The Next 100 Days

Following the deluge of pollsters and pundits weighing in on President Obama’s first 100 days, the obvious follow-up question in this era of rapidly changing public perceptions is: what will the chattering class be saying on August 7th — Day 200 — about the Obama Administration?

The late Tim Russert used to point out that politics was simple: say you’re going to do it, do it, and say you’ve done it…everything else made politics too complicated.  Well, according to The Marist Poll’s national survey marking President Obama’s 100th day, and those conducted by many other national pollsters, President Obama has stolen the page right out of that political playbook.

So far, the American electorate rates its new president positively.  His Democratic base is sizeable, his appeal with independents provides him with important support from swing voters, and he attracts majority approval from every key electoral group with the exception of GOPers.  On key image questions, President Obama is a political consultant’s dream come true.  He is seen by 64% as a good leader for the nation, 67% think he cares about people like them, and 59% believe he shares their values.  Is he honest, trustworthy, and tough enough?  Voters think so.  Approximately two-thirds of the electorate think President Obama is fulfilling campaign promises.

With barely an exception, changes initiated by the Obama Administration are putting points on the national scoreboard from his handling of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan to ordering the EPA to institute higher fuel efficiency standards, making it easier for workers to sue companies on pay discrimination, providing federal funding for stem cell research, and getting his economic stimulus package passed.

Although historians  would likely grade the first 100 days of President  Obama as “incomplete” and choose to wait for the remaining 1,361 days to clock in, not so for public opinion where 58% of the national electorate grade him, so far, with an “A” or “B.”  59% think he is moving the country in the right direction.

In the next 100 days, President Obama will be judged by improvements in the economy.  If he does nothing else but take away people’s fiscal worries, President Obama’s popularity on Day 200 will resemble Day 100.  If the economic recovery lags, all other accomplishments will pale and the Obama Administration will have to scramble to preserve his standing.

Right now, President Obama has political cover.  Four out of every five voters nationwide view the economic problems President Obama is tackling as mostly inherited, and there is the sense that the economy is beginning to turn around.  But, with unemployment nearing 10%, will this also be the time when the public places ownership for their economic woes on him?

There will be other tests.  President Obama pledges to make advances on health care and energy.  Daunting tasks.  When asked about this new administration, the political gamble of wading into many areas is evident.  The criticism, already at 56%, is that he is doing too much too soon.  This can grow.  The international situation is shaky and always unpredictable.

Still, when Marist asked voters to describe the word that best captures their emotions about President Obama’s first 100 days in office, the one most often mentioned is hopeful.  As it was for the last, this is the foundation for the next 100 days.

Related Stories:

4/27: Majority Approves of Obama’s Job Performance

4/27: Obama’s Policy — Voters Weigh In

4/28: Talking to Kids About Money

With the recession dominating daily headlines, few people are immune to the stress that accompanies today’s tough economic times.  But, for parents who are having a difficult time making ends meet, does talking to their children about money problems add to or reduce the stress?  For nearly six in ten Americans, talking to kids about money increases family anxiety while 28% say it alleviates it.

More younger Americans than older Americans believe discussing financial matters with their children is an added stress.  71% of residents under age 45 and 51% of those 45 and older share this view.

Table: Talking to Children About Money Adds or Reduces Family Stress?

At What Age?

So, then, what is the appropriate age at which to begin speaking with children about money?  There is little consensus among Americans or even those who are parents.  A majority believes somewhere between the age of six and twelve is age appropriate.  27% of residents nationwide say children between six and nine years old are mature enough to discuss money, and the same proportion believes anywhere between ten and twelve years old is the best time to talk finances.  23% report parents should have the talk even earlier — at five years of age or younger.  Parents agree.

Men and women, however, don’t see eye-to-eye on this issue.  A majority of women believe children should take part in financial discussions by age nine.  In contrast, the plurality of men — 49% — think the best time to begin the discussion about finances is when a child is at least 10 or even older.

Table: Good Age to Talk to Children About Money?

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Stories:

Cluing Kids In About Cash: An Interview

Kids and Money: Lessons from the Past and Dealing with the Present

Cluing Kids In About Cash: An Interview

Talking to children about money can present its own set of problems.  What’s the appropriate age to discuss money matters with your kids?  And, how can you teach them financial responsibility?

Parenting and Education Reporter Carol Anne Riddell shared some of her insights with the Marist Poll’s John Sparks.  Read the transcript of the full interview below.

John Sparks
Carol Anne, what do you think is a good age to start talking to children about money?

Listen to Part 1 of the Interview:

Carol Anne Riddell
Well, it’s an interesting thing. I think that you can start almost at any age, as early as kids are interested in it.  I’ve always been surprised at how much kids know even before we think they do, and I think even very young children can really benefit from some discussion about money.  I think I first talked to my son, you know, in a more in-depth way about money when he was five or six years old when he started to covet very specific things.  I think the key is to keep the conversation age-appropriate and relevant to the things that kids understand or care about.

John Sparks
So what do you tell a six-year-old about money?

Carol Anne Riddell
I think it’s important for children to understand that money is earned and money is a means to get the things that we need and we want, but we, as adults, also have to really stress that there’s lots of things that money can’t buy like health and happiness and some of the things that kids like the best, like playing outdoors or hanging out with their friends.  Those things are completely free.

John Sparks
Well now, you have kids yourself, tell me what you tell them about money.

Carol Anne Riddell
I’ve had many conversations, John.  I’ve told them that they are lucky that we have enough money to have things that we need and sometimes the things that we want.  I try to on a pretty regular basis to give them some financial decision-making power by letting them choose between things, so maybe is it going to be a coloring book today, or is it going to be a ice cream cone.  So, they feel like they’ve had some power in that process.  We have a tradition in our family:  we regularly take the spare change that they save to their local bank and we use the coin counter, and then when we get the cash from that, I let them spend a portion of it, and then they have to take another portion of it and save it, and another portion of it we give to charity which usually means just walking across the street to the soup kitchen or a church in our neighborhood.  But, I feel like it’s giving them a very good sense of the different things that money can be used for, not just to get things in the immediate, but to save for things long-term and to help other people.

John Sparks
I think that’s great.  Now you know we’re in an economic recession.  Does it add to the stress to talk about money problems with children? I know all of us are experiencing instances where we must tighten our belts.

Carol Anne Riddell
You know, as I was saying before, I really think that our kids usually know so much more than we realize about adult topics.  So, if we are stressed out about money, they are almost undoubtedly sense that.  They overhear our conversations. They pick up information from the news, and even if we are very careful about moderating what we say in front of kids, other adults may not be, and other children may not be.  So, I think we have to start from a baseline that they may very well know more than we think.  So, if you understand that, the thing is that kids often imagine something worse than the actual reality.  You have to remember that kids may think that if they hear a parent talking about being concerned about getting all the bills paid this month you know they may take that and think that it means they’re not going to have a roof over their head, or they’re not going to be able to have food on the table.  They may take it at a different level than actually exists, so it’s important, I think, to make sure they understand in a kid-friendly way what actual reality is.  We have to be honest with them, but I think as the parents, we have to also be reassuring so that the kids understand that even if families have to make some different, maybe even difficult choices, they will always be taken care of.  Another thing that I’ve really heard a lot over the years is that an important thing when you talk to kids about things like this is to follow their lead because you’ll get a sense of when they have enough information so you don’t want to overload them with details they don’t need or they don’t want.

