The Official Obama Approval Ratings Thread

[Eraserhead]

Don't you just love hacks...

Honestly, should you really be talking about anyone else? Honestly?

[tmthforu94]

People are being too dramatic on the death panels. It's not nearly as huge of an issue as some are making it to be.
Just a small note, Obama's Gallup approval rating is tired with Rasumussen's. So I guess Gallup is now a Republican hack poll, too.

[BM]

If you look at the Gallup graph, his overall decline started around his 100th day in office almost to the exact date. I never bought in to the 100 day honeymoon thing, but maybe it is true in this case.

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Obama needs to stop his slide quickly.  He has got to get to the Senate and tell Democrats taht they dont have a choice of opposing this. 

How would ramming the healthcare bill through congress help the President's approval ratings when a majority of Americans oppose it?

Well it obviously wouldn't help in the short term but long term it would help tremendously. The Republicans would look like a bunch of ass clowns once it turns out that death panels don't exist and that the government is nationalizing everything. Besides not passing the health care bill would hurt him in the same way short term.

Why? In the short term, it looks like more people would be happy that this healthcare bill didn't go through. Long term it's a tossup. If it works out, then Obama wins, but if it ends up costing us more and ruining our healthcare system, then it will ruin him.

[Beet]

Jesus, this guy is dropping like a rock. I thought he would drop some, find some support for a few months, then drop some more, but instead he's just dropping like a rock. This summer has been a nightmare. The talk of sleeping giants, peaceful revolution, a grassroots movement like never before, and the depth of passion is terrifying. It certainly wasn't reflected in the polls this spring. How did we go from 60+% approval and adoring crowds to peaceful revolution, screaming and shouting in a couple months? What happened to the middle phase where people begin to express disapproval but aren't going crazy?

Where does it end? What can Obama possibly do? If this goes on for the next 3 years, Obama will be fleeing the country taking a private charter plane to France before the end of his term rather than running for re-election.

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

[Rob]

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

It just sank in that, yes, a Negro is in the White House. Grab yer guns, boys!

[zclark1994]

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

It just sank in that, yes, a Negro is in the White House. Grab yer guns, boys!

Jesus, this guy is dropping like a rock. I thought he would drop some, find some support for a few months, then drop some more, but instead he's just dropping like a rock. This summer has been a nightmare. The talk of sleeping giants, peaceful revolution, a grassroots movement like never before, and the depth of passion is terrifying. It certainly wasn't reflected in the polls this spring. How did we go from 60+% approval and adoring crowds to peaceful revolution, screaming and shouting in a couple months? What happened to the middle phase where people begin to express disapproval but aren't going crazy?

Where does it end? What can Obama possibly do? If this goes on for the next 3 years, Obama will be fleeing the country taking a private charter plane to France before the end of his term rather than running for re-election.

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

To answer your question of Why these people weren't more vocal in 2007 + 2008, it was b/c they didn't like Bush, McCain, or Obama.  I have heard it argued that If McCain had not chosen Sarah Palin as his running mate, and had been able to energize the republican electorate, he could have won the election by a thin margin.  Of course this is just a thesis, and it's also my opinion.

The last time something like this happened was probably back in 1994, when the last healthcare debate was going on.  I don't mean to copy fox news hosts, but the same thing happened.  Dems tried to do to much to fast, and were to far to the left, and lost their A) majority, and B) chance of having a long term majority.

Today we see the same thing happening.  Democrats are once again trying to do to much to fast, and are losing the american people.  They have re-energized that part of the Republican Electorate that was once dormant.  Had Clinton stayed on the Left, it is very possible that President Dole would have been a reality.  However, Clinton moved right to the center, and signed everything that came to his desk.

And to the people who always say that Republicans will never lose an election again and will go the way of the Federalists and the Whig's, I have one thing to say.  During the 86th united states congress, things were not looking to good for Republicans.  They had 35/100 seats in the senate, and 153 seats in the house compared to the Democrats 283 house seats and 65 senate seats.  Just about 8 short years later, Richard Nixon became president of the united states, and won re-election by a pretty good margin (520-17 electoral votes).  Even though democrats continued to dominate the house for several years, the tide turned.

Heres the facts, america is in a state of constant political evolution and change.  just because you won a landslide one year (2008 for Dems, 1988 for republicans) doesn't mean that it you are guaranteed safety in the next election (1992, Clinton elected in a landslide).

And republicans are not racists, although their are some bad apples, don't try and invalidate all of the Tea parties, Healthcare Protesters, and opponents of Obama by calling them racists.  Although I have heard some pretty outrageous things said, and would personally prefer if the debate was centered around issues that are real like how for profit insurance is supposed to compete with a public option that you don't even have to pay for or how much this plan will increase the debt by, whatever helps stop this works for me.

