I've been traveling much of the past two weeks for work. Nine cities, seven states, and close to 30 presentations about the election and the economy.

What I'm about to say is based purely on anecdotal information. It is not meant to be statistically significant or a good sample. And my audiences were anything but a good cross section of the general population.

But my conclusion is as straight forward as possible: Americans, or at least those I spoke to and with, are very very angry.

Their anger initially seemed to be directed at specific things. Understandably, gasoline prices always seemed to be the first thing mentioned, for example. In fact, the economy in general was a constant source of anger. No one I spoke with over the past few days seems to be looking at the current economic situation as positive. Costs are going up, jobs are going down, inflation is rising, housing is unsettled, investment opportunities are limited, etc.

People are really angry at George Bush.

Democratic anger is expected. But die hard Republicans are angry with him for screwing up what they not too long ago saw as a generation of GOP power. I can't tell you the number of times over the past two weeks when someone started a conversation by saying "I voted for George Bush but..."

But the biggest source of anger I picked up during my travels was because of what I'll call a perceived loss of swagger. Whether it was Texas, Oregon, California, or Minnesota, a whole bunch of folks seem angry about what they feel is a loss of prestige and power for the United States. Most often mentioned was:

• The war
• The dollar
• The economy
• Immigration
• Financial markets
• Gasoline
• Perceived loss of power overseas
• Poor performace of the U.S. military

...and what seems to be a sense that it's going to be tougher in the future to do well.

I don't mean tougher to get rich; few people talked about that as an option. But relatively simple things that many Americans have always been able to do and seemed relatively easy -- like buying and selling a home -- now appear to be real concerns for many people.

But what they're angry about isn't the specifics. It's the fact that everything seems to be so much harder than it used to be.

And the fact that they have fewer choices. They can't take the flights they want, can't seel or buy a house if they want, and have to think twice before buying the types of things they've always bought in the past.

My guess is this is why almost 80% of those polled now say the U.S. is headed in the wrong direction. The indivdual pieces like gas prices are less important than the overall feeling that life has gotten much more difficult.

My first conclusion from this very unscientific research is that it's going to be very hard for Republicans to win this November if this doesn't change soon. Whether it's fair or not, George Bush and his political party are being held responsible for this feeling. GOP candidates may not campaign with Bush this fall, but he'll be an albatross with them every step of the way nontheless.

My second conclusion is that, whoever he is, the next president won't have much time to turn this around. If something doesn't change by the end of 2009, Congress and the country may run away from the president in 2010.

My travels continue next week. More from the road.

This Just In: One of CG&G's devoted readers let me know that The Washington Post ran a story last week about why American seem to be so much more pessimistic than the data appears to justify.  Here it is.