Poll: Former Democratic voters returning to Obama

[Playinghardball]

Source: Raw Story
By David Edwards

Voters who supported Barack Obama in 2008 but either did not vote or voted against Democrats in 2010 are poised to give the president their vote in 2012, according to a recently released poll.

The survey (PDF) by the group Third Way, a think tank that supports moderate policies, found that 43 percent of Obama voters who supported Republicans in 2010 ("switchers") and 78 percent of those who didn't vote in 2010 ("droppers") either strongly or moderately approved the president's performance during his first term.

Of the droppers, 73 percent said they would definitely or probably vote for Obama in 2012, while only 34 percent of the switchers said they would vote for him if the election was held today.

A majority -- 53 percent -- of both switchers and droppers saw the economy and jobs as the most important issue in the presidential election next year.

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/09/13/poll-former-democratic-voters-returning-to-obama/

[Kurmudgeon]

1. About time, let's hope they don't forget the GOP wrecking crew like they did Dubya and Dick.

A Dem doing nothing is better than a Republican doing ANYTHING.
After Bush's Great Recession, they thought it was ok to wreck the United States credit rating to protect tax benefits for the ultra rich.
Let's boot these right wing clowns out and keep them out of power for a change.

[Fumesucker]

2. This proves that moving to the right is the smart thing for Obama to do..

No?

[MineralMan]

3. No, not really. What it proves is that voters can see the results

of their choices in 2010 and they don't like the results. So, they'll vote accordingly in 2012.

[Fumesucker]

5. Exactly, the voters see the results of Obama moving to the right..

And vote accordingly in 2012.

It's a brilliant strategy that can only be failed..

[MineralMan]

7. You're wrong with that assessment.

But you already knew that.

[Fumesucker]

I agreed with you..

Now you say I'm wrong?

[MineralMan]

15. You did not agree with me. It was as though you had not even

read what I wrote. Never mind. I have no more time to waste today on people who play games. Seeya.

[Fumesucker]

19. The result of the voters choices in 2010 was that Obama moved to the right..

Now when voters change their minds you say that it's not due to Obama moving to the right?

[RaleighNCDUer]

27. Nonsense. He moved to the right the day he took office, which is why

he LOST so many in 2008.

There was not presidential election in 2008, so they didn't turn out.

Now, in '12, the option is between a really bad Democrat, or a Republican, and the choice is obvious, so they will be there to vote AGAINST the Republican. They will not be there to vote FOR a weak, conciliatory, right-leaning Democrat.

[Fumesucker]

30. I was just pointing out the point of view of the politicians, how they will see it..

The politicians and the pundits are who count, the public is just along for the ride.

If the political class sees themselves as being rewarded for moving to the right, which I think they do almost all the time, then that's the message they will take from these poll numbers.

In politics perceptions are far more important than mere reality.

[gateley]

6. Well said. Agree. nt

[gateley]

9. No. I think those who were genuinely angered by Obama

who stayed home to "send a message" just didn't think it through. Or, they felt that it wouldn't be any different if the Republicans took the power.

I hope they've seen that it really CAN get worse, and support the Democratic candidate in 2012 -- if only out of self-preservation.

Those who didn't come out in 2010 certainly didn't more more to the right!

[Fumesucker]

12. Who said they did?

And they are a negligible portion of the voting public anyway.

Obama is winning the centrists by moving to the right, that's been the plan all along and it's working brilliantly.

[gateley]

20. They themselves said they did - refused to vote for the Dems

because they'd performed abysmally and they they hadn't earned their support.

I disagree with your assessment, but that's okay. :hi:

[Fumesucker]

22. Well, Obama is moving to the right and picking up voters..

Are you saying that he would pick up more voters by moving to the left?

[gateley]

33. I think he would, but that's just because I'm on the Left, probably.

What I'm saying is I think those who became disillusioned with him are "returning to the fold" because they see how frightening the alternative could be.

And, please note that I keep saying "I think" because it's only my opinion. You're stating your opinions as facts. That always bugs me.

One of us is right, one is wrong, and I don't really care WHAT the reasons for the returning voters are as long as we keep the Republicans from gaining seats in the Senate and the WH.

NOW is the time to begin preparing for big change so when 2016 comes, there will be more options, maybe another VIABLE party, for those of us who feel the Party has gone too far to the Right (which I agree with, by the way).

[GreenPartyVoter]

35. I think it proves how scary the GOP offerings are.

:shrug:

[Bluenorthwest]

4. Switchers are insane, clearly

Droppers I see nothing to mitigate their 'only show for O' routine, or their general lack of interest or whatever they claim as reason for not voting.

[Fumesucker]

8. There is a vast amount of disinformation and outright misinformation in the M$M..

Unless you dig below the surface of the news which very few people do, it's easy to have a nearly 180 degree wrong view of the events of the world.

Staying informed in an era of nearly universal propaganda is a thankless task that often brings more grief than it does reward.

[gateley]

11. All I know is what I've SEEN the newly elected 2010 Republicans

do - and I don't think the MSM has presented an incorrect picture in that regard.