John Sparks
Now, you’ve done several stories about money and kids.  What tips have you picked up on how the parents should deal with their kids about money?

Listen to Part 2:

Carol Anne Riddell
You know, one of the things that I’ve heard and I’ve thought about a lot myself as a parent, and I think it’s a pretty good point is that adults should distinguish between giving children the opportunity to earn money and spend money and using money as bribery to get the behavior that we want.  Also that process of saving for money, saving money for something a child wants, can be really rewarding. My son wanted this particular video game, so he saved for weeks. Then he brought his little toy safe down to the store, and he bought this game, and he was so proud of himself, and I think that the reward of having the game was great in itself, but the fact that he had purchased it made it much more significant to him.  It was also hilarious to watch him like crack open the plastic safe at the store, but you know, I think it’s a very important lesson for kids, and it’s a simple thing, but it’s meaningful. Another really important tool is the allowance. Now in our house, the allowance is tied to chores. My kids have to do certain sort of simple chores in order to earn their allowance.  Some people disagree with that and feel like chores should be part of just family responsibility and not tied to an allowance.  Families do it different ways. I think that you can do that either way, and it’s something you have to be comfortable with, but the allowance itself is a good way to teach kids about I have X amount of money and I want Y, so here’s how long I have to save for it.

John Sparks
I’m curious, when you were a child, did you get an allowance?

Carol Anne Riddell
You know, I did get an allowance, but it was not such a regular thing.  Often I went to my parents when I wanted something, and I would ask for money, and sometimes I got it, and sometimes I didn’t.  I do remember being rewarded with money for good report cards.  Again, that’s something that some people would say is probably not the best use of money, but I don’t think it had any negative effect on me. I think I always understood that the goal was learning and good grades and not that I would get the $20 at the end of the year, the school year, but that’s really sort of an individual choice. I think the allowance concept in itself is a great one, and then each family has to determine what they’re most comfortable with within their own family.

John Sparks
Are there specific things that parents can teach their children about handling money that could make us better off as a whole, perhaps if we had done certain things we could’ve avoided some of the economic pitfalls that we find ourselves in today?

Carol Anne Riddell
Yeah.  You know I think, John, yes, yes, and yes.  We really need to teach our children the difference between need and want, and this is a conversation that I have with my kids all the time.  This moment in history is really one of those what they call — what teachers like to call “teachable moments.”  It’s a chance for us to point out repercussions, again in a kid-friendly way, for aggressive greed and dishonesty. It’s also a chance for us to talk to our kids about how connected all of us are.  You know when people lose their jobs, they can’t spend their money at the local grocer, the local shoe store, then the grocer or the shoe owner, have trouble paying their bills. I think it’s a good way to show children the way all – - the way there is an interdependency among all of us.

John Sparks
Carol Anne, you reported extensively on public education.  What, if anything, are schools teaching our kids about money?

Listen to Part 3:

Carol Anne Riddell
I think that the landscape is really changing on that front because I have been in a lot of schools in the last few years that have been getting very serious about this, schools that are teaching financial literacy classes to even grade school, middle school children.  Some schools are working directly with banks and other financial institutions. They’re teaching kids how to budget, how to manage a checking account, how to manage a savings account, and I think that a lot of schools look at that as much more a part of the real important curriculum than they used to because we are in such a difficult financial time and kids are going to need those skills.

John Sparks
One of the things that has landed us in this difficult financial situation we find ourselves is credit and being irresponsible with credit.  How do you talk to your kids about credit and about being responsible and budgeting and things like doing without?

Carol Anne Riddell
Well you know, we’ve all heard those stories about college kids who end up in tremendous trouble because of credit debt.  I think one way to avoid that is to really teach kids money management early on in small ways and in big ways, and I mean when they’re young.  For example, let them help you make a budget for going to the grocery store or for a family vacation.  Here’s the list of all the things we’d like to do on our vacation.  We can only afford to do three of those things.  Let’s sit down and look at what each one costs and pick the ones that we want to do.  I think it’s a great way for them to understand that we have to make financial sacrifices.  I think it’s also a great idea to get kids savings accounts and then to go over statements with them and, again, let them earn money. Let them save money, and then let them purchase something that they’ve wanted.  It’s a great lesson.  My son, as I said before, has to take out the garbage and the recycling to earn his weekly allowance. It’s taken him a lot of trips to the garbage room to get some of the video games he wanted, but I think the reward is sweeter because of that.

John Sparks
Should our sons and daughters have responsibilities or share the responsibility in contributing to the family’s overall finances?

Carol Anne Riddell
You know, John, I think that it’s a tricky and it’s sort of a complicated question because we all know that there are families for whom there’s just no other choice and a lot of times that’s just the case.  But I would say that ideally a child should not have to do anything other than go to school, be a good student, and learn, and that’s the ideal situation. If a child is sort of forced to actually have to go out and earn money, that can really cut into, you know, their ability to focus on academics. Now I have a different opinion on this when we start talking about older children or adult children because I’ve done a lot of stories about adult children returning and living at home, and I think in that case, if you have a college age student who comes back home, I think it’s important that those students, those young people, contribute to the family because it can alleviate a lot of stress if everyone knows what the expectations are for both the parents and the adult children, and I think that also in that case with an older child helps them adapt to what they will face as an adult living on their own.

John Sparks
Carol Anne, obviously you’ve given all these things a lot of thought.  Are there any other thoughts that you might have or would want to add in thinking about children and money?

Listen to Part 4:

Carol Anne Riddell
You know, I was thinking a little bit about this before we chatted today about what age is great to start an allowance at, and there’s a lot of debate back and forth. I think one of the things I would say is that you have to really listen to your child because some kids can develop a fascination with money very early on, and so it’s important to know your child and what they can handle. Some people say that a good gauge is about a dollar a year, so a five-year-old would get $5 a week, or you know a ten-year-old would get $10 a week.  I’ve found that less is more in our case.  I usually start on the lower end, and then I move it up about like a dollar a year, and I feel like that’s been pretty effective, but I’ve also noticed real differences between my two children.  While my son is very thoughtful about saving his money and wanting to spend his money, my daughter less interested in it, less focused on it, less focused on buying things, and so for her, I haven’t started her an allowance yet because I just don’t think she’s really ready to handle it.  So one point I would make to parents is really try to gauge your child’s interest level and their responsibility level before you give them an allowance.

John Sparks
Do you ever have conversations with your kids about envy?  For instance, does your son come home and say, “Well, Johnny has this and I want this,” or conversations about greed?

