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It takes a lot to blunt the optimism of the American people, and this recession has certainly put a dent on our outlook. However, when we measure how people feel about their long-term goals in life, it is remarkable how optimistic they remain.

At Zogby International, one unique way we measure those attitudes is by asking whether people believe they and their families can achieve the American Dream. In December, I wrote about the growing number of people who see the American Dream as a measure of spiritual, rather than material, achievement. Given the hard economic times, let's look more closely at its financial dimensions.

Over a two-month period, separate Zogby Interactive polls found the percentage of likely voters saying they believe in the American Dream dropped from 67% immediately after the election to 56% in the second week of January. Anytime you see a dip of 11 points over such a short period, you know something significant is happening.

Yet, I am even more struck that a majority still believes they can realize the American Dream during a time that many say is the worst since the Great Depression. There was not a single demographic group we measure (age, income, race, religious habits, etc.) where the plurality did not express this belief. The near exception was among those with family incomes of $25,000 to $35,000, who were equally as likely to believe they could achieve the dream (36.6%) as to say it does not exist (36.6%).

What motivates our citizenry to see that ideal within reach when banks are failing and jobs are being shed by all sorts of businesses? In an early January Zogby Interactive poll of nearly 3,500 likely voters, we offered reasons why they might believe or disbelieve in their chances of achieving the American Dream and asked them to choose the two that most applied.

We found that the objective reality of their current job or financial situation was often secondary. For believers, faith in themselves and the American ideal of opportunity for those who want it ranked highest. Those who said the American Dream did not exist were most likely to blame the powerful who didn't care about them. Next was rejection of the idea of U.S. exceptionalism.

Here are the top reasons for believing in the national dream:

WASHINGTON (CNN) -- For most African-Americans, the election of Barack Obama as president was a dream come true that they didn't think they would see in their lifetime, a national poll released Tuesday suggests.

A woman is overcome on November 4 after hearing that Barack Obama had been elected president.

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Eighty percent of African-Americans questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey said that Obama's election was a dream come true, and 71 percent said they never thought a black candidate for president would get elected in their lifetime.

The poll reflects anecdotal evidence that surfaced across the country last week as soon as Obama's projected win was announced.

"It's history," said iReporter Tave Johnson, who spent Election Night at the Grant Park Obama rally in Chicago, Illinois. "I'm half-black and half-white. I talked to my grandparents today, and they told me this is historic. To be honest ... I never would have guessed it would happen."

Among white Americans, only 28 percent said Obama's victory in the race for the White House was a dream come true, with the vast majority, 70 percent, saying it was not.

The poll also suggests a racial divide among people who thought a black candidate would be elected president in their lifetimes. Fifty-nine percent of white respondents said they thought a black president would be elected in their lifetime, but only 29 percent of black respondents agreed.

"Polls show that whites and blacks tend to have different views on the amount of racism in the U.S." said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "So it's not surprising that they would have different views on the likelihood of an African-American president."

The survey suggests that Obama's victory may have some affect on race relations in this country.

"A majority of blacks now believe that a solution to the country's racial problems will eventually be found," Holland said. "In every previous poll on this topic dating back to 1993, black respondents had always said that racial problems were a permanent part of the American landscape."

"Even in polls taken earlier this year, a majority of African-Americans said that a solution to the country's racial problems would never be found; now blacks and whites agree that racial tensions may end."

As a result, most blacks view Obama's election as the start of a new era of better race relations in the United States, while most whites appear to disagree.

Only one in three whites questioned in the poll said the election marks the start of a new era, although most predicted some improvement in race relations in the country.

"Some whites are tending to take a 'wait and see' approach; six in 10 blacks forecast better race relations as a result of Obama's victory," Holland said.

Indeed, emotions ranged from disbelief to euphoria among African-Americans after the results were announced.

"This is the most wonderful night of my life," said emotional iReporter David White, who grew up during the civil rights movement of the 1960s. "I have never seen anything like this. This is beautiful."

"I've seen this country vindicate itself," he said.