2016 Postmortem
Related: About this forumState of the Union 2014: At Critical Juncture, President Makes Major Gains
During Tuesday night's State of the Union Address, Democracy Corps conducted dial tests and follow-up focus groups with 44 swing voters in Colorado. We found President Obamas agenda for a year of actionexpressed through new policies for energy, pay equity, jobs, and educationwas well-received by voters. The President made impressive gains on his personal favorability, improving from net -2 (48 percent warm, 50 percent cool) to net +27 (64 percent warm, 37 percent cool.) On this key metricvoters personal feelings toward the Presidenthe clearly won our audience in Denver.
There is much here to commend the Presidents performance. He made major gains on having good plans for the economy, looking out for the middle class, and looking out for the interest of women. And in focus groups following the speech, voters gave him high marks on his push for paycheck fairness, minimum wage, education, student loans, and job training. Even Republicans in our audience responded positively to Obamas plan for paycheck fairness.
As voters told us in follow-up focus groups, they were skeptical of the President heading into this speech. But his heavy emphasis on improving the economy at the pocketbook levelespecially for womenwon these voters over. The president made major gains on these key economic metrics and on looking out for the interests of women.
These voters are looking to Washington to move on these important issues that affect them at a pocketbook level every day. Republicans should not believe that these voters blame both parties equally. They do not. However, these voters are looking to the President for real leadership and real action. They like what he had to say. Now they want him to follow through.
http://www.democracycorps.com/In-the-News/sotu-2014-memo/
Sunlei
(22,651 posts)Wish the Pres would up the multitasks and take several 'actions' each week to help all Americans.
Republicans always want the President to give them months of time to create their scam agenda. Pres. O once called Rs sloths (or was it snails?, I forget) Anyway Rs huge machine they created moves very, very, very slow. And costs the big RW Rs a fortune to keep funded.
I think President Obama should take full advantage of republican slothness and hammer their asses daily.
Use the WH waiting media more and daily pull in one of these republicans for a spur of the moment presser. Rs never do well in front of 'the people' when they have to stand there live and answer questions.