Before and immediately after the 9/11 terrorist attacks, Americans were fairly optimistic about the direction of the country, they held relatively positive opinions about the two major political parties and believed the nation was united.
Twenty years later, however, more than 6-in-10 Americans think the country is on the wrong track, the two political parties both hold net-negative ratings, and almost everyone believes the nation is divided.
That’s according to NBC News polls and other surveys that were conducted before and right after 9/11, and what those same polls find today — after the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, after increased political polarization and controversial presidencies, and after a deadly pandemic that’s divided Americans over issues like masks and vaccines. CONTINUED
Mark Murray, NBC News
The OPINION TODAY email newsletter is a concise daily rundown of significant new poll results and insightful analysis. It’s FREE. Sign up here: opiniontoday.substack