CBS anchor found no New Hampshirites that ‘feel good’ about economy

“CBS Mornings” co-host Tony Dokoupil reported how he and his team couldn’t find anybody outside a New Hampshire grocery that was “feeling good about the economy.”

While previewing an upcoming CBS News segment set to air on Sunday, Dokoupil mentioned how people complained about higher food prices, despite macro signs that the economy is improving. 

The co-host made the claim while President Biden continues to try and sell his economic achievements — aka “Bidenomics” — ahead of the 2024 presidential election. 

While speaking to local New Hampshire CBS anchors, Dokoupil reported, “People are really bummed out about the economy here in New Hampshire. Even if the overall big picture numbers are going in the right direction, and even if people’s own personal experiences in general are going okay, there’s a lot of gloom.”

Noting why, he said, “Food prices, for example, are generally going up. And we talked to a bunch of people outside of a grocery store in Derry, New Hampshire — we couldn’t find anybody feeling good about the economy.”

The anchor expressed that the negative view is “just human nature,” adding, “Psychologically, you go into a store, if you’re paying more for items that you get every week, that really sticks with you, it really annoys you, it gets you down. People were upset about it.”

He did note that locals are surviving, that they are “making it” despite the higher prices, although they are annoyed. 

“Yeah, they’re making it. But are they bothered by the fact that frozen OJ has gone up double digits and that steak on Friday’s up double digits? Absolutely. And that’s really driving people’s perspective on things,” he declared.

Dokoupil’s comments previewed a “CBS Evening News” broadcast on Sunday featuring footage of him talking to some of these locals.

In one interview, Dokoupil spoke to a local woman and tried to reassure her with the fact that the government has brought the inflation rate down. The woman laughed at the host and shook her head, replying, “I don’t know what pocketbook they’re looking at, but it ain’t mine.”

She also added she had to take a second job.

Dokoupil also spoke to another family, who explained to him that almost every member works so that the family can make ends meet. A young man in the family said, “Six of us in the house. Five of us work. You know, it’s like, if you go back, like, 30 years, two incomes would have covered all of our expenses, probably.”