NBC/WSJ poll: A split on the bailout

Posted: Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:30 PM by Mark Murray
Filed Under: White House, Economy

From NBC's Mark Murray
American voters are evenly divided over the Bush administration’s proposed $700 billion plan to bail out troubled financial firms, according to the latest NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll, the rest of which comes out at 6:30 pm ET.

Thirty-three percent disapprove of the plan. By comparison, 31 percent approve of it; 28 percent have no opinion.

This is the context for President Bush's speech tonight on the economy at 9:00 pm ET.

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Comments

The Bush/McCain administration has lied to the American People over and over and over. They created this mess and now they want the American taxpayer to bail them out. Screw em.

Larry Craig (R) (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:37 PM)

I have to go with the plurality on this one. Let Wall Street fail. As I write this, I am pulling all of my money out of the market and investing in bourbon. You can trade it for flour and bacon ... stuff we all need.

Oh! And voting for Barack Obama ... Early Voting has begun here in North Carolina.

Tom, Winston-Salem, NC (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:39 PM)

They had information that they were going to propose this a while ago, but bring it to the people as a HURRY UP and approve scam, so we'll think we have no choice but to jump on their train to NO WHERE.

They think we, the people will fall for that 9/11 IRAQ scam again, but we will not!

Not this time... (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:42 PM)

By what poll are they "evenly divided?"

Polls out today run the gamut (check it out).

Even if you add in the percentage of folks who are paying the least attention to GWB, you have no plurality.

We were almost punked again, but so far, the world hasn't ended, although anytime Jesus wants to come back and clean up this mess, he will truly be welcomed by all.

Mark Thieme (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:42 PM)

NO blank Check ! and I want to see heads rolling at these big companies BEFORE we help them out ! If not we'll take our chances on a financial setback

McCain can / will correct this

McCain / Palin (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:43 PM)

If my credit card debt can be "deleted" by the bank,
I will agree that the taxpayers should
"delete" the debt of the banks that
took on bad debt.

Bail out banks? What happened to capitalism?
Buy health insurance for everyone first.

john doe, taxpayer (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:43 PM)

I'm of two minds of this. One I don't want to see the market collapse and send the world's economy into a tailspin.. yet.. I don't want to reward those people that caused the collapse in the first place while I sit here suffering, barely making it financially to suddenly know I now have to bail out these bad decisions by corrupt people with my tax dollars.

MN of Phoenix, AZ (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:43 PM)

I had my doubts about the plan and saw it as a huge mistake in the beginning. But now I realize it may make the difference between falling one hundred feet from the top of a building or one thousand feet. Both are going to hurt like hell, but only one is survivable. I hope they get the plan approved soon - with oversight.

LA in Denver (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:44 PM)

W's giving a speech tonight? How magnanimous of him to come out of hiding and speak to us about what's wrong. Maybe at some point he could hold a press conference and answer questions on the matter...

...or is he running the McCain "Hate The Press" Campaign playbook, too?

I think the smartest people are the 28% who have no opinion...this is too big for any Average Joe to comprehend...I'd vote that way myself...I can't possibly understand how we got here or how to get us out.

I'd guess that 31% is made up of two groups...

1. "Wall Street got us in this mess! Let them clean it up!

2. "We're giving someone within the Bush Administration control of THAT MUCH money?!"

Pete - Albany, NY (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:44 PM)

Ask Sarah Palin about the bailout. Guarantee her response includes one of the following:

"John McCain's a Maverick"
"We're gonna shake up Washington"
"Thanks but no thanks"
"John McCain uses his career to promote change"

Que clueless smile and waive . . . .

Mike, Baltimore MD (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:45 PM)

Wait a minute ... the President is going to pre-empt Hannity & Colmes? Whatever happened to the slogan, "Country First?"

I think I'll watch "Legally Blonde 2" on the Oxygen channel.

