Obama's favorable rating down to record low of 46%. Racist comment may have hurt him

[jackson_dem]

Obama's favorability rating is down to 46% (down 10% since 2/21) and his unfavorablity rating is up to 51% (up 9% since 2/21), both records for Obama. He lost a net three points since news of his racist comment was semi-covered in some of the media. This could be a natural result of margin of error or the cost of the comment. If it is the latter it is disturbing since very few people have even heard of it at this point and it would surely feature in rethug ads in the fall if Obama is the nominee. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/overall_favorable_ratings_for_presidential_candidates

Clinton's are slightly worse than Obama's but that is to be expected. She has been attacked by rethugs and the msm for 16 years, the far left for at least 5-6 years, and Obama for over a year. Obama has taken only a few light punches for probably less than a total of 16 days.

Obama's rising negatives go hand in hand with his decreasing electability. Just a month ago he did as much as 9 points better against McCain than Clinton did in the Rassmussen daily general election tracking poll. Now Clinton actually does two points better than Obama. http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/election_20082/2008_presidential_election/general_election_match_up_history

All of this shows "the speech", touted as the greatest ever by his most zealous supporters, did nothing for him in the real world.

[rateyes]

1. He keeps this up,

he might catch Hillary in the unfavorable dept.

[jackson_dem]

4. He definitely will. The question is how high will they be if he is the nominee?

How high would his negatives be by election time? He has shown he has a glass jaw and the rethugs haven't even touched him yet...

[depakid]

2. More Rassmussen crap

Only a SUCKER believe this sort of deal. But then, America's just plumb FULL of suckers these days.

[jackson_dem]

6. Gallup has shown his unfavorables have tripled since December of 2006

A sucker would have to believe that Obama was immune to political gravity: "new" candidates always have higher negatives as they get more vetting, scrutiny, and criticism.

[depakid]

15. Political gravity, yes -high negative low positives like that at this point. No.

I saw another poll the other day- some DU'ers were jumping to that tune, too. It claimed something like 20% of Americans believed the sun revolved around the earth.

A ridiculous contention "backed up" by "scientific" polling.

[Joe the Revelator]

3. And yet, Hillary still can't take the lead from him

says a lot about her candidacy.

[jlake]

10. It's not all about Clinton. Obama is unelectable - Hillary has nothing to do with it.

[Mimosa]

13. Fluidity and fluctuations

These kind of poll approval fluctuations have been very common in every presidential election season I've ever seen. What is hurting Obama is Hillary's refusal to face reality and end her futile but destructive campaign. She is tearing up the Democratic Party out of her own selfish ambition.

Obama will need time to regain some lost ground. People here can be certain that McCain will say or do something very stupid over the summmer which will be impossible to overlook, ignore or cover up.

[akbacchus_BC]

30. Let it sink ....n/t

[anonymous171]

5. Clintons: Treating the "far left" with more contempt than the "far right" for 16 years.

[jackson_dem]

7. Did Hillary write a letter demanding the far left stfu and toe the line?

Oh that was Obama. Funny how the same people now love him...

[ClassWarrior]

19. LET IT SINK.

NGU.

[rodeodance]

24. haha--NOT all obamafolk are wittle sheepies

[akbacchus_BC]

33. Better to take the high road than the low road! The infighting is

way too divisive.

[rodeodance]

41. good for you.

[LittleClarkie]

8. Her numbers are worse and he's the unelectable one?

By that logic, McCain is the most electable one.

[jackson_dem]

9. Ask Kerry about it. His numbers have a long way to go. Clinton has been about the same for years

[LittleClarkie]

14. Oh, is Kerry running again?

I did not know that.

[jackson_dem]

23. What happened to "new" Kerry's negatives? Bush in 2000? Jefferson in 1800?

[anonymous171]

29. Hey, Kerry looked untouchable and vetted at the time.

And polls had him doing better against Bush. But we forgot that the dem nominee had to first motivate dems to vote for him, not just repugs. Obama motivates us, gets us out there to canvas and campaign for him.

[jackson_dem]

40. He was strong until he took incoming fire from the rethugs

Kerry is just the latest example of why it is naive to look at Clinton and Obama both performing the same against McCain right now and call it a wash. One has a long way to still go as far as negatives go and that will adversely effect Obama's electability.

[GoldieAZ49]

43. With Kerry we had to refight the Vietnam war, with Obama it is the Civil war

so much for being the party of the future

[anonymous171]

11. Typical Clinton thinking.

It's just like offering the candidate who's beating you YOUR VP spot.

[jackson_dem]

12. Typical political reality for over two centuries. Obama isn't immune

[rodeodance]

18. "You got to go to another church, or you share those opinions."--from the ar

article i posted downstream

[rodeodance]

16. **Obama struggles to limit damage in pastor row as white voters slip away

this article fits with the OP

Obama struggles to limit damage in pastor row as white voters slip away
Sat Mar-22-08 06:08 PM


http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2008/mar/2...008.barackobama


Obama struggles to limit damage in pastor row as white voters slip away

But the sight of Wright calling on his congregation to sing God Damn America instead of God Bless America is not one from which Americans are going to be diverted easily. A theme that emerges from the bars and diners of white Philadelphia is suspicion that Obama's failure to disown Wright and his presence in his church for almost two decade suggests that he himself is secretly resentful towards white people. A stray comment during an interview may have helped contribute to that suspicion when he referred to his grandmother, who had voiced her concern about being mugged by a black person, as a "typical white person".

