Just 24 percent of those interviewed said the nation is on the right track, The Washington Post-ABC News poll reported.

Overall, those interviewed were increasingly pessimistic about the war in Iraq and the state of the economy.

More than six in 10 called the war not worth fighting, while almost two-thirds gave the U.S. economy negative ratings. Nearly seven in 10 said a recession is likely during the next year.

In questions about the presidential race, Democratic hopeful Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y., held the edge in match-ups against the top rivals for the Republican nomination. But not one of the leading contenders in either party had a favorable rating above 51 percent in the poll.

The poll was conducted by telephone Oct. 29 to Nov. 1 with a random sample of 1,131 adults and had a 3-point margin of error.