Bad News, Good News, for President in New ABC News Poll
EmailThe new ABC News/Washington Post poll has bad news and good news for the president, whose approval ratings have sunk to an all-time low of 50%.
Majorities now for the first time disapprove of President Obama's work on health care (53%) and oppose the health care reform package making its way through Congress (51%).
A majority — also for the first time — disapprove of the president's handling of the economy (52%). His worst score: handling the deficit; 56 percent disapprove.
But 54 percent now approve of the president's performance as commander-in-chief. This was an area of real weakness for Mr. Obama during his presidential campaign — but today it's his best issue of the seven tested in the ABC News poll. Fifty-eight percent approve of the troop surge of 30,000 US troops to Afghanistan that President Obama ordered. And 52% say the war in Afghanistan is worth fighting — a surge of eight points in just one month.
For some context, President Ronald Reagan also faced a struggling economy and at this point in his presidency he was down to 52 percent overall approval. President Obama still leads Republicans in Congress by 12 points, 48-36 percent, in who Americans trust more to handle the economy; seven points on health care, 10 points on energy and by 12 points on the war in Afghanistan.
But the president also faces challenges with independents and with the intensity of his opposition compared to the intensity of his support.
You can read more about the poll results here.
- jpt
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How many like his socks? Why does the news medis use so many polls?
Posted by: Snuggies? | December 16, 2009, 10:18 am 10:18 am
Why does the news media use so many polls?
Posted by: Snuggies? | Dec 16, 2009 10:18:05 AM
Horse race politics and framing everything in terms of campaign mode is probably easier than investigating and reporting with any depth on issues. Personally, I think our news media is absolutely horrid. One would think we’d getter better news with a 24/7 news cycle, but instead we get more petty junk news.
Posted by: Don't EVER want to go back the GOP-driven Dark Ages! | December 16, 2009, 10:31 am 10:31 am
The good news here for Obama is its an ABC poll which is totally out of sync with other polls so we must assume it is made up…kinda like the cbs/nyt poll that only polls democrats
Posted by: welcome to Obamaville,the fastest growing homeless community | December 16, 2009, 10:50 am 10:50 am
Wait… isn’t it supposed to be the other way around???
People should disapprove of his CIC performance because of the Afghan surge. The health care bill and everything else should have HIGH approval ratings.
It seems people approve only when Obama acts like a Republican (Afghan surge) and disapprove when he acts like a Democrat (Obama care, etc…).
This can’t possibly make Obama and Rahm happy.
Posted by: Denbo | December 16, 2009, 10:59 am 10:59 am
Apparently, the lesson learned is to immorally lie and smear like crazy, with no regard for the lives of citizens– and that our news media will pass on those lies ignoring the bloodstains on their hands.
Interesting that the two most popular measures in the health care reform debate — the public option and the Medicare buy-in — are the two provisions with the most support.
The one thing I’m encouraged by is that the public is still not turning to Republicans as a better alternative. We can’t go backwards, people, we can’t go backwards. The Republican party is a party bankrupt of integrity and solutions.
Posted by: DMM | December 16, 2009, 12:18 pm 12:18 pm
DMM | Dec 16, 2009 12:18:31 PM…..I thought you were describing the the Obama and his failed promises until I got to the last paragraph. Yes, both parties are guilty; but I don’t think any president has broken more campaign promises than Obama.
Posted by: deanbob | December 16, 2009, 1:58 pm 1:58 pm
President Obama still leads Republicans in Congress by 12 points, 48-36 percent, in who Americans trust more to handle the economy; seven points on health care, 10 points on energy and by 12 points on the war in Afghanistan.
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The right wing does not represent what most Americans think – thank GOD.
Posted by: tierra | December 16, 2009, 2:07 pm 2:07 pm
I don’t think any president has broken more campaign promises
___
With all due respect, Bush claimed to be a compassionate conservative. Turned out he was neither, oxymoron or not. In addition, in 2000 he campaigned on a pledge to regulate carbon dioxide emissions as central component of his energy policy. In 2004 , other unmet promises on the Democrats’ list: Social Security, an HMO patients’ bill of rights, a promise to renew the assault weapons ban, and his vows not to engage in nation building or to overcommit the armed forces. For starters.
Every president leaves a trail of broken campaign promises. Its disingenuous to claim President Obama is the worst when he hasn’t even hit the one-year mark yet and the record doesn’t bear that out.
Posted by: DMM | December 16, 2009, 2:36 pm 2:36 pm
President Obama still leads Republicans in Congress by 12 points, 48-36 percent, in who Americans trust more to handle the economy; seven points on health care, 10 points on energy and by 12 points on the war in Afghanistan.
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Of course, they trust them more. It’s plain as day that the Republican party is a party of immoral buffoons. I hope those who elected these dishonorable jerks will correct course in 2010. The reason health care is in the tank on polls now is because too many people don’t really know what is and isn’t in the bill after all the lies, smears, distortions and immoral game playing.
Posted by: Don't EVER want to go back to the GOP-driven Dark Ages | December 16, 2009, 2:45 pm 2:45 pm
Obama just has to hang on long enough to get health care passed.
Then Obama can claim he has accomplished what other presidents couldn’t.
