Poll Contains Bright Spots, Warnings for Obama

[question everything]

Source: WSJ

President Barack Obama faces significant doubts from the American public about the war in Afghanistan and his handling of foreign policy more broadly, according to a Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll. At the same time, the president has shored up eroding support for his top domestic priority, with the survey showing he has arrested the slide in support for his health-care plan following this month's speech to Congress.

The poll of more than 1,000 adults, taken within the past week, shows growing optimism that the economy has begun to turn around. And the president's overall approval rating has held steady at 51% since August, as his message on health care has clearly begun to penetrate.

For the first time, independent voters — who delivered Mr. Obama the White House and Democrats control of the Congress — disapprove of the job he is doing, 46% to the 41% who approve. In July, 49% of independents approved of the president, against 38% who disapproved. New doubts about the president have coincided with new hopes for Republicans, who appeared flattened by the election nearly a year ago. As the 2010 election cycle heats up, independent voters now favor Republican control of Congress by four percentage points.

(snip)

Americans are pessimistic about the prospects of victory in Afghanistan; 59% say they are feeling less confident that the war will come to a successful conclusion. And 51% say they would oppose sending more troops to the conflict... On the economy, Americans aren't euphoric, but the mood is clearly improving. Nearly one-quarter of the poll's respondents said they feel satisfied with the state of the economy. which marks a 10-point jump from July. Thirty-five percent of the country now believes the economy has pretty much hit bottom, compared with 27% who thought so in July.



Poll results (PDF file)

http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/WSJ-NBC_Poll090729.pdf


Read more: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB125365402637131937.html

[Winterblues]

1. I am surprised a bit as I usually assumed Independents were a bit more aware

of what's going on. I can not believe anyone that has paid any attention at all would consider voting for Republicans ever again let alone next year..:crazy:

[question everything]

5. I think that Independent just lean back and say: entertain me

or: convince me.

Remember, Independents are not Democrats who believe that a government can do good. Chances are, they don't "trust" the government and voted with us more as against Bush, more of a fresh start after the horrible last eight years. Perhaps they even wanted to be with the ones who put the first black man in the White House.

[bora13]

2. really?

"independent voters now favor Republican control of Congress by four percentage points."


that would be the final nail in the coffin for government bipartisanship.

or did that already happen?

[Enthusiast]

7. Doesn't sound right.

Republicans now have a 28% approval rating overall.

[No Elephants]

8. When people are unhappy, the party in power does not do well. It doesn't have to

make sense. Low info folks think Obama initiated the TARP.

[mariawr]

3. Polls are like noses...

everyone has one and sometimes they don't smell so good.
I wouldn't think independents would have moved like that.
But now it's the fall and summer has passed.
When healthcare passes, the polls should (hopefully)look more favorable.

[kiva]

4. Afghanistan will prove to be Obama's Achilles heel-

just as Vietnam was for Johnson - unless our president makes plans to get us out of the quagmire.

[Thickasabrick]

6. You'd really think we would have learned something from the Russians nt