Carol Anne Riddell
Absolutely, a lot of conversations about that, and I think it’s a human reaction.  All of us feel envious of something at some point. One of the things I found that’s helpful to get around that is just to acknowledge it, and say, “Well that must be nice that Tommy has X, but let’s talk about the things that you have,” and I don’t necessarily mean materialistic things, but sometimes we’ll go through a list of all the wonderful things in my kid’s life that they should be happy for, they may be material or nonmaterial, and I think in a way it just sort of helps to count your own blessings, and it can bring you back and make you a little more centered. I mean, it works for me as an adult, so I try to make it work for my kids.

John Sparks
Very good. I sure appreciate it Carol Anne.  It was great talking with you, and I appreciate your thoughtful answers.

Carol Anne Riddell
All right, thanks so much.  It’s been great talking to you.

** The views and opinions expressed in this and other interviews found on this site are expressly those of the speakers or authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Marist Poll.

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4/28: Talking to Kids About Money

Kids and Money: Lessons from the Past and Dealing with the Present

Kids and Money: Lessons from the Past and Dealing with the Present

Any parent reading the interview with Carol Anne Riddell about talking to kids about money, can’t help picking up some very valuable tips in teaching their children about handling finances.

Carol Anne suggested if we teach our sons and daughters how to handle money responsibly at an early age, they might avoid falling into some of the pitfalls we find ourselves in today — most notably borrowing ourselves out of house and home with no means of repaying our debts.

Talking to Carol Anne brought back memories of my childhood and valuable lessons I learned about money from my parents.

I grew up in Fort Worth, Texas in the 1950’s when a gallon of gasoline cost 19 cents, a bottle of Coca-Cola set you back a nickel and 3 cents would mail a letter.  My father’s take-home pay was about $100 a week.  We were considered middle class.

Fridays meant payday.  Dad would cash his check at the grocery store that evening, and he and mother would sit down at the kitchen table and stack the money in different piles — grocery money, mortgage payment, utilities, etc.  I was very aware that this Friday night business about budgets was something very important.  I also realized that Dad built our house as a duplex so that the rent he collected could pay the mortgage.

I didn’t get an allowance, but I can’t remember doing without anything important, yet toys were strictly for birthdays and Christmas.  I’m not so sure I was aware of things I did not have.  Television, a very powerful medium supported by advertisers whose message is designed to create a need for something you can probably do without in the first place, was in its infancy and was just beginning to become a pervasive force.

My first lesson about credit came in the form of an after school treat.  My mother set up an account at a small grocery that I passed by on my way home from school.  Each day I could get a coke and a nickel candy bar.  The grocer would enter it in a small ledger book, and at the end of the week, my parents would pay the 50 cents.

Before the days of gasoline credit cards, we traded at a Sinclair gasoline station down the hill.  Dad made an arrangement with the owner to keep an account of his purchases, and on Mondays, Dad would always settle up.  We lived within our means.

I opened my first bank account at the age of 6.  In those days, the public schools had an arrangement with the Fort Worth National Bank.  Tuesday was bank day at every school in the city.  Teachers would take time out from lessons.  Students would line up at the teacher’s desk with their pennies, nickels, and dimes.  The teachers would collect the change, fill out each boy and girl’s savings passbook, complete a deposit slip and receipt, and an armored car would pick up the collections at each school.  I’m not sure who came up with the idea and how the Fort Worth National got the business, but it taught us a good habit and the value of saving money.  Today no doubt they would question teachers taking up valuable classroom time to do the bank’s administrative work.

Another childhood lesson was about becoming an entrepreneur.  The business?  Converting used soda pop bottles into baseball cards.  You could collect old bottles and get 2 cents a piece for them at Mr. Holland’s Grocery.  The money was quickly used to purchase penny wax packs.  It’s too bad we didn’t know much about investments.  Today that near-mint 1959 Mickey Mantle we bought for a penny will fetch $1,000.  Not a bad return in 50 years.

When I was in the 4th grade, I learned about incentives.  I was paid $1.25 each Thursday to throw a weekly paper route for a small neighborhood newspaper, but every fourth week I was paid $2.25 — as an encouragement to stay with the job.

By that time, Dad had taken me downtown to the lobby of the old First National Bank where I opened up a passbook savings account to deposit the money I made off the paper route.  Dad said I’d need it to go to college.  As the years went by, the paper route was replaced by other jobs.  I continued to bank most of the money, and the day came when my bank balance reached triple digits!

Then Dad told me, “You’re going to borrow $100.”  He had me use the money in my savings account as collateral and deposit the loan in the same savings account where it would draw interest.  He told me the interest on the loan would cost a bit more, but it would pay off in the long run because it was the first step toward establishing credit.

Establishing credit was a far cry from today when almost every day we receive unsolicited applications for credit cards encouraging us to borrow to the hilt.  Most lenders don’t even care if you even have a job and are able to pay back anything but the minimum monthly payment.

Certainly times have changed, but principles taught by parents who cared and took the time last a lifetime.  Teaching a child about money, debt, credit, responsibility, and living within your means is not only an investment in that person, but an investment in the economic future of our country.

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4/28: Talking to Kids About Money

Cluing Kids In About Cash: An Interview

4/27: Majority Approves of Obama’s Job Performance

As President Barack Obama nears his 100th day in office, 55% of registered voters nationwide say they approve of the job he is doing while 31% disapprove.  President Obama received a similar job approval rating when The Marist Poll last asked this question in its April 8th survey.  As in that previous poll, younger voters play a large role in giving Mr. Obama majority approval.  70% of voters under the age of thirty say they like the job President Obama is doing.

When it comes to the partisan divide, however, the president still needs to make inroads with Republican voters.  Just 16% of the GOP report they approve of President Obama’s job performance compared with most Democrats — 85% — who share this view.

So, is the President meeting voters’ expectations?  Overall, a majority of U.S. registered voters — 58% — say, “yes.”  However, the proportion of voters who report Mr. Obama is falling short exceeds the number of those who say he is doing better than expected — 26% to 16%, respectively.  That disparity is due in large part to voters’ partisanship.  While 22% of Democrats say the president is going above and beyond, just 6% of Republicans share this view.  Instead, a slim majority of Republicans — 51% — believes President Obama is falling short of their expectations compared with 8% of Democrats.

Nearly six in ten registered voters choose a positive emotion to describe their feelings about the first 100 days of the Obama Administration.  This is comparable to the overall positive feelings voters had after the first 100 days of the George W. Bush Presidency.  However, when expressing their thoughts about Barack Obama’s time in office on a scale of emotions, more voters feel hopeful, the highest positive emotion on the scale, now, than they did in 2001.  46% report they are hopeful, 6% report they are content, and 7% say they are reassured.   41% express negative emotions on the scale.  11% are anxious, the mildest negative emotion on the scale, 13% of voters are frustrated, 10% are disappointed, and 7% are angry.

Table: Obama Approval Rating

Table: Meeting Expectations?

