Mood improves, but economy worries persist: poll

By John Whitesides, Political Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Americans remain deeply worried about a faltering economy and their own financial futures, but their outlook improved slightly this month, according to a Reuters/Zogby poll released on Wednesday.

The Reuters/Zogby Index, which measures the mood of the country, climbed to 91.9 from 88.7 in July as six of the 10 measures of public opinion used in the index rose.

Ratings for President George W. Bush and his administration's economic and foreign policies gained ground. Confidence in the future, as measured by the number of Americans who believe the United States is on the right track, also rose slightly.

"We may have bottomed out to some degree," said pollster John Zogby. "There is a slight uptick in some of the numbers, but this is not a new era of good feelings here -- these are still very low numbers all around."

The index is still down 8 points from its July 2007 benchmark score of 100 as inflation hit a 17-year high last month and the housing market remained mired in crisis. But Zogby said a slight drop in oil and gasoline prices since then had helped ease some consumer concerns.

The poll was taken Thursday through Saturday as the first week of the Beijing Olympics concluded, and Olympic fervor could have helped boost attitudes, he said.

"Gas prices are going down, and the Olympics always provide a little burst of emotion," Zogby said.

Bush's approval rating climbed to 29 percent, up four percentage points from June, and the number of Americans who believe the country is on the right track rose to 23 percent from 18 percent -- up from June's all-time Zogby poll low of 16 percent.

RATING FOR CONGRESS FALLS

The approval rating for Congress, however, dipped to 9 percent from last month's all-time low of 11 percent as the legislative body headed off to an August vacation without progress on a host of issues including energy prices.

"When you think Congress is at rock bottom someone is there with a jackhammer," Zogby said.

Some of the changes were statistically insignificant in the telephone poll of 1,089 likely voters, which had a margin of error of 3 percentage points.

The number of people who gave their personal finances positive marks fell from 49 percent to 47 percent, and the number of Americans proud of the United States fell from 88 percent to 87 percent.

But job security took a hit, with likely voters who feel secure in their job falling from 65 percent to 61 percent as signs of stress about the future remained.

The index combines responses to 10 questions on Americans' views about their leaders, the direction of the country and their future.  Continued...