Obama's disapproval rating hits new high

[Freddie Stubbs]

Source: CNN

Washington (CNN) -- President Barack Obama's disapproval rating has reached a new high of 55% while the number of Americans who think he is a strong leader has dropped to a new low, 48%, according to a CNN/ORC poll released Tuesday.

And a familiar pattern in public opinion on Obama again asserts itself: Americans don't like his track record on major issues while they continue to like him personally. Nearly eight in 10 respondents say Obama is likeable; large majorities believe he is compassionate, hard-working, and has a vision for the country's future. Three-quarters think he fights for his beliefs.

But only 39% approve of how he is handling unemployment, and just 36% approve of the way he is handling the economy, not surprising when more than eight in 10 think the economy is in poor shape.

Opinion on Obama's economic track record is mixed, however. While fewer than one in 10 (9%) think his policies have made the economy better, about four in 10 (39%) credit them with preventing the economy from being even worse than it is today. On the other side, 37% say Obama has made economic conditions worse. Fifteen percent think his policies have had no effect.

Read more: http://www.cnn.com/2011/POLITICS/09/13/cnn.poll.obama/index.html?eref=rss_topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+rss/cnn_topstories+(RSS:+Top+Stories)&utm_content=Google+Reader

[Sarah Ibarruri]

1. I am struck with how helpless he comes across.

I don't understand what's happening and why.

[bigworld]

2. I think that his habit of giving in to R's

makes him look weak and feckless to people of either party. He's a terrific campaigner, a great thinker, but a leader he's not.

[Tesha]

11. I think his biggest problem stems from his childhood.

He's trying to compensate for the lack of a father in his life
by always trying to win praise from those he perceives as the
"Alpha males" and that's the bullying Republicans.

(He won't get that praise, of course.)

That characteristic makes him almost-totally ineffective
as our Party's leader and means more bad news for us
in 2012.

Tesha

[DLnyc]

13. Interesting

Another angle is his very persistent focus (obsession?) with bringing opposing groups together. This has been his theme from his speech at the 2004 convention (". . . not red states or blue states, but United States . . .), his race speech in Philadelphia and in so much of his legislative proposals. I think we all listen to his words and take some as "he's just saying that to get elected" and others as "he really means that". But now I feel I see that it was always this bringing-opposing-groups-together thing that is the one he really means.

For the record, I think it is an admirable personality trait, but an absolute, unmitigated disaster as a governing strategy.

But your angle of looking for the lost father has some merit also, I think. I have to ponder it for a while.

And I agree it is also a disaster as a governing strategy.

[Yo_Mama]

15. But it's one of the reasons why people like him

And they do (on average). Given the economic conditions, you'd expect his poll numbers to be far worse. People recognize something in Obama that's very good.

But he hasn't been able to translate that into functional policies.

[Romulox]

18. Then where are the Lefties in his administration?

He's a "center right" politician, and every staff member he's surrounded himself with is, too. There is no "team of rivals", because there are no hard left cabinet/staff members to counteract the right wingers.

[FredStembottom]

25. Excellent point, Romulox.

Needs it's own post.

If we are ever going to understand what makes the O admin. tick, in hopes of changing it, we must see clearly even if it hurts.

Why is one group of rivals excluded from the get-go?

[Tesha]

24. Yes, absolutely! Personality traits that may be admirable may still be unsuited...

...for effective leadership.

Tesha

[yardwork]

16. Clinton had the same problem. Democrats need to stop electing centrists.

[trud]

35. Clinton wasn't a wimp, though. n/t

[snooper2]

31. OMFG

you really believe that don't you...


:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

:eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes: :eyes:

[Tesha]

33. "OMFG" why yes, I really do or I wouldn't have said it.

I think it explains a lot about Obama's otherwise-difficult-
to-explain behavior. The only other reasonable explanation
is that he ran in our Party's races only because he realized
he couldn't advance in Illinois state politics running as a
Republican; do you prefer *THAT* explanation, that he is,
essentially, a Manchurian candidate?

Tesha

[snooper2]

34. This is what really cracks me up about you folks...

You are all pissed off because the DEMOCRATIC policies he's trying to push forward aren't socialist enough for you. Then on the other hand, we have fucknutters like Laura Ingram and Mark Levin spew on a daily basis that is is a socialist and a marxist and whatever other "hard left" term they can find.


I can't wait until Perry gets the nominationa and the debates start happening. I guess for some here Perry and Obama are about the same right :rofl:

Maybe they'll just get up there and start agreeing with each other on everything :P

[Tesha]

37. Agree with each other? You mean like the time when Lieberman, debating with Cheney, actually..,

...laughed and agreed when Cheney made one of
his right-wing jokes?

That was one of the moments that cost us the 2000
election so don't be so quick to dismiss the possibility
of seeing our candidate agree with their candidate. (Of
course, bases on the way you're writing, Lieberman was
probably more your candidate than my candidate.)

Tesha

[snooper2]

38. sure, that's exactly what I meant

Oh, and Lieberman can go fuck himself, or Cheney

[Sarah Ibarruri]

39. And looking (and behaving) weak is a scary thing to voters. nt

[RKP5637]

3. Same here. He had so much fire in him as a candidate, an inspiration to

many people, seemed to want to move forward for/with "we the people." But the plug on that was suddenly pulled as Obama the president. I would rather see him go down fighting for some of the things he said as candidate, than at least IMO, assimilation of his candidate beliefs into now republican-like beliefs. For me, much of his presidency to date has been a capitulation. I'm not saying my perceptions are right or wrong, just saying what I'm feeling.