In Chickie's and Pete's restaurant and sports bar in Philadelphia, John Fernandez, a chiropractor, said Obama must have known what Wright was preaching. "How can you be that tight and not know or share some of those opinions? I was leaning toward him a little bit, but that took it over the edge," Fernandez said, hollering to be heard over the din of the bar and televised basketball game. "You got to go to another church, or you share those opinions."

[Barack_America]

17. Man, you sure are clinging to Rassmussen...

...Like a toddler to his blankie.

I guess that Gallup are now hacks considering Obama has reclaimed the lead there?

And Hillary's worse approval ratings may be expected, but they are by no means reassuring. Her disapproval ratings have been set in stone by the 16-years of MSM and Republican attacks you noted. Her approval/disapproval ratings have not and will not change significantly. That ain't good.

Obama's have a strong chance of bouncing back now that the MSM seems to have tired of feasting off him.

[jackson_dem]

21. Gallup shows his unfavorablity rating has tripled since December of 2006

Hers will remain the same and that is good. She is competitive with McCain even now. Obama is rapidly losing ground to McCain, who he once did far better against than Clinton. If this keeps up Obama will be losing badly to McCain when it matters if we nominate him...

[Barack_America]

28. So next week, when his numbers are back up and Hillary's are still the same...

Will you finally admit that he is the stronger candidate?

And when Hillary finally releases her tax returns and her numbers take a hit, will you finally admit that Obama is stronger?

[jackson_dem]

38. If he can somehow reverse a trend that has existed for almost a year then we can talk

You are conflating primary polling with general election polling. His general election numbers have been going down relative to Clinton's performance against the rethugs for almost a year.

[loveangelc]

39. what is his unfavorable rating in gallup? also what is hillary's? thanks.

[NYCGirl]

27. Gallup is dead to them!

:evilgrin:

[GOPBasher]

20. And Hillary's negatives have always been high. So, we just lost the 2008 race.

I'm not sure when we fucking Democrats will wake the fuck up and nominate our MOST electable candidate, the way the Republicans always do. This is why they win, despite poll after poll showing that the people agree with Democrats on the issues.

[rodeodance]

22. REC

[gravity]

25. I am confident that he will recover

Unlike other Dems, Obama has the ability to connect with voters on a personal level which attributes to his success. While most politicians make carefully calculated sound bites, Obama speaks from the heart giving him the ability to win back others. After having been swift boated, he showed the country that has integrity and the courage to lead this nation.

You guys are too focused on the short term. There is still over seven months before the election and a lot can change during that time period. With a united party and some positive exposure, the sentiment accross America can change drastically.

Just be patient...

[Bake]

49. He's not going to connect with the ones who are fleeing him.

He's not going to connect with white working class Democrats. He's already connected with the only ones he's going to connect with ... he's got nowhere to go but DOWN.

Bake

[The Backlash Cometh]

26. Damn. They found out he was black.

[billbuckhead]

31. The post racial era is already officially over, Hillary's opponent killed it

The post racial era is already officially over, Hillary's opponent killed it when he threw his white grandmother under the bus to excuse his bad judgment sucking up to an influential but bigoted minister for almost 20 years.

[anonymous171]

34. Obama's opponents had been desperately trying to end it.

Obama addressed the issue and has left his opponent without anything else to use against him. This was their last card.

[The Backlash Cometh]

45. If anyone is to blame for instilling a belief in black men's heads that

white women and white men are uncomfortable around them, well, gee, what other assumption would you make after looking at all the evidence of decades and decades of movies and documentaries that say just that?

[billbuckhead]

47. Hillary's soulless opponent used the civi right's movement and his grandmother like Kleenex

to clean up a twenty year history sucking up to a bigoted but politically powerful religious mentor.

[The Backlash Cometh]

44. You need some tough skin.

If that is all it takes to get your nose bent out of shape, you should try being black for a few weeks.

[Name removed]

32. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Name removed]

35. Deleted sub-thread

Sub-thread removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Emit]

36. What racist comment?

:shrug:

[Straight Shooter]

37. I think it's the perception some people have of the "typical white person" comment Obama made.

Obama's campaign stepped forward to have him backtrack on the comment, but it was kind of hard to unring that bell.

[tokenlib]

42. As a "typical white person" I did not see it as racist---just true!

If I'm walking down the sidewalk--and see a group of white adolescents with numerous body piercings, or african-american teenagers acting a little too cool --or white motorcycle guys with tattoos--I get worried. The motorcycle guys scare me more though :)

It is human nature to be leery of the unfamiliar or influenced by stereotype.

[Straight Shooter]

46. That's why I mentioned perception.

Funny you mention motorcycle guys. When I lived in Tennessee, the Peacemakers were a notorious bike group, but they befriended me one time when my car broke down at night, and made sure I got home safely. Home happened to be 15 miles away.

So, ya nevah know! :D

[sueragingroz]

50. Obama's "typical white person" makes waves

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local/20080322_Obamas__quot_typical_white_person_quot__makes_waves.html

[judaspriestess]

48. kick