PERCEPTION is all that matters for the 2012 election. People believe economy is improving, and obama approval is climbing. 33, 1) why is this, and 2) how can repubs defeat it?
(NEW) NBC/WSJ Poll: Obama Benefits From Growing Economic Optimism
By NBC's Domenico Montanaro
Americans are growing more optimistic about the state of the economy and direction of the country, according to a new NBC News-Wall Street Journal poll out Wednesday evening, and President Obama is receiving better grades on his handling of the economy and job as a result.
More people said they believe the economy will get better (37 percent) in the next year rather than worse (17 percent). That’s the highest level in more than a year and a seven-point jump over last month. It also represents a reversal from October, when 32 percent of Americans said they expected the economy to get worse, versus 21 percent who expected improvement.
"The calendar says it’s the dead of winter, but for President Obama, these results must feel like the start of spring," said Democratic pollster Peter D. Hart, who conducted this survey with Republican pollster Bill McInturff.
The number of people who said the country is headed in the right direction, 30 percent, remains far lower than the 61 percent of U.S. adults who think it is off on the wrong track.
But the figures represent a change in trajectory; the number of Americans who said the country is on the right track is up eight points from last month, and 13 points from October.
And for the first time in six months, more people approve of the job the president is doing (48 percent) than disapprove (46 percent).
