Barack Obama ratings fall as polls show honeymoon may be over

Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | July 21, 2009 | Alex Spillius

[Schnucki]

A USA Today/Gallup survey suggested that six months into his presidency, his popularity was lower than George W Bush's at the same stage of his tenure.

Amid rising unemployment and falling confidence in his economic plans, Mr Obama's job approval rating has dropped by nine points since January to 55 per cent, a point below his predecessor in mid-2001.

Other polls by ABC News and the Washington Post also showed Mr Obama's job approval falling below 60 per cent for the first time since he was sworn in as the nation's first black president, with a marked drop in the last month.

The president is facing criticism about how he is going to pay for $1 trillion plans to reform the US health care system. Half of respondents in one poll disapproved of his health care policy compared with just 44 per cent who approved.

Mr Obama admitted there was work to do and said he would not sign any of the bills currently being considered in Congress.

"Right now, they're not where they need to be," he told NBC. He has already admitted that his August deadline for draft legislation could "spill over" into the autumn.

Mr Obama is due to hold a prime time televised press conference on Wednsday designed to restate his case to an increasingly sceptical nation.

Whit Ayres, a pollster, said: "His ratings have certainly come back down to Earth in a very short time period."

[bgill]

Now that the honeymoon is over, when can we get an annulment?

[catbertz]

I’d settle for a nasty divorce.

[bareford101]

Please, UK and the rest of the world!!! Know that the American people, EXCEPT FOR THE RADICAL LEFT, know that this imposter is, indeed, an imposter and it trying to wreck the United States of America!! WE NEED HELP... KEEP ON REPORTING THE TRUTH. THE US media is all about PROPAGANDA!!~

[ozzymandus]

Obama is the new Carter. By the time his reign is over, America will be one screwed-up country, and liberalism will be in disgrace for a generation. If we can survive him, we’ll be set for a major comeback.

[CitizenM]

AGREED! It seems the only reporters who have the guts to report the truth about the Obama decline are those in other countries. As all the world laughs at us, our own media is blind to the fiasco they created by supporting B H O. The majority of the American public are finally screaming "We don't like this president and his policies," and our voices are only being heard overseas, not by our own media members. The enemy is within, certainly.

Perhaps some TEA parties should be held in front of or march past the major Network offices where they would have to recognize the crowds - walk through them - see their signs first-hand...and not be able to ignore them.

[SpaceBar]

Actually Obama makes Carter look like an able administrator, and a true blue American. And that says a lot.

[MrEdd]

[chippewaman]

“Obama is the new Carter. By the time his reign is over, America will be one screwed-up country, and liberalism will be in disgrace for a generation. If we can survive him, we’ll be set for a major comeback.”

I’m with you and I agree, but how many GOP/Conservative candidates in the House and Senate are lining up to make this comeback? There’s way too many straight ticket Dem voters in a lot of places in this country. Close to where I live a nearby county voted 79% straight ticket for the donkeys. We have to have the men/women to do the job and we don’t need any more RINOs!

[MrB]

At every rally and protest,
those attending should have their “message signs”,
and another sign with just a pitchfork and torch on it.

Everyone hold up the pitchfork and torch sign when the
target of the protest makes an appearance.

[Mark]

The One will probably appoint an “Opinion Polls Czar”.

[frogjerk]

I’d settle for a nasty divorce.

I'd like a declaration of nullity better. It was not valid due to diriment impediment due to his legal status. Obama has not proven that he is a natural born citizen. Therefore the marriage never happened.

[FreeAtlanta]

• Healthcare Deform
• Porkulous
• Decreasing Defense
• Not supporting real democracies
• Omni-Gigantualous Budget
• loosing so many brave soldiers in Afghanstan
• His missing Birth Certificate and College Records
• Snotty Arrogance
• Teleprompter malfunctions and having to have the stupid things
• So many Gaffs
• Joe Biden
• Nancy Pelosi
• Hillary Clinton
• 747 low-level flyby of NYC that scared the city witless

  Without the shamless media having covered for him, how would he have anything above single digit approval?

[dusttoyou]

At this point in W's Administration, he did not look too hot as they were having difficult time starting up with all the ratty holdovers from klintoons who were busy sabotaging every step.
Yep, W had many problems, the biggest in my book was his trying to be compassionate while dealing with many people who did not have his or America's best interest in heart. Holding over all those klintoons was part of that “compassionate conservatism”.

Now nobama is already lower than W, it sure seems that many Americans are a little stupid (when it comes to PC), but not totally stupid enough to not recognize the damage and intent nobama and his cohorts are trying to shove onto us.

Wonder what striking back we have coming from this kenyan gov. when nothing more gets pushed through? I can see several scenarios, only one of which will leave nobama to finish out 4 years. The way this is going right now, it would sure look like a big Conservative recovery in 2010, which would leave nobama with zero political backing and at which point he could either ride it out the first term living like some african bigshot while getting noting further done or being impeached.

[Texas resident]

If the BBC and Canadians are going to support us by reporting the truth, then we need to start supporting them. Hit their websites and if you can, get their articles in print. Leave them in doctor’s offices, mechanics shops and barber shops. Apparently the foreign media has a vested interest in seeing the USA thrive. They depend on us. Unlike the US media who wants to destroy us. I cannot understand that thinking because they will be hurt just as well.

[IbJensen]

The only thing that can save our nation and ourselves is if this ninnyhammered marxist will go into a free fall that will match that of our beloved country?

What do Americans expect when they turn the reins over to an enigma?

[Disambiguator]

What do Americans expect when they turn the reins over to an enigma?

[Red Dog #1]

"his popularity was lower than George W Bush's at the same stage of his tenure."

That's gotta hurt all the Bush Derangement Syndrome suffers out there. Maybe they should put some ice on it.

[thulldud]

We might have to “renege” on the social contract.

[Melian]

I believe the media is so willingly reporting this because they are trying to help Obama. They want us to relax and stop fighting this issue because we think the battle is won. Do not fall for this again! There were no PUMAs.

Those who live in states with Blue Dog leadership need to pound them and keep pounding them until the defeat is so humiliating that Obama won’t dare raise it for the rest of his term.