Exaggerated Democratic Discontent

[ProSense]

July 30, 2009

Exaggerated Democratic Discontent

by Ed Kilgore, July 30, 2009 11:23 AM EST

Since you'd get the general idea from news coverage that Democrats are at each other's throats, and are gravely dissatisfied with President Obama, it's always interesting to look at those few public option polls that supply breakouts not only by partisan self-identification but by sub-category or faction.

The headline on the latest national survey by Pew is the alarming "Obama's Ratings Slide Across the Board." What that actually means is that the President's job approval ratio has dropped from 61/30 in June to 54/34 today, hardly the stuff of apocalypse since Obama was elected by a margin of 53-46, which was considered a semi-landslide at the time.

But with all the talk of Democratic unhappiness, particularly among "moderates" and "Blue Dogs," with Obama's agenda, here's where rank-and-file Democrats stand on the President's job performance during the summer of their deep discontent:

Democrats as a whole--85/8 (down from 88/8 in June).
Conservative/Moderate Democrats--82/10 (down from 85/10 in June).
Liberal Democrats--95/5 (up from 93/4 in June).

Not exactly a collapse in support, eh?

more

There is also this from PEW:

A Reserve of Confidence in Obama




Reactions to Health Care Proposals

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

1. You better believe it.

[DevonRex]

6. Especially the debbie downers.

:evilgrin:

[BlooInBloo]

2. Nice perspective.

[karynnj]

3. thank you for this - I just drove home hearing from the right that

Obama's popularity is cratering - though mysteriously as it craters it stays well above Bush level. Then I come here and see the discontent on the left.

[grantcart]

4. exactly

[4lbs]

5. Now what are the Obama bashers going to do?

;)

[politicasista]

7. Kick

:kick: :patriot:

[Jim Sagle]

8. DLC hogwash!

[SpartanDem]

9. Thanks for posting this.nt

[FrenchieCat]

10. But, but, but....I heard a lot of nervous nellies banging their heads against the wall......

What will they ever do now?

[Cha]

11. I don't know what

I'd do without reports such as this..thanks Pro Sense!

I don't believe the "media" at all but this kind of report is priceless.

[Life Long Dem]

12. There's some mixing in of general discontent in these polls.

The media has been talking about one poll for over a week.