WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Many Americans may be long on enthusiasm for President-elect Barack Obama's history-making election but may be short on something he's asking for: patience regarding the economy.
The economic crisis requires "a bold plan," President-elect Barack Obama says.
"The economy's likely to get worse before it gets better. Full recovery will not happen immediately," Obama said Monday.
How much time will voters give the new president to turn things around? With the magnitude of the crisis sinking in, the public may be giving the future president some breathing room.
In the meantime, Obama might be guided by President Reagan's experience in the 1980s.
No sooner did Reagan take office than the economy began to get a lot worse. Unemployment jumped to more than 10 percent, the highest level since the 1930s. It's about 6˝ percent now.
By 1982, voters were getting anxious. Republicans lost 26 House seats in the midterm election. President Reagan's response? Stay the course.
A lot of voters stuck with Reagan because he had defined a course. By 1984, their confidence paid off.
"It's morning again in America. Today, more men and women will go to work than ever before in our country's history," a 1984 Reagan presidential campaign ad said.
Obama seems to be channeling Reagan's optimism. 
Watch: Obama unveils economic team, plan »
"[We need] to summon that spirit of determination and optimism that has always defined us," Obama said.
More important, Obama has to rally the public behind his economic plan.
"There's consensus ... that requires a bold plan to make the investments in the future," he said Monday.
A president can't ask people to "stay the course'' unless they're confident that he has defined a course.
When do they expect things to turn around? It turns out, those polled expect to see morning again in 2012.
According to a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. Poll, more than three-quarters of respondents, or 76 percent, expect things to be better four years from now.
The poll taken November 6-9 has a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
In an ABC News poll taken just before the election, 50 percent of likely voters thought Obama would be able to do a lot to improve the economy. Now, 44 percent feel that way.
CNN political producer Ed Hornick contributed to this report.
All About Barack Obama • Ronald Reagan • U.S. National Economy
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