Just pass any old piece of junk no matter how harmful to Americans, no matter how many don’t want it.
If it says Health Care Obama will sign it. And the Dems will claim a victory.
Posted by: millie | December 16, 2009, 2:49 pm 2:49 pm
droppin like a rock.
Posted by: mjishernameo | December 16, 2009, 2:55 pm 2:55 pm
It’s plain as day that the Republican party is a party of immoral buffoons.
Posted by: Don’t EVER want to go back to the GOP-driven Dark Ages |
It is also plain as day that the Democratic party is a party of immoral buffoons. Take off those blublockers and you will be able to see it too.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 16, 2009, 2:57 pm 2:57 pm
Just pass any old piece of junk no matter how harmful to Americans, no matter how many don’t want it.
If it says Health Care Obama will sign it. And the Dems will claim a victory.
Posted by: millie |
You got that right.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | December 16, 2009, 3:15 pm 3:15 pm
NBC News and news services
updated 1 hour, 19 minutes ago
WASHINGTON – As Democrats struggle to pass a health care overhaul bill by Christmas, a new NBC News/Wall Street Journal poll released Tuesday found support for the reform plan has sunk to its lowest level since April 2009.
Just 32 percent of respondents said that President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul proposal is a good idea, with 47 percent responding that the plan is a bad idea.
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Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww :)
Posted by: welcome to Obamaville,the fastest growing homeless community | December 16, 2009, 3:20 pm 3:20 pm
What is so important in the healthcare bill that the white house has to threaten Bob Nelson of Nebraska that they’ll close down the Strategic Air Command base in Omaha?
Posted by: deanbob | December 16, 2009, 5:06 pm 5:06 pm
Take off those blublockers and you will be able to see it too.
Posted by: Foghorn Leghorn | Dec 16, 2009 2:57:16 PM
There are a few, no doubt, and politicians will be politicians, but its not a main thread through the party subculture whereas the Republican party and those funding and organizing their tea party comrades thrive on willful ignorance, fear, anti-science, anti-education, anti-equality, anti-progress, lies, smears, greed and self-centeredness.
Posted by: Don't EVER want to go back to the GOP-driven Dark Ages! | December 16, 2009, 9:20 pm 9:20 pm
Tierra: “The right wing does not represent what most Americans think – thank GOD.”
YOU don’t represent what most Americans think – thank GOD.
Posted by: Chuck | December 16, 2009, 10:29 pm 10:29 pm
Now we are going to see the real Barak Obama. How does he handle not being a rock star? How does he act – what does he say both to defend himself and assert himself when his popularity slips?
It has been my experience that the true character of a man is best demonstrated when he is pushed up in a corner. As President the pressure is from such a massive audience that the corner is amazingly small in comparison. Call this the loneliness at the top syndrome. Yet, there is no hiding, no rope a dope allowed – every moment requires wearing your Sunday go to meeting clothes.
Speaking of clothes: did someone say “the Emperor has no clothes?” or am I jumping the gun here?
Posted by: Lone Star Rules | December 17, 2009, 7:39 am 7:39 am
Im all for health care reform. I suffer from hormonal disorders that making having a child difficult for me. Ive always wanted (or dreamed) to have a baby more than enough to risk my own life for one. But ever since I was married 8 years ago I haven’t been able to conceive. The problem is that my employers did not provide health insurance, because most small business’s or self employers usually do not have insurance, because insurance cost them a arm and a leg for me would been around $300 a month not counting my husband who is self employed. My employer did offer me a discount plan, but what do I notice I use it one time for a small regular doctors appointment and it cost me more than $106 still. I decided to go to a local hospital who had a gyn. discount coverage, but they did not help at all. All they did was give samples and have some strange lady tell me false information. After 4 years my husband moved out and conceived with another woman, because I was emotionally unstable because I had no idea what else to do. What dreams I had were going down the drain. We got back together a year later after I got a job with a large hospital and started appointments with fertility doctors which ended in surgery, because my problems was hormonal and I was suffering from PCOS (polycystic overian syndrome) symptoms. Now im on medication to help me, but I think of if we would have had a unified health care or something more negotiable all my problems could have been taking care of from the beginning. The problem is now im FORCED to work for this hospital in conditions I do not like, because its my TREATMENT! I cannot get insurance now with anyone else, because its pre-existing now that I had surgery. IF unified health care works in other countries like cuba, Canada, and they can get treated better than someone who pays out of pocket or has insurance then something is wrong. This would help millions of people who are self employed or work for small businesses like the situation I was in before. SOMETHING IS BETTER THAN NOTHING! Think of the big picture from all sides before jumping to conclusions. What if this was you, your wife, mother, sister, etc.. story. You couldn’t fulfill your dreams, just because there was a lack of health care. I work hard and go to school full time so im not a lazy person, I live right, Problem is insurance companies and drug companies got people by the BALLS and getting filthy sinking rich off us. To deny people insurance or help, because they had got treatment before it got worst is just down right WRONG. Even with insurance the premiums go up every year by a lot. Medicines are going up in prices to with insurance. I think the government should put a stop to all of that.
Posted by: allabouthealthreform | December 17, 2009, 11:41 am 11:41 am