Tom, Winston-Salem, NC (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:45 PM)

at this point i disapprove of anything that the bush administration is proposing.....why should i believe in an administration that is built upon lies and deceipt?

leroy, lynchburg, tn (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:46 PM)

http://twocanpete.blogspot.com/
The 28% that have no opinion must be the same 28% that pay no taxes!

twocanpete (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:46 PM)

WHAT?!? BUSH is speakiing tonight? Didn't he go off into a cave somewhere, like Osama bin Laden? And I was going to watch something intelligent, like WWF or Monster Truck Rally or something...
Seriously, though, Bush must be getting SOMETHING out of this bailout plan (dictator for life, knowing him), or he wouldn't be spending this much time away from his comic book collection to push this thing. That Bush is this interested in getting this plan through fast and sight-unseen is enough to make me suspect there is something TERRIBLY anti-democratic in it...!

Class Warrior, D.C. (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:46 PM)

Why can't we use that 700 Billion towards something like, schools? Instead of giving to compnaies who got into this mess beacuse of their greed and stupidity. Yeah, let's bail them out so they can do it again later...what do they have to lose, we'll bail them out again.

Dan, Canton OH (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:47 PM)

Tell me one good freaking reason why I among the rest of us tax payers should bail out these greedy SOB's and let them continue to get huge sums of money while I have to help bail them out. LET THEM CRASH AND BURN BABY!!!!!!!!Maybe we should go through another depression so we can get back to moral ground!!!!!

Terry, Disabled Vet, Des Moines, IA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:48 PM)

Something needs to be done. But whether it's the President's plan is debatable. Let's not rush to war . . . er, bailing out big business without a thorough understanding of the implications and/or options available, besides bombing, I mean giving $700 billion away.

Just heard Palin saying to Couric we could be heading for a depression like the '30s. More scare tactics from the McCain Camp to force this bailout on us?

Tom Kaye (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:49 PM)

Does anyone out there believe anything Bush/McCain says?

Scooter (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:50 PM)

This bailout is not representative of a true capitalistic economy and it rewards a chosen few instead of the people of America. Take that $700 billion and give it to the taxpayers for education, healthcare, infrastructure, etc. Not the fat cats in Washington. How this is still a possibility is CRAZY.

Joe Thomas (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:50 PM)

How is it that after months of claiming the economy is strong that Bush wants immediate approval for a blank check of $700 billion to save it? Saying something is good doesn't make it so; ignoring a problem won't make it go away. But that's been Bush's approach to domestic issues. Now he's left it to others to clean up.
This cry of imminent disaster if Congress doesn't approve the plan sounds an awful lot like "irrefuteable evidence of weapons of mass destruction."
I don't trust Bush on this. I hope Congress has the guts to stand up to Bush, Cheney, King Henry & Bernanke and put together a good bail-out plan. One that benefits the country - like Jimmy Carter's handling of the Chrysler bail-out.

A Hockey Mom, San Jose, CA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:50 PM)

How can congress approve a bail-out without knowing the depth of the crisis. Experts indicate the true dollar amount needed for a significant bailout may be at least double 700 Billion. Consumer reluctance is at least part based on the credibility gap the current administration created with their war fabrications. What happens after this bail-out plan is approved and the administration comes back for "instant additional dollars." Are these the same accounts who originally drafted the $80 Billion war budget??

Tom Di Zinno, San Diego, CA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:51 PM)

We've learned not to trust the Bush administration on much of anything. Unfortunately, once again, they have us at an information disadvantage. We can only hope our represenatives are more responsible than the administration has proven to be!

David Johnson, Springfield, MO (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:52 PM)

This guy is a lame duck,he already has washed his hands of his mess.He was at the wheel for the last 8 years.Drove our country off the cliff,let his neo-cons run the show,like Chaney, who is the real one thats responsable for this mess.You see Bush would never be smart enough to pull this off.Darth knows all about behind the curtin politics,he was run out of a meeting on which he tried to sway repubs that had questions about the 700 very large they are trying to shove down our throats.They ran him out ,the scum bag that he is,I hope they all go to prison Bush,Chaney.Rumsfeld,Libby,Rove and all the rest of the Hitler Youth.

jesse St.Paul Minnesota (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:52 PM)

You'll have to excuse me if I don't believe the doom and gloom predictions of the bush administration after the lies and deception over the Iraq war.

The 31% who do are stupid

Rick, NC (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:54 PM)

I trust Warren Buffet more than all of these people on economic matters. After listening to his interview with CNBC earlier, I would have to vote for it albeit very grudgingly.

