Most Say Civility in Washington Has Not Gotten Better

In spite of all the talk of bipartisanship and changing the culture in Washington, fresh poll numbers from Gallup reveal the public hasn't yet seen a shift in "the overall tone and level of civility" in politics since the election of President Obama; in fact, just as many say it has gotten worse (23 percent) as those who say it has improved (21 percent). And make no mistake, those numbers are largely reflective of party identification, with Republicans saying it has gotten worse and Democrats saying it has gotten better.

Indeed, Americans saw the economic stimulus bill sail through the House last week with not one single Republican vote, while this week Democrats are being forced to make some concessions in the package in order to ensure a speedy passage in the Senate.

On the other hand, a plurality (51 percent) in the Gallup poll believe that the climate of civility and tone in Washington has stayed the same, and that's regardless of party ID. Certainly, we're bound to see these numbers shift in one direction or another in due course. The New York Times today notes President Obama's readiness to court Republicans and establish cordial relationships with lawmakers from both sides of the aisle. But how that will translate to policy matters -- and to the public's perception -- remains to be seen.