As I've said before, I will happily vote for the LESSER of two evils.

[Fumesucker]

13. You are paying attention..

The vast majority of voters aren't paying any attention at all at the moment and won't for close to a year.

[tcaudilllg]

18. And that should be reason enough to deny them voting privileges.

[Fumesucker]

21. What do you propose? A poll test?

If you can't answer a series of questions on current events you don't get to vote?

[sufrommich]

25. What? Voters who don't reach the same conclusions

as I do have no business voting.

[gateley]

23. Good point. Thom Hartmann said that of those registered

to vote, about half of them will, and those people won't start paying attention until a month or so before the election.

Before I became interested I was totally uninvolved and just waited to see who had the (D) behind their name on the ballot, leaving it up to those "who knew this stuff" to pick the right people.

I WOULD listen to people who would tell me something that would open my eyes, and I'd pass it along. Now, I tell people pertinent stuff hoping they will at least give it some thought and become interested in learning more.

[Auntie Bush]

31. You mean most people haven't heard of what Walker and Kasich are doing?

They must be under a rock without TV.

[Fumesucker]

38. A great many people are positively allergic to learning anything..

I have one in my family that's particularly strong that way, her husband has had a digital camera since two megapixels was near state of the art and she still can't upload photos from the camera to the computer. Not a stupid person, an RN in fact, but she is just plumb done with learning anything at all.

She avoids everything but People magazine type news also, I'd be shocked if she's heard of Kasich or Walker.

There are a lot of people like this, more than I would have dreamed at one time in my life.

[Amonester]

37. It sure isn't the vast majority of voters who approve the 112th congress

job at a record-low 12 percent... and falling.

Maybe the vast majority of voters do pay more attention 'today' than you estimate.

Just sayin'.

[Fumesucker]

39. "There is no native American criminal class save Congress" -Mark Twain..

"Suppose you were an idiot. And suppose you were a member of Congress. But I repeat myself." -Twain again

Contempt for Congress is hardly a newfangled phenomenon.

[RaleighNCDUer]

43. Coincidentally, I'm sure, he was talking about a Republican majority congress. nt

[Brother Buzz]

10. They are going to have a lot of company

Country Club republicans and fence sitters will be joining them in droves.

[RegieRocker]

14. Shhh......

[LynneSin]

16. I think the GOPs votes against the Job bill and funding FEMA will bring on a big hurt

working class people are starting to wake up and recognize the GOP has no desire to help them.

[tcaudilllg]

17. Switchers may end up deadders

if they vote the wrong way.

[jtown1123]

24. Sorry I needed to unrec. Third Way is not credible, in the slightest. They are GOP masquerading as D

Democrats. DO NOT WANT.

[William769]

26. This poll is only from 800 people.

:shrug:

[sufrommich]

28. I'm more inclined to believe that the droppers fit the

typical description of people who don't vote in mid term elections.

[chill_wind]

29. It's the switchers who will decide. For them, it's going to depend

on who the GOP nominee is, it sounds like. If it's a teabagger, that will probably decide a big percentage of them against the GOP pres checkbox.

"But third, they are deeply skeptical of the Tea Party whom they view, by a 3-to-1
margin, as going too far in the wrong direction. The more the Tea Party is seen as
synonymous with Republicans, the better chance Democrats have to widen the
ideological distance between switchers and Republicans—and ultimately to win
them back."

The rest is not so clear yet.

More from the survey:

"Essentially, switchers fall into three categories:
Solid supporters: 16% of switchers say they will definitely vote for the President.

Lost supporters: 25% say they will definitely vote for the Republican nominee.

Persuadable switchers: 59%

These persuadables (59%) say they will either

probably vote for the President (18%),
probably vote for the Republican (15%),
or volunteered “depends” (20%)
or don’t know.

This memo focuses on the persuadable switchers.

The most salient fact about persuadable switchers is that they feel they are
significantly more conservative than the President and his party. We asked them to
place themselves on an ideological continuum between 1 and 9, with one being
conservative, 5 being moderate, and 9 being liberal."

(bold emphasis mine)

[Fumesucker]

32. Thank you, exactly my point..

Obama moving to the right is just good politics, it picks up more conservative voters and who the fuck are the liberals gonna' vote for anyway, Rick "Jeff Davis" Perry?

[chill_wind]

36. Well it's "good politics" or good news for Conservatives.

For liberals, not so much.

[Fumesucker]

40. "You're always free to vote for Rick Perry"

;)

I've had that thrown in my face often enough now...

[phleshdef]

34. They are realizing that President Obama is still the most mentally healthy person in the room.

They are starting to listen to what the right winger alternatives are actually saying.

[chill_wind]

41. Really, the title should read Former Swing Voters.

"59% persuadables" = as yet undecided. And up for "persuasion."

What we need to worry about are the what RW tainted carrots will look like.
These are not liberals.

[JoeyT]

42. I don't think they're so much "returning to Obama"

as "fleeing the crazy-ass GOP".

There is a difference.