Steve, Mobile, AL (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:55 PM)

as citizens, we have no reason to believe the administration's goals or enacting of this plan.

no way, no how, comes to mind...

Tzalaran (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:55 PM)

The MSM is not really making it clear how the bailout affects the consumers. For some reason many Americans don't do their due diligence to follow REAL NEWS, by reading and listening to experts...not pundits. People don't be distracted by GOP follies....

Nidson, upper marlboro, MD (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:55 PM)

It is obscene bailing out rich people with poor people's money. Bush cannot be trusted. Paulson's language in his initial document is suspect. I say, let the chips fall where they may. Let the fat cats learn to control their appetites. The Bible teaches fasting. It's high time we Americans learned how to control our appetites, unchecked by knowledge.

The hope that we confess (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:55 PM)

Where do I pick up my government credit card with the picture of hank paulsen on the front?

Small Biz Owner (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:55 PM)

Bush on TV. Hours of YouTube fun ahead.

Gary Schear, bozeman Montana (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:56 PM)

Do we really need Bush to speak tonight? I can care less what he has to say. Any one else agree?

denver (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:57 PM)

I am opposed to the plan. I do not think that putting $700 billion dollars into the hands of the companies that helped create the problem is going to solve the problem. Who is to say that the companies will not repeat the action again? The finanical crisis is caused by every day Americans not being able to afford the necessities. People have to choose between food for thier families or gas for the car or utility bills. No wonder the economy is in shambles everyone turned away from the warnings that wages are not keeping up with the cost of every day items. The government needs to relieve the workers of the country either by raising wages, a second stimulus package to the tax payers or regulating the price of items. I know that if I was to get a $10,000 check from the government I would pay bills and then what was left I would put back into the economy. if the government wants to save the financial indsutry put it in the hands of the tax payers, if they pay their bills whether it be mortgages, car payments or credit cards the financial industry will rebound on its own. But do not give my hard earned tax dollars to the same people that created the mess, give the money to me and let me direct how the funds will be spent. Whether I pay bills or go on a shopping spree the money is going back into the economy one way or another. Also if the government bails out the financial institutions are they really going to freely extend credit again, I think not, I think that it is still going to be impossible to get credit.

Terry, Waukesha WI (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 2:58 PM)

BTW...wouldn't this $700 BILION Bail Out really represent a TAX INCREASE? I mean, it is at our expense, right? Hello, what happened to the "NO NEW TAXES" regime?

Jon, Everett, WA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:00 PM)

Been lied to to much to trust the current administration.

Let's do the bailout the old fashion way. We loan the wall st. firms money at mark rates and then they can free up the credit markets. They pay us back overtime and all is well.

ken kansas, kansas city, kansas (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:04 PM)

I have to agree with my more liberal friends at least partially on this one. President Bush and Secretary Paulson are attempting to push through a piece of legislation that will fundamentally alter the future of our country in one week. One thing the liberals on this page fail to mention is that this was created by the greed of both parties (yes Barney Frank, Chris Dodd, Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid have resp. regardless if they can only point fingers now.) Congress must not rush to pass this legislation so they can go home and campaign. They need to take resp. for their jobs and spend whatever time it takes (like the rest of us do at our jobs) to put in a plan that makes sense and protects the american system and taxpayers.

Russ, Flemington, NJ (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:05 PM)

I love how nobody questions the bad spending (Iraq) and everybody hates sensible spending (bail out). Paulson and Bernake are proposing this to save us from a depression. This is a situation we are all guilty of, not just wall street. Unless you were standing on the street corner yelling about this problem we are all involved.

Matt Bekker (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:05 PM)

I think this is the time for us all to come together as one nation not divided by what so ever the ELITE in the society try shoving down our throat. We need all the calm we can in the world to get this great nation working again. Any mistake, we'll all sink. So all hands on deck and let's get the best brains to walk us through this. Remember, the world is watching. Americans, we can do this. History has shown us countless times that it is possible. YES WE CAN!YES WE CAN!!YES WE CAN!!!