Table: Meeting Expectations? (Added for Comparisons to Future Polls)
Table: Feelings About First 100 Days — Barack Obama
Table: Feelings About First 100 Days — George W. Bush

More Voters Confident in Obama…Positive Overall Image

Although 53% of voters say they have the same level of confidence in President Obama as they did prior to his assuming office, 31% say they are now more confident in Mr. Obama.  Only 16% say their confidence in him has been shaken.  Not surprisingly, there is a wide partisan divide on this question.  45% of Democrats report they have more confidence in the president than they did before he took office compared with just 17% of Republicans.  When looking at voters’ impressions of Mr. Obama, many voters also express confidence in the president’s leadership skills.  64% believe he is a good leader for the nation.  This is virtually unchanged from the Marist Poll’s previous survey conducted earlier this month.  67% also say the president cares about people like them.  This is the exact same proportion who felt this way just a few weeks ago.  59% of voters believe President Obama shares their values.

George Washington is remembered for saying that he couldn’t tell a lie.  So, do voters think the same is true about our current Commander in Chief?  Nearly seven in ten voters think so including nearly four in ten Republicans.  68% of voters say President Obama is honest and trustworthy compared with 26% who disagree.  And, what about the president’s mettle?  Is he really tough enough for the job?  Many voters — 67% — have little doubt that Mr. Obama can handle the Presidency of the United States.  And, a similar proportion of the electorate — 66% — thinks Mr. Obama does a good job in explaining his policies and plans as president.

Politicians often get a bad rap for not fulfilling their campaign promises, but not so for President Obama.  64% of the electorate report they believe Mr. Obama is staying true to his word while 28% feel the president is falling short.  Similar proportions of the electorate shared this view in Marist’s April 8th survey.

Table: Confidence Level in Obama
Table: Good Leader for the Nation?
Table: Cares About People Like You?
Table: Shares Values?
Table: Honest and Trustworthy?
Table: Tough Enough for Presidency?
Table: Clearly Explains Policies and Plans?
Table: Fulfilling Campaign Promises

On the Right Course, But Doing Too Much

Nearly six in ten registered voters think President Barack Obama is moving the country in the right direction compared with 32% who believe Mr. Obama is taking the country down the wrong path.  However, 56% of the electorate says the president is trying to do too much too soon including a majority of Independents and most Republicans.

Table: President Moving Country in the Right Direction?
Table: Doing Too Much Too Soon?

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Story:

4/27: Obama’s Policy — Voters Weigh In

4/27: Obama’s Policy — Voters Weigh In

If President Barack Obama’s 100th day benchmark were the end of a school semester, Mr. Obama would receive high grades from a majority — 58% — of voters nationwide.  In a poll conducted in 2001, President Bush received a similar report card from the electorate.

When evaluating Barack Obama’s term in office so far, 23% of voters say they would give the president an “A,” and 35% think he has earned a “B.”  Just 11% of the electorate say he deserves a failing grade.  Partisanship plays a role in voters’ views.  86% of Democrats would give the president either a grade of “A” or “B” while just 22% of Republicans would do the same.  Instead, 44% of Republicans give the president a grade of “D” or “F.”

Table: Grade Given to Barack Obama
Table: Grade Given to George W. Bush

55% Approve of Handling of Economic Crisis

But, how does the president fare on specific policy issues?  The nation’s economic crisis has dominated news headlines, and 55% of the electorate report they approve of how President Obama is dealing with it.  41%, however, disapprove.  Many voters, though, do not think he is the one to blame for the nation’s current financial situation.  80% of the electorate believe Mr. Obama inherited today’s economic conditions compared with 14% who say the blame rests squarely on the shoulders of the Obama Administration including 73% of Republicans.  Voters’ opinions on this topic closely reflect those measured in The Marist Poll’s April 8th survey.

Unemployment and the housing crisis have been major concerns for the country.  So, are voters satisfied with the way the president is addressing these issues?   A majority of registered voters — 55% — say they approve of the way in which Mr. Obama is handling the problem of unemployment compared with more than one-third — 35% — who disapprove.  Looking at the mortgage crisis and home foreclosures, voters are more closely divided.  Nearly half — 49% — approve of how the president is dealing with the issue compared with 43% who disapprove.

Table: Handling Economic Crisis
Table: Current Economic Issues Inherited?
Table: Handling of Unemployment
Table: Handling of Mortgage Crisis and Home Foreclosures

More Than Six in Ten Approve of Policies in Iraq and Afghanistan

On specific foreign policy issues, President Obama receives strong support.  63% of voters approve of the way the president is handling the war in Afghanistan compared with 25% who say they disapprove.  The proportion of those who agree with Mr. Obama on this issue has increased since The Marist Poll’s April 8th survey.  Regarding the war in Iraq, 66% of voters approve of how the president is dealing with the situation.

56% of voters think President Obama is handling homeland security and anti-terrorism well.

Lately, there has been a new foreign policy issue on the president’s plate — piracy.  How do voters think President Obama is dealing with military action against piracy?  On this international concern partisan politics stop at the water’s edge.  The president receives all-around high marks.  More than seven in ten approve of his actions including 61% of Republicans.

Table: Handling the War in Afghanistan
Table: Handling the War in Iraq
Table: Homeland Security and Anti-Terrorism
Table: Military Action Against Piracy

Getting Down to the Nitty-Gritty: Voters Opinions Toward Specific Policy Actions

During his first 100 days in office, President Obama has taken on many hot button issues.  Did voters agree with his actions?  More than three-quarters — 76% — say the president hit the mark in ordering the Environmental Protection Agency to institute higher fuel efficiency standards including six in ten Republicans.  On another hotly contested issue, stem cell research, 67% approve of the president’s move to provide federal funding toward its advancement.

Looking at the passage of the economic stimulus package, nearly six in ten voters — 59% — see it as a victory bolstered by 85% of Democrats who characterize it this way.  In contrast, 67% of Republicans disapprove.  A majority of voters — 57% — approve of President Obama’s firing of General Motors’ CEO Rick Wagoner.

What about the approval of the bill making it easier for workers to sue for pay discrimination?  55% of registered voters say the president took the right action compared with 34% who disapprove of the measure.

Many voters — 63% — approve of President Obama’s decision to send more troops to Afghanistan including many Democrats and Independents, and most Republicans.  One policy initiative that does not receive majority support from voters is the closing of Guantanamo Bay prison.  The electorate divides.  48% approve of President Obama’s order to do so, and 46% disapprove.

Table: Higher Fuel Efficiency Standards
Table: Stem Cell Research
Table: Passage of Stimulus Package
Table: Firing of the CEO of General Motors
Table: Pay Discrimination
Table: Closing of Guantanamo Bay Prison
Table: Additional Troops to Afghanistan
Comparison Table of Other National Polls

Playing Nice and Pulling the Strings

Although a majority of registered voters nationwide think President Obama is trying to compromise with Republican leaders in Congress on important issues, 35% don’t think he is reaching across the aisle.  Not surprisingly, a majority of Republicans believe Mr. Obama is playing too much party politics.  And, how much control over Mr. Obama does the Democratic leadership in Congress have?  According to two-thirds of registered voters, a lot!  67% report Congressional Democrats have a great deal or a good amount of control over the president.  Although it’s not a shock that more than three-quarters of Republicans feel this way, what may be surprising is that a majority — 63% — of Democrats agree.

