration policy?
——Views of immigration policy——
May 2010 May 2007
On the whole, our immigration policy works pretty well
and only minor changes are necessary to make it work better 8% 8%
There are some good things in our immigration policy,
but fundamental changes are needed 45 41
Our immigration policy has so much wrong with it that
we need to completely rebuild it 44 49
Source: CBS News/New York Times, latest that of April–May, 2010.
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(continued from the previous page)

Q: Based on what you know or have read about the new Arizona immigration law, do you . . . ? (Gallup)
Q: Do you favor or oppose the new Arizona immigration law, or don’t you know enough about it to say? (Fox News/
Opinion Dynamics)
Q: As you may know, the state of Arizona recently passed a law that gives the police the power to question anyone
they suspect is in the country illegally, requires people to produce documents verifying their status if asked, and allows
officers to detain anyone who cannot do so. Do you think this law goes too far in dealing with the issue of illegal immi-
gration, doesn’t go far enough, or is it about right? (CBS/New York Times)
Q: Considering everything, would you say you approve or disapprove of Arizona’s new illegal immigration law?
(PSRA/Pew)
Q: The Arizona law makes it a state crime to be in the U.S. illegally. It requires local and state law enforcement officers to
question people about their immigration status if they have reason to suspect a person is in the country illegally, making
it a crime for them to lack registration documents. Do you support or oppose this law? (NBC/Wall Street Journal)
New Arizona immigration law
———Gallup*——— ——Fox News/OD—— —————CBS/NYT—————
Favor Oppose Favor Oppose Too far Not far About
enough right
April 39% 30% – – – – –
May – – 34% 21% 36% 9% 51%

——————Pew—————— ————NBC/WSJ————
Approve Disapprove Support Oppose
May 2010 59% 32% 64% 34%
Note: *Of those who had hear or read a great deal, fair amount, or not much about the immigration law just passed in Gallup’s poll, the
responses were 51 percent favor, 39 percent oppose.

And in Arizona . . .
Q: Next, a new Arizona law may soon go into effect regarding one’s U.S. citizenship status and right to be in the U.S.
The new law would require police officers in Arizona to question anyone about their immigration status if an officer
suspects the person may be in the country illegally, including anyone who looks or sounds foreign. Those found to be
here illegally could be jailed up to six months and fined $2,500. Do you favor or oppose the governor signing such a
law if it is sent to her by the legislature?
———————————Arizonans’ response—————————————
Favor new immigration law Oppose
Total 52% 39%

Republicans 76% 15%

Democrats 30 58
Independents 60 30

Caucasian 65% 28%

Non-Hispanic minorities 29 63
Hispanics 21 69
Note: Survey conducted among Arizona adults.
Source: Behavior Research Center Rocky Mountain poll, April 2010.

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 Poll Potpourri

GM on the Upswing?
Q: Now I’m going to read you the names of several public figures and groups, and I’d like you to rate your feelings
toward each one as very positive, somewhat positive, neutral, somewhat negative, or very negative.
———————————————General Motors, or GM———————————————
May 2010 December 2008
Positive 37% 25%
Neutral 31 23
Negative 27 39
Source: NBC/Wall Street Journal, May 2010.

Goldman Who? Commencement Mania

Q: I’m going to read you the names of several individ- Q: If you were graduating from college this year, who
uals and groups. Please tell me whether you have a among the following would you most want to speak at
generally favorable or unfavorable opinion of each one. your commencement?
If you’ve never heard of someone please just say so.
Want to speak at commencement
Opinion of Goldman Sachs Warren Buffett 20%
Favorable 7% Sandra Bullock 19
Unfavorable 55 Oprah Winfrey 17
Never heard of 23 Tom Hanks 15
Note: Fifteen percent said they could not say. In a May 2010 Anderson Cooper 8
NBC/Wall Street Journal poll, 4 percent rated Goldman Sachs pos- Nancy Pelosi 4
itively, 21 percent neutrally, 50 percent negatively.
Source: CBS News/60 Minutes/Vanity Fair, March–April, 2010.
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

Goldman or Senate? Terrorism

Q: If you had to choose one of the two followings to Q: Do you think . . . ?
manage your family’s finances, would you choose . . . ? May January
Would choose 2010 2010
to manage The Obama administration
family’s finances is as serious about fighting
The Goldman Sachs executives terrorism as the Bush
who testified before the Senate administration was 51% 54%
about their investment practices 19% Not as serious 43 37
The U.S. senators who were Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, latest that of May 2010.
questioning the executives about
their investment practices 35
Neither (vol.) 34
Source: Fox News/Opinion Dynamics, May 2010.

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