[Sarah Ibarruri]

40. Same here. What is he going to convince people of, to put him back in the presidency again?

It's frustrating.

[digitaln3rd]

4. Maybe he should put on a flight suit and land on an air craft carrier

And whip the sheep into a frenzy?

[GOTV]

9. Or give a great speech - that whips up the sheep as well.

[leftyohiolib]

19. dave is that you?

[Indianademocrat91]

5. And yet he has expanded his lead on all GOP hopefuls

Guess that says something good sorry to ruin the shit fest

[BenzoDia]

7. Do you have a source for this?

I'm not doubting you, just interested in seeing some good news.

I thought he was tied with Romney and starting to pull away from Perry.

edit:
spelling

[Indianademocrat91]

12. Here it is..

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x771509

Seems like when people are dead set against letting people die (pun intended), then they begin to lose votes from non-psychopaths

[BenzoDia]

41. Excellent, thank you.

[Tesha]

10. The more the people hear from the GOP "hopefuls", the less people like any of them.

That seems to be our entire campaign strategy:

"We suck less."

Who knows, maybe that will be enough to carry the day?

Tesha

[GOTV]

23. So Obama's falling at a slower rate than potential opponents. That doesn't feel that good to me.

although I suppose it's better than the reverse.

I don't know if it's really a fair apple to apple comparison to pit Obama, who is the current president and assumed Dem candidate to GOP candidate hopefuls.

Imagine during the Hillary/Obama primary fight. If the McCain was already the assumed GOP candidate and you were a Hillary supporter (for example) might you be so caught up in the "Obama is way worse than Hillary" camp to tell a pollster you'd vote for McCain over Obama if he were the candidate?

If Obama now beats Romney by 5 pts today (for example) and tomorrow all other GOP contenders dropped out leaving Romney as the assumed only choice for the GOP, don't you think he would bump up in the polling against Obama as GOP voters fell into line?

[villager]

28. Right. "Well, but the other guys are completely deranged!" isn't an effective governing policy

...either, as it turns out...

[FredStembottom]

27. Both observations are valid.

...and not only don't contradict each other but support each other.

A) Obama is seriously compromised - or flawed - disappointing millions.

B) Blood-thirsty lunatics are worse than Obama.

It works against your point as the unspoken theme is that's what it takes to make him look good.

[JJW]

6. He isn't a fighter

Look at him in the Senate. He couldn't take a stand and fight for anything.

[chervilant]

8. hmm...

I find it ironic that you post a picture of Obama and Arne Duncan, with the title bar "Reforming American Schools for the 21st Century."

Right out of the chute, Mr. Obama's appointment of Arne Duncan as SecEd caused me--and thousands of teachers like me--considerable alarm. Obama's administration has continued the destructive and indefensible privatization of public education begun in earnest during St. Ronnie's Reign, and has greatly accelerated the mendacious vilification of veteran teachers as *THE* reason our system of public education has deteriorated lo these past fifty years.

Perhaps you might reconsider using this picture with its misleading title bar. We teachers don't deserve the blame OR the vitriol promulgated by these vile corporatists who seek to profit at the expense of our children and our children's children.

[Steerpike]

17. I just saw a major story on ABC news

regarding a trend of highly educated Teachers to teach in Foreign Schools where they are paid handsomely and given respect...The report coined the phrase, "The New Brain Drain"...

We are screwn...

[chervilant]

36. Actually,

when my elderly dog passes on to the great Doggie Hebben in the Sky, I will be seeking employ in any country that still venerates its teachers.

[Yo_Mama]

14. Bloomberg polling similar

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-14/obama-approval-drops-on-skepticism-of-jobs-plan.html

[Hart2008]

20. Cue Tom Petty: Free Falling! The soundtrack of the Obama presidency...

The soundtrack of the Obama presidency:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5gqT6En2O78

It is time for a change at the top of the ticket!

HART 2012!!!

:dem: :dem: :dem: :dem: :dem: :dem: :dem: :dem:

[bvar22]

21. Harry Truman explains it all.

This is really simple.

"I've seen it happen time after time. When the Democratic candidate allows himself to be put on the defensive and starts apologizing for the New Deal and the Fair Deal, and says he really doesn't believe in them, he is sure to lose. The people don't want a phony Democrat. If it's a choice between a genuine Republican, and a Republican in Democratic clothing, the people will choose the genuine article, every time; that is, they will take a Republican before they will a phony Democrat, and I don't want any phony Democratic candidates in this campaign."
---President Harry Truman

QED:2010


Leadership! "The Buck Stops HERE!" NO Excuses!



You will know them by their WORKS,
not by their excuses.

Solidarity!
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

[COLGATE4]

22. K&R X 1000!!!!!

[No Elephants]

29. Thanks. I've looked and looked for that quote and could not find it.

[Vidar]

26. He richly deserves it, and he's doing his job as "designated loser" for his

corporate masters wonderfully.

[The Stranger]

30. Mainly because some of our slower brethren on the Left have taken to flanking him.

I'm going to be looking to them when we're suffering eight years under President Perry.

[mvd]

32. You'll be looking at the wrong thing, then

I feel Obama's strategy hasn't worked in making people think he's a good leader. I don't constantly bring him down or bring him down just because he doesn't agree with me all the time - I point out where he goes wrong because even he wants us to do that. I will vote for him because it just might be the final nail in America's coffin if a Repuke gets in.

[tgal]

42. You can look to the mushy middle

that always collapses. The centrists are always self serving.