Table: Compromising with Congressional Republicans?
Table: Controlled by Democratic Leadership in Congress?

A Fork in the Road?

And, when looking at the overall direction of the country, voters evenly divide.  44% think things are headed in the right direction, and the same proportion reports the country is moving down the wrong path.

Table: Right Direction or Wrong Direction of the Country?

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Stories:

4/27: Majority Approves of Obama’s Job Performance

4/22: Nearly 1 in 4 Anticipate Job Loss

Nearly 1 in 4 employed Americans — 22% — believe it’s likely they will join the ranks of the unemployed or have their hours cut this year.  Among those who are most fearful are women.  26% of women in the workforce believe there is a good chance they will be laid off while 19% of men think it’s likely they will get a pink slip this year.

Where Americans work makes a difference. Employees in the Northeast are least concerned about their future employment status.  Just 10% of those residents think it’s either very likely or likely that they will lose their job this year while 27% of those in the Midwest, 25% in the West, and 24% in the South share this concern.

Table: Are you likely to lose your job?

How Long Will It Take to Find a New Job?

Should they lose their job this year, many employed Americans think it will take some time before they will be back to work.  Only 38% of workers think they would be able to find a comparable job with similar pay within three months of losing their current job.

Not surprisingly, older co-workers nationwide are less optimistic about their job prospects than are their younger colleagues.  Only, three in ten workers 45 and older believe they would find a new position within three months compared with 45% of those younger than 45.  One-third of workers 45 and older believe it would take at least a year to find a comparable position should they lose their current job.

Table: How long will it take to find a new job?

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Links:

Unemployment Insurance

Finding a Job

Career One Stop

Monster

Indeed

Yahoo! Hot Jobs

Career Builder

Linked in

How To Find a Job During a Recession

Teaching No ‘Fallback’ Career

New York Labor Market

4/21: Threat of Global Warming to Grow, Say Americans

More than seven in ten Americans agree that global warming will be a problem during their lifetime. However, there is less of a consensus on how great a threat it poses, and the results change dramatically when Americans weigh in on the challenges it presents for future generations.

Although 31% of residents nationwide say that global warming will be a major problem for their generation, an even greater proportion — 41% — believes it will be a minor one. 28% do not think it will be a problem for them at all. There’s definitely a Democratic and Republican way to view the earth. Nearly half of Democrats — 48% — say they expect to face major issues associated with global warming in their lifetime compared with just 12% of Republicans. Only 15% of Democrats think global warming will not be an issue for them at all in contrast to 44% of Republicans who feel this way.

Younger residents are more pessimistic about their environmental fate than are their older counterparts. 37% of people under 45 feel global warming will be a major problem for them while 47% say it will be a minor one. This compares with 26% and 37%, respectively, of those 45 or older.

However, there is an across the board spike in concern for future generations. About two-thirds of U.S. residents — 66% — say global warming will be a major problem for future generations. Once again, Democrats are more likely to have this view than are Republicans. Still, a plurality of Republicans — 45% — report the youth of America will face harsh realities of global warming. The proportion of Democrats who share this opinion is nearly double that of Republicans.

Table: Global Warming a Problem in Your Lifetime?

Table: Global Warming a Problem for Future Generations?

Issue in the Spotlight?

A majority of residents nationwide believe they know at least a good amount about global warming. 18% say they know a great deal on the topic while 40% believe they have a good grasp of the issue. More than four in ten Americans — 43% — believe that not enough attention is being given to global warming compared with 26% who feel global warming is receiving too much time in the spotlight. 31% feel the issue is being addressed appropriately. Age matters. 47% of people under 45 years old want more attention to be paid to global warming compared with 40% of those 45 and above who share this view. Region also plays a role. Residents in the Northeast and South are more likely to believe action must be taken to combat global warming compared with those living in the West and Midwest.

Table: Knowledge About Global Warming?

Table: Attention Given to Global Warming?

Personally Protecting the Environment?

So, how much are individuals doing to help the environment? 37% of Americans say they are doing a good or great deal to be eco-friendly; 39% report doing a fair amount while just 4% say they do nothing at all. College graduates tend to do more than do those without a degree, and women outnumber men when going green.

Although 76% of Americans say they fit along the spectrum of doing a fair amount to a great deal to help the environment, 60% of Americans would not label themselves as an environmentalist. Just 21% of the population would call themselves a strong environmentalist.

Table: Amount to Help the Environment?

Table: Consider Yourself Environmentalist?

Economic Protection Trumps Environmental Protection

Given these tough economic times,it is not surprising that nearly half of U.S. residents believe that economic growth should be given priority over the environment even if the environment suffers to some extent. 39% disagree. Most Republicans believe the economy should be priority number one. Democrats and Independents divide. Nearly half of Democrats — 49% — believe the environment should take precedence. A narrow plurality of Independents choose the economy.

Table: Protection of the Environment or Economic Growth

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Links:

Debate Over Climate Risks — Natural or Not

National Climatic Data Center

National Climatic Data Center on Global Warming

Gallup Poll March 2009: For First Time, Americans Put Economy Before Environment

Science Daily

Earth Sky

Science News Headlines

4/16: A New Era for First Ladies?

Nearly three months after her husband assumed the highest office in the land, a plurality of Americans — 44% — thinks Michelle Obama represents change for the better as First Lady of the United States.  Just 4% have a negative impression of Mrs. Obama in her new role, and 31% feel Michelle Obama has yet to make her mark.

Looking at party lines, not surprisingly, Democrats most appreciate the change. 72% of Democrats think Mrs. Obama is having a positive effect on the role of first lady.  And, although far fewer Republicans — 20% — see her as changing things for the better, few — 7% — believe she has set things back.

Younger voters and women are more positive towards Michelle Obama than are their counterparts.  Half of Americans under 45 years old and the same proportion of women say Mrs. Obama is improving the post of first lady.  That’s compared with 39% of residents 45 years of age and older and only 36% of men.

Table: Impact on Role of First Lady

Striking a Balance

Michelle Obama has made it clear that she is an advocate for balancing work and family life, and 41% of U.S. residents agree she is improving the way people view that balance.  Just 4% believe she has hindered understanding of the issue, and 35% report that she has not yet influenced the public’s perspective.

Again, Democrats are in her corner.  64% of Democrats think Michelle Obama is drawing positive attention to the issue of work-life balance compared with 33% of Independents and 25% of Republicans who feel this way.

Table: Impact on Work Family Balance

Fashion Forward First Lady?