Pius, Clifton, NJ (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:06 PM)

On the web the people seem to be against this bailout by about 2:1. Nothing scientific about this just a subjective observation. From the news I've read it seems that most replub's are against. Both in congress and out. The demo's on the other hand are runing scared in congress but the rank and file are against. Here is how it could play out. In the debates McCain comes out against the bailout because it is a bulldozer approche Obama goes for the bailout and the people see this as a sellout and a lack of backbone because Bush was able to runover the demo's one more time. McCain wins and Bush gets his 700 Bil. The American People looses of course just like always.

jim nelson (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:06 PM)

Administration's plan to bail out risk takers and predatory lenders at the expense of taxpayers is morally wrong. Give taxpayers some protection. Some economist have a better idea,give low interest loans to companies in trouble, have them put up assets as collateral and require loans to be paid off in five to seven years

Ellis, Kingman, Az. (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:07 PM)

I am not moved by the "It must be done now! It is an emergency and if you dont do it my way it won't get fixed" from the repubs W and McSame. This is the same kind of fear-mongering, crisis speak that got us into the war. Congress is right - take this slowly, look at everything, demand accountability, do not give Paulson that much power and money - he thinks this bill should make him immune from administrative and court based questioning - no way.

Utahn for Obama (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:07 PM)

This "bailout" will go down as the largest attempted swindle in history!!!

The banks created this mess and now they're holding the country's credit hostage. They have a gun to the head of the economy and if we don't take their debts of their hands, they're going to take us all down with them???

I say screw'em . . . let the economy crash and put these swine in jail

If you think for one second that the timing of playing this crap right before the election is a coincidence, guess again!!!

Independent in TN (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:08 PM)

I would find it defficult to have no opinion on a 900 billion dollar bailout. No Way!

EHR (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:09 PM)

Hey McCain / Palin, what's ol' John gonna do, sit Burnanke and Paulson down and say "cut the bullshit?"

McCain is as responsible for the mess Wall street is in as anyone person. More so because of all his "deregulation he championed" while in Congress. Having a john mccain presidency is like putting a child in charge of a candy store.

John forgot to jetison the canopy before ejecting out of his fighter seat. His mangled body is more by his own doing than the supposed torture some say he was subjected to in Nam. Like GWB, John froze and did not think clearly in the time of crisis. The average American can not afford four more years of stuffing the pockets of the super wealthy at the expense of the working class. The World will also never forgive us if we put another Bush in office either.

mccain is the biggest waffler and liar the U.S. has ever been subjected to aside from "W". Republicans are seeming to unite to destroy the working class, and thus commit suicide.

Russ Straighted (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:11 PM)

It saddens me to think that our government thinks we so stupid....I for one say let those who caused these problems bail themselves out.....I am out of money right now due to the high price of fuel and utilities. I have nothing more to give.

Sick and Tired (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:16 PM)

What people need to understand is that the 700 billion bailout is not just money being given to these companies. It is the US Treasury purchasing assets owned by them. After listening to the Warren Buffet interview on CNBC this morning I am for the plan. It does needs to be carefully executed however it has the potential of the government actually making money as these assets appreciate. That sounds a lot better to me than letting the markets tumble and having the worst economic meltdown take place.

Danny - Salt Lake City, UT (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:17 PM)

I think that AIG and the other banks should remember the words of Ronald Reagan, " the 9 most feared words in the English language are "I'm from the government and I'm here to help". Don't take the 700 billion dollars. Don't take the government help, it's not good for you either.

Len MacAnally (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:17 PM)

McCain wants to delay the debate. I bet it is so the Foreign Policy Debate isn't drowned out with economic talk.

Shaun Cade, Hattiesburg, MS (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:18 PM)

Check it: O'Bama and Biden BOTH voted YES TWICE on the road to nowhere! Two faced hypocrit liars.

Jack Meoff, LA, CA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:19 PM)

I would hope congress & senate have more sense than handing over a blank check to one or two persons from this adm or anywhere - What a huge scam they would be pulling off from the American people - if this goes thru - plus McCain/Palin are right up there with them -

M Karpinski, Harrison Twp, MI (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:23 PM)

I wish I knew the answer. Instead I'll say a prayer hoping the politicians make the right choice for the people.
I am also hoping George W. Bush resigns tonight on national TV accepting responsibility for the financial mess. The financial cost wouldn't be so bad, knowign he accepted full responsibility.

John, Boston, MA (Sent Wednesday, September 24, 2008 3:24 PM)

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