WASHINGTON — Half of Americans in a new poll say it won't matter much for the economy whether Barack Obama or Mitt Romney wins. That's even though the presidential candidates have staked their chances on which would be better at fixing the economic mess.
The Associated Press-GfK poll shows people are especially pessimistic about the future president's influence over jobs. Asked how much impact the November winner will have on unemployment, 6 in 10 gave answers ranging from slim to none.
Years of disappointing economic news have deflated American optimism. Two-thirds still describe the economy as poor. And just as many people — 31 percent — think unemployment will grow worse over the next year as predict it will ease up.