Jacqueline Kennedy was probably the first lady best known for making a mark on the fashion world.  So, is Michelle Obama having a similar impact?  While 36% of Americans say that she is changing fashion for the better, a majority feels either her influence is yet to be felt in the fashion world, or they’re just not sure what the future holds.  However, the sexes differ here.  44% of women compared with only 29% of men see Mrs. Obama as taking fashion to new heights.

Table: Impact on Fashion

Imitation Is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Although, Michelle Obama is her own person, Americans do have an opinion about which first lady they would like her to take after.  21% of Americans would like Mrs. Obama to walk in the tradition of Jacqueline Kennedy.  18% would like to see her personify Eleanor Roosevelt, and 16% want her to typify Hillary Clinton.

There is a bit of a generation gap here.  One quarter of residents under the age of 45 years old believes Michelle Obama should take her cue from Hillary Clinton.  20% believe Jacqueline Kennedy was the picture of a first lady while 15% see Nancy Reagan as the ideal.  Looking at those 45 years or older, Jackie Kennedy and Eleanor Roosevelt take the top spots with 23% and 21%, respectively.

Table: Follow Tradition of Which Former First Lady?

Marist Poll Methodology

Related Links:

The White House

National First Ladies Library

First Ladies’ Footsteps: An Interview

She’s covered every first lady since Mamie Eisenhower.  Now, former White House correspondent and author, Bonnie Angelo, shares her views about Michelle Obama with The Marist Poll’s John Sparks.  Read the transcript of the full interview below.

John Sparks
Bonnie, I want to start out by talking about Michelle Obama.  How would you rate Michelle and the job she’s doing as first lady?

Listen to Part 1 of the Interview:

Bonnie Angelo
I’m trying to think of how you’d say she’s a ten-plus.  She hit the ground running.  She knew what she wanted to do and instantly without any break in time set about doing it, which was to reach out to many, many more kinds of people, and then we’ve had the opportunity in these recent days to see her absolutely a star on the world stage.  Every move she made, the London newspapers just wrote and wrote about.  Now they’re on the Continent, and I’m sure there will be the same kind of coverage.  But she simply swamped the 20 Nation Summit with her presence and her activities.

John Sparks
Which former first lady does she remind you most of?

Bonnie Angelo
Michelle is cutting a new pattern.  She reminds me of a cross-section of people.  There is a big slice of Eleanor Roosevelt who was very concerned with shining her light into the darkness of the forgotten people in this country during those depression years.  She’s partly Lady Bird Johnson wanting to make things more beautiful.  She set about planting a vegetable garden in the White House grounds, on the White House grounds.  That’s something that Lady Bird would’ve certainly approved of.  She was like Jackie Kennedy in that she has a great sense of fashion and doesn’t mind being ahead of the game on that.  So, she’s got a blend of many of the best attributes of several of our first ladies.

John Sparks
We took a recent poll, and we asked the respondents which of the following first ladies that they would like to see Michelle follow in the tradition of and mentioned Barbara Bush, Laura Bush, Hillary [Clinton], Jackie Kennedy, Nancy Reagan, and Eleanor Roosevelt. I’m just curious.  You covered all of these, well probably with the exception of Eleanor.  Would you like to see her follow in the tradition of one of these?

Bonnie Angelo
Well, no, not one of those necessarily because I think that list omits the most crucial person that she might be following, and that’s Lady Bird Johnson.  Lady Bird Johnson never set a foot wrong.  She never caused any problems in the White House, but she did things. Her beautification program across the country left lasting imprints that this nation still appreciates.  So how she could… She must be included on that list, and I would say that certainly Michelle would take a lot of comfort in what she could see that Lady Bird did.  On the others, of course, Eleanor Roosevelt would’ve been a great to her historic figure in that she shone her light on economically distressed families, on the woes that America was facing and needed to address. I think Michelle will not do as much of that, but I think she has already shown that, for example, she turned up on a Sunday morning with absolutely minimal, minimal press, maybe one reporter was allowed, working in a soup kitchen for the homeless here in Washington.  Now, none of the others have ever done that, and she did it with minimal publicity.  So, I think she has a very deep social conscience, and I see a lot of Eleanor Roosevelt in that. I think she also has a sense of style that has beguiled particularly on her trip to Europe.  Every time she sets foot out of their quarters, the British press is just falling all over to write about Michelle.  She has a sense of style like no other first lady since Jacqueline Kennedy.  She wears the clothes that are quite daring and very fashionable, very chic.  So, I think she can be compared to a number of the other first ladies, but certainly to the activists on the list.

John Sparks
Bonnie, you know most first ladies usually take on a project. You referred to Lady Bird and the beautification project.  With Laura Bush, it was literacy, Rosalynn Carter mental health, Hillary [Clinton] and healthcare, I suppose.  What does it say about a first lady when she chooses a project, and what does it say about what she might be willing to bite off?

Listen to Part 2:

Bonnie Angelo
Well, I think it shows her commitment to her new position. The first ladies must realize that they have enormous influence, not power, but influence, and certainly Michelle realized that from the campaign right on.  There are those who didn’t do it.  Nancy Reagan did minimal. Her concern was Ronald Reagan, making him happy. Her children never even visited the White House. I think after their first month there, I’m not sure that her own children, Patty and Ronald Jr., I’m not sure they were ever even in the White House again. They were totally irrelevant to the life of Nancy and Ronald Reagan.  There were others.  You mentioned Laura Bush and Barbara Bush. I mean remember Barbara Bush got us in – - got the country interested in literacy and reading. That was her project. She broke ground on that.  Laura really was just following in her footsteps on that. I certainly think Laura did a lot in that regard, but there was nothing original about it.

John Sparks
Let’s go back to Michelle for a moment.  Do you think that in the short time that she has been in the White House that she has changed or is in the process of changing the role of the first lady?