[Zarn]

Don't you just love hacks...

Honestly, should you really be talking about anyone else? Honestly?

Are you calling me a hack? A hack for who exactly?

[Fmr. Pres. Duke]

Jesus, this guy is dropping like a rock. I thought he would drop some, find some support for a few months, then drop some more, but instead he's just dropping like a rock. This summer has been a nightmare. The talk of sleeping giants, peaceful revolution, a grassroots movement like never before, and the depth of passion is terrifying. It certainly wasn't reflected in the polls this spring. How did we go from 60+% approval and adoring crowds to peaceful revolution, screaming and shouting in a couple months? What happened to the middle phase where people begin to express disapproval but aren't going crazy?

Where does it end? What can Obama possibly do? If this goes on for the next 3 years, Obama will be fleeing the country taking a private charter plane to France before the end of his term rather than running for re-election.

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

Probably because people were so upset with Bush and the way the wars were going. They wanted to elect anyone from the other side, and Obama seemed like an inspiring, practical candidate. Unfortunately he has governed exactly as I expected him to do. People don't want to hear the Democrats exclaim "you lost, get over it, shut up and follow us." I've never seen the passion and anger in this country either. It's almost frightening, and when the media calls them organized mobs, it makes it worse. All of this anger was first projected on the Democrats in Congress, and now it's finally made its way to Obama.

[You kip if you want to...]

US: National Survey (Economist 8/23-25)

Economist / YouGov
8/23-25/09; 1,000 adults, 4.9% margin of error
Mode: Internet

National

Favorable / Unfavorable
Barack Obama: 49 / 45
Nancy Pelosi: 25 / 53
Ted Kennedy: 43 / 41

Obama Job Approval
48% Approve, 45% Disapprove
Dems: 83 / 12
Reps: 14 / 82
Inds: 44 / 50
Economy: 45 / 48
Health Care: 41 / 51

Congress Job Approval
14% Approve, 60% Disapprove

National House Ballot
41% Democrat, 38% Republican

State of the Country
32% Right direction, 54% Wrong track

Economy: 24% Getting better, 36% Getting worse

Do you favor or oppose having a "public option" which would allow individuals to purchase
health insurance coverage from the government?
43% Favor, 30% Oppose

http://www.economist.com/blogs/democracyinamerica/2009/08/this_weeks_economistyougov_pol_12.cfm

[fezzyfestoon]

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

This is America, we don't react until something actually happens.

[You kip if you want to...]

Rasmussen
Approval/Disapproval - 50/49, unchanged from yesterday

"Approval index" (Strongly approve-Strongly disapprove) is -8.

[Umengus]

R2000 for dailykos

Obama:

fav: 55 % (-3)
unfav: 40 % (+2)

no opinion: 4 (+1)

Party id: 31 % dem, 25% ind, 22 % rep, 5% other (?) and 17 % non voters (very useful, the "non voters")

Congressional ballot:

Dem : 34% (-1)
Gop: 28% (-1)

not sure: 38 % (+2)
                       

Considering the horrific democratic biais, it's very bad for Obama...

[Eraserhead]

Don't you just love hacks...

Honestly, should you really be talking about anyone else? Honestly?

Are you calling me a hack? A hack for who exactly?

Democrats, of course.

[Sam Spade]

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

Obama had a health care plan in 2007 or 2008?  Actually, Obama has a health care plan now?  Must've missed something.

I'm not going to necessarily brag about what I've said for many years, but it is the truth and gets proven "more truthier" every day.

Health care is to the Democrats what immigration reform is to Republicans - an issue that can be campaigned on, but must never be legislated on, otherwise it ends up destroying you.

This is so mainly because the polls lie.  Everyone says they want "universal health care" but the moment when you get into the specifics as to what is required, the people (and your base) turn against it and you.

[Badger]

Jesus, this guy is dropping like a rock. I thought he would drop some, find some support for a few months, then drop some more, but instead he's just dropping like a rock. This summer has been a nightmare. The talk of sleeping giants, peaceful revolution, a grassroots movement like never before, and the depth of passion is terrifying. It certainly wasn't reflected in the polls this spring. How did we go from 60+% approval and adoring crowds to peaceful revolution, screaming and shouting in a couple months? What happened to the middle phase where people begin to express disapproval but aren't going crazy?

Where does it end? What can Obama possibly do? If this goes on for the next 3 years, Obama will be fleeing the country taking a private charter plane to France before the end of his term rather than running for re-election.