Bonnie Angelo
Yes, I do.  I think compare her to Laura Bush, who’s a very popular, likeable person and chose a very safe topic, activity to be on.  Who can be against literacy?  I mean really nobody.  But, Laura was very much the supporting person to her husband. They did practically nothing in a social way in the White House.  In eight years there, they had only eight state – - only six state dinners, which is really quite an incredible lack of understanding.  State dinners are not just where you show off your best silverware.  It’s where you’re creating a stage for your visitors from foreign countries. I think that they overlooked, didn’t understand that function.  So, I’m saying that Michelle is going back beyond them. Hillary, as first lady, got – - maybe stuck her neck out too far at the beginning when she really wanted to manage their healthcare initiative.  Now, she’s totally qualified. She’s much, much more qualified now than she was then of course, much, but she got burned by the criticism, because that effort didn’t go well.  So, she sort of retreated into being a more conventional person than she really was in her heart.  Once again, you go back to Lady Bird whose imprint is still across this whole nation. She did… She woke up the nation to both beautifying itself and preserving its historic places. People forget that aspect of her work.  But, nobody’s going to be against those, so she was – - it was safe, but she put energy and organization behind it; therefore, it has lasted all these years. Lady Bird’s work continues to this day. There’s not a thing you could point to from say Nancy Reagan who was a devoted wife to her husband.  She adored him as you know, but I can’t think of anything that Nancy Reagan did in the White House that was lasting. There was some little effort about, oh, a couple of projects but they were not – - they didn’t catch on. They were not crucial.  Her heart was not in it.  So, I think you can go back to Lady Bird.  You can then go back to Eleanor Roosevelt.  Now, remember that the first lady who followed Eleanor Roosevelt’s tenure, and Eleanor had broken ground to do things beyond any – - and got much criticism, much harsh criticism and even scoffing at her work, which was so important, shining her light on the dark corners of our country.  They would laugh about it.  Her enemies, and they were multiple, would laugh about it going down to coal mines.  She pointed out the terrible conditions that workers in this country must labor under for pitiful wages in many cases, so Eleanor Roosevelt’s got to be a basically White House saint on that. I think that Michelle is reaching out very much to African American projects to bring African Americans into the fold.  In London where they are not nearly, nearly as advanced in their racial adjustments as this country is, I was Bureau Chief over there for quite a long time – - for a time. In London, she went to a girls school, an inspirational thing. Those girls are never going to forget that.  She also did a number of other personal efforts to make people think particularly on that whole issue of bringing the black British into their – - more definitely into their society.  They’re way behind us on that.  I think that now she is on continental Europe, we’re going to see how it goes over there. I have no reason to think it will be other than the same outstanding success.  This is a woman of great ability. People forget that she was a Princeton graduate.  She was a Harvard Law graduate.  She was a person who could achieve just almost anything on her own merits.  She doesn’t get there from just being the wife of the president, and I think that is extremely important in this day and age when so many women are in the marketplace.

John Sparks
Bonnie, you covered, I think, every first lady in modern times since Mamie Eisenhower.

Listen to Part 3

Bonnie Angelo
I have basically, yes.

John Sparks
Of all of those that you knew and covered, who do you think was the strongest and who was the weakest?

Bonnie Angelo
Bess Truman was the weakest, no question in my mind.  She simply rejected any kind of function other than shaking hands at the mandatory tea receptions for ladies of standing.  She did… And everything she did she was grumpy about. When you read her books about their tenure, it’s really quite sad that she never saw… now they lived most of their time, which she much, much enjoyed, living across Pennsylvania Avenue in what is now and has been for many years, the president’s guest house. They lived there about three years because, possibly four, because the White House during that time was totally renovated, totally renovated, but she was delighted not to have to live in the White House. She had no sense of the role of the White House or what the White House could do, what it symbolizes for this country, which was very sad. You hate for somebody to gripe about all of their time as first lady when it is really such a – - it can be such an effective role for accomplishing things, so I put her as the most ineffective. I think the others you have to look at them for what they specifically do.  Rosalynn Carter certainly did a lot for mental health to make people aware, but it’s not a subject that you can get good photo opportunities out of, which is – - gets you in the newspapers and on television so that her choice of fields of subjects was extremely important, but it didn’t package very well.  Lady Bird’s, as we said, is important and lasting and it was packaged wonderfully and never caused… oh people sometimes grumbled about the money or whatever that Lady Bird was spending on her gardens, which was a shabby way to look at it.  She was a woman who was interested in the environment of this country, not just planting a rose bush here or there.  I think Hillary Clinton did not live up to her capabilities at all, which we saw fully developed in the Senate, but she was not that — she didn’t kind of work out her place in the White House as well as she could have because we saw what she could do as Senator and as what she’s doing as Secretary of State and also what a powerful candidate she was in the presidential campaign.  But Michelle Obama is just now – - we haven’t seen her in action for three months and she’s already done so much. Europe is just swooning over her.

John Sparks
What do you think is most important thing a first lady contributes?

Bonnie Angelo
I think a first lady should contribute concern for some big issue facing the whole country, not… I’m not saying political issue.  I’m specifically not saying that, but a big issue like the environment, which is what Lady Bird was really all about, saving our environment and our history.  Eleanor Roosevelt, you could see what her concern was, bringing the part of our country that was vanished almost into the darkness of poverty. Then, you get into the later times, now both of the Bush first ladies did a lot to emphasize literacy. I think that was admirable. I don’t think it probably connected that much to the nitty-gritty of black schools that are having such problems keeping their students. I don’t think it had any effect on that issue which is – - was – - is much graver than literacy per se.

John Sparks
Let’s talk about the influence that a first lady might have over her husband. Can you tell me of those that you covered who had the most influence over her husband and her husband’s actions?

Bonnie Angelo
I think Hillary Clinton had a great deal of influence because he respected her really first class brain and her sense of… I mean she was top of the class at Yale Law School. She was a person who had academic qualifications and had practiced in law. I think he respected her views on just about any subject that crossed their screen. I certainly know that Lyndon Johnson took a lot of his very thorny problems to Lady Bird, to talk to Lady Bird about, because he so held in high regard her good clear thinking, not publicly but he did that constantly.  I don’t know.  I didn’t get any sense of that with the Bush first ladies, but they certainly probably did more than perhaps seen publicly.  Barbara Bush is such a strong personality that I’m sure that any issue that was current during their tenure, their four-year tenure, that she would’ve weighed in without hesitation to talk about her view, give her views to her husband.  I think there’s no question about that.  Jackie Kennedy didn’t care really what John Kennedy was doing as president. She had no bent toward the political world, but she put a lasting legacy, her stamp on the White House with her very careful historically correct refurbishings and established it in a formal legal way that people could donate accepted gifts, not just any little knick-knack,to the White House if it passed muster.  So, she made people much more aware of the White House as a grand treasure of this country, and her stamp will be left on the White House for all years to come.  She also set a very high standard for just elegance, elegance. Now I don’t think she had any real care for the common folk. I don’t think that figured in her mentality at all.  She was a society girl who had wonderful taste, but I don’t think that she had any real compassion for the people who were struggling.

John Sparks
Bonnie, a minute ago you talked about Michelle and her credentials. She is a woman in her own right. She also has kids.  Do you think that she is changing how people view the balance between work and family?

Listen to Part 4:

Bonnie Angelo
Oh, I think that’s a wonderful issue because she is certainly concerned about it, and it’s plain that she could’ve had all kinds of appointments across the board with her background and with her knowledge of not just politics, but public policy, but she is steering a more cautious course of social issues, shining her light where there’s been not enough light shone. Now she’s not going to let those two little girls go unattended, and the best thing about that is that those two little girls and Michelle are seeing their father/husband more than they’ve ever been with him. When he was in the Senate, they were back in Chicago.  He would go for weekends, but mostly he was tied up in politics where the last two years before his election were campaign years.  So, they actually are going to have more of a family life in the White House than they have ever been able to have, and I think that is a wonderful set of circumstances. I think they both seem to be very well adjusted little girls, each of them seems — that seems to be. They’re bringing their beloved grandmother to live with them. That’s a good thing to do. It gives stability when as for this present trip to the Summit in London and then on to many different meetings across the Continental Europe, they’re away, but they are at home with their grandmother, and I think they now are… From the very first days, they made those little girls enjoy it. They had their friends in from the first night. They had a scavenger hunt the first — the night of the inauguration.  They think about them.  Both of them do really well in school. They’re both smart little girls. That doesn’t surprise anybody.  I think they are going to be really happy. I believe they’re going to have the best family life they’ve ever known.

John Sparks
Do you think that Michelle will influence fashion to the extent that Jackie did?

Bonnie Angelo
Not to that extent but, yes, she is going to influence it.  But Jackie was about fashion, and she was beautiful as a model is beautiful and spent enormous amounts on clothes, much more than was known at the time, and so she set a standard for fashion that we had never had before, and people still remember it.  She was so glamorous.  I think Michelle is going to have a more down to earth fashion because she has been a career woman, but I think that she’s always going to look very smart, and she obviously enjoys clothes, so I think… I think she’s going to say, “Look, you can be a mother. You can do all kinds of things, and you can still enjoy looking quite wonderful.”

John Sparks
You know I just realized, I did not ask you about Pat Nixon.  Tell me about Pat Nixon.

Listen to Part 5:

Bonnie Angelo
Oh, you know, that tells you something.  That tells you something pertinent that she was so overlooked as First Lady, and she was — had the abilities to do so much more than she was allowed to do.  But Nixon’s west wing cadre did not see any real particular value in the president’s wife, you know. They would use her for certain things, but they didn’t let Pat be Pat.  Now, I traveled with her on all of her trips that she did solo, and the first ones were for – - they sent her out much too early really to hotspots of poverty programs, and that was very difficult. She ran into jeering crowds. It was not a well thought through trip that her staff threw her out onto really early.  I was with her in Peru when she went down again solo, when they had that massive earthquake, and the United States came through with plane loads of goods and clothing, and she was down there on the mountain top with the local people. She also met with the president of Peru who had been very difficult with America in the months before she was – - came, and she smoothed things over to the degree that it was really noticed in diplomatic circles.  So, she had more talents than the president’s hard-eyed men were willing to see.  When I went to Africa with Pat Nixon, it was again, Pat was on her own.  We went to, I guess, three countries in black Africa on the western nations — Ghana, and Ivory Coast, and Liberia. She was a sensation. The streets were lined with people leaping and shouting and playing music, and she just blossomed. It was marvelous to see.  It was a tremendously successful trip.  I think when she was with him, she was just so cast in the little wife along side, you know. I don’t… When she was on her own, she blossomed into being Pat Ryan again, and I watched that on numerous trips. It was visible, and this strange coldness or stiffness with which he greeted her after some of those really tough trips on the — at a White House south lawn greeting, he was just — it was just very cold.  I remember coming back, the earthquake trip into Peru, which she had been a wonderful success worldwide, and she met up with him at the Grand Ole Opry where they were — it was supposed to be her birthday, well he forgot to introduce her, and Roy Acuff stepped in and very smoothly just did it.  But, he… But the president was supposed to. I mean, it was just a lack of appreciation for what she could have done, so I feel that that’s why we forgot to mention her in the first instance in this conversation is that she was not free to be Pat.

John Sparks
Well it reminds also of one other person I did not ask you about, and this one was not really elected to the White House and was a very short term, but yet Betty Ford…

Bonnie Angelo
Betty Ford, yes.  Betty Ford was a breath of fresh air.  She came when the White House had been in its absolute dismal time coming up to the impeachment and the resignation, and the Fords came in, and they were so unaffected and straightforward and untarnished by any of the Nixon shenanigans, and she didn’t have very long to establish herself, but she brought a breath of openness and fresh air to the White House that was… and let me tell you one other thing she did that was really, really crucial. I remember the day so well. She had been making a speech to a great big group of women’s organizations out of one of Washington’s major hotels.  From that speech… now she stopped at the door because she and I had arranged that we would have our picture taken together there because I was doing a cover story for Time that week on the hard things that face first ladies.  Pat Nixon was in travail, well not just firstly, political-wise. Joan Kennedy had just gone to an alcoholic institution, and all of a sudden from that meeting that she very nicely addressed this large group, she went straight to the National Institutes of Health for a breast cancer operation. She let nobody know.  She was her own smiling self. I think the strength of her to do what she was supposed to do without letting on that she was facing a crisis in her life, to me, that was very impressive, and it showed that this person had great strength in her soul.

John Sparks
You know, you mention her name today and she’s been gone for quite awhile, but I equate it with the Betty Ford Center for…

Bonnie Angelo
Exactly.  She used…. now she had a tendency to alcoholism. She had that tendency in the White House. They always attributed it to taking — she had shoulder and difficulties that she had to take drugs for. They always attributed it to that, to the painkillers for her bad shoulders.  Well, it wasn’t really. It wasn’t, but that was the way it was.  So, when they got out of the White House, then, it got worse and when they retired to Colorado at that time, President Ford said to his beloved Betty, “We can’t go on like this. You have got to do something about this, Betty.  I will help you.  We will do anything, but you have got to do it yourself.”  And, when he just talked straight to her, she realized that she… and he said to her, “You’re strong and you’ve done other — everything. This you’ve got to do yourself,” so that’s when she went for treatment in the California establishment facility and was never afflicted with alcoholism again. But what happened from there, she realized she could turn it into a positive thing in her life, and she established the Betty Ford Clinic. She made alcoholism as a social problem something you talk about, something you deal with. She made a lasting imprint on who knows how many people across this country who were able to pull themselves out of an alcoholic habit for — by the inspiration of Betty Ford. So, I think she left a tremendous imprint.

John Sparks
Bonnie, I’m going to have to wrap things up, but I can’t do that without asking you one final question and that is that as you well know, and I do too, newspapers are folding, the television networks are closing bureaus and making deep cuts.  What kind of impact will this have on covering the first family which – - and the first lady, which of course was your expertise?

Bonnie Angelo
Well, I covered much more than that.  I did that, but I also covered politics and the White House. I covered the first ladies when they were news, which was a good way to do it.  I was not with them all the time, but a lot of them really made news, you know.

John Sparks
Sure.

Bonnie Angelo
I think it’s… You know my mind can’t even wrap itself around this problem because it requires a certain kind of coverage for their activities to make a national impact, and these women, almost all of them in the modern times, have done something major, have really left footprints on our society.  I don’t exactly… I know you can do it on all kinds of Internet outlets, and there are new ones coming along even as we speak, I just don’t think it’s quite the same as reading about it in your morning newspaper, but maybe that’s because I love my morning newspapers and my news magazines, yes.

John Sparks
So do I. So do I. Bonnie, it’s been a real pleasure talking with you. I really appreciate your time today.

Bonnie Angelo
Well, I love talking with you because this experience — these experiences, these women were great events in my life and in our history, and I’m just always happy to talk a little bit more about how they really were.

John Sparks
Well, thank you so much for your time.

** The views and opinions expressed in this and other interviews found on this site are expressly those of the speakers or authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Marist Poll.

Related Story:

4/16: A New Era for First Ladies?

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