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

Relax. These same screamers and shouters were out in full crazy force at McCain/Palin rallies last fall, and again at the tea bag parties earlier this year when Obama was hovering around 60% approval. There is a substantial minority in this country utterly unreconstructed to Obama as president who are now venting their conservative spleens at town hall meetings about socialist death panels. Obama's drop is tied directly to the economy and lack of immediate progress on passing health care reform. If both continue to tank the Dems could face a wave election, but personally I suspect health care will pass this year as either a public option plan or co-ops and the economy will show signs of life by November next year (how much life is questionable, but the national mood should be at least somewhat better by then).

[Oakvale]

I'm going to shout "Ronald Regan" every time someone mentions his approval rating in 200-and-ing-9 as an indicator of his electoral chances in 2012. His approval will probably go under 50% - maybe even under 40%, like Reagan - but he'll bounce back.

[Badger]

I'm going to shout "Ronald Regan" every time someone mentions his approval rating in 200-and-ing-9 as an indicator of his electoral chances in 2012. His approval will probably go under 50% - maybe even under 40%, like Reagan - but he'll bounce back.

On that very cogent note, how bad were Reagan's approval ratings when unemployment was at this level in 81 or 82?

[paul718]

I'm going to shout "Ronald Regan" every time someone mentions his approval rating in 200-and-ing-9 as an indicator of his electoral chances in 2012. His approval will probably go under 50% - maybe even under 40%, like Reagan - but he'll bounce back.

Reagan's approvals were low in the beginning because the economic malaise hadn't been remedied.  It wasn't until is tax cuts were fully implemented circa-1983 that his approval rating recovered. 

The same exact thing is happening now.  If the economy makes a mid-term recovery a la Reagan, and I hope that it does, he'll be fine.  If not...we'll see.

[Rowan]

Good post from PPP:

http://publicpolicypolling.blogspot.com/2009/08/was-obamas-approval-ever-that-high.html

[Mr.Phips]

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

Obama had a health care plan in 2007 or 2008?  Actually, Obama has a health care plan now?  Must've missed something.

I'm not going to necessarily brag about what I've said for many years, but it is the truth and gets proven "more truthier" every day.

Health care is to the Democrats what immigration reform is to Republicans - an issue that can be campaigned on, but must never be legislated on, otherwise it ends up destroying you.

This is so mainly because the polls lie.  Everyone says they want "universal health care" but the moment when you get into the specifics as to what is required, the people (and your base) turn against it and you.

I suspect that if Democrats fail on this, they will never attemp it again.  They are not stupid.  They will soon realize that this is a loser issue for them.

[You kip if you want to...]

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And people think that Kos polls are bad. Sorry, but that poll is hilarious!!! HAHAHAHA

http://www.politico.com/blogs/bensmith/0809/Davis_leads_in_Al_poll.html?showall

[Badger]

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

Obama had a health care plan in 2007 or 2008?  Actually, Obama has a health care plan now?  Must've missed something.

I'm not going to necessarily brag about what I've said for many years, but it is the truth and gets proven "more truthier" every day.

Health care is to the Democrats what immigration reform is to Republicans - an issue that can be campaigned on, but must never be legislated on, otherwise it ends up destroying you.

This is so mainly because the polls lie.  Everyone says they want "universal health care" but the moment when you get into the specifics as to what is required, the people (and your base) turn against it and you.

Yeah, passing and prtecting Medicare has been a pain for Democrats to run on the last 40 years.

[Mr.Phips]

Why weren't these people more vocal back in 2007 or 2008, when Obama's health care plan was first proposed?

Obama had a health care plan in 2007 or 2008?  Actually, Obama has a health care plan now?  Must've missed something.

I'm not going to necessarily brag about what I've said for many years, but it is the truth and gets proven "more truthier" every day.

Health care is to the Democrats what immigration reform is to Republicans - an issue that can be campaigned on, but must never be legislated on, otherwise it ends up destroying you.

This is so mainly because the polls lie.  Everyone says they want "universal health care" but the moment when you get into the specifics as to what is required, the people (and your base) turn against it and you.

Yeah, passing and prtecting Medicare has been a pain for Democrats to run on the last 40 years.

Times were far different back when Medicare was passed.  Republicans didnt work in lockstep as kneejerk opposition to anything a Democratic President supported and there was no corporate media attacking every little thing in the bill.  The days of liberals passing anything substantitive are likely over. 

[Landslide Lyndon]

I wrote it in another thread, but it deserves mention in that one too.

If Obama had a nickel every time the pundits declared him "dead and buried", he'd be able to buy Microsoft by now.