Why So Many People Still Regard Obama Positively

American Thinker ^ | 07/17/2015 | Richard Winchester

[SeekAndFind]

After studying public opinion for many years, I think I have fairly good understanding of what shapes the typical American’s political views.  There is, however, one topic that has me flummoxed:  why so many Americans still hold rosy opinions about Barack Obama as the president and as a person.

Pollingreport.com posted the latest polls by about a dozen organizations plumbing Americans’ recent opinions about Obama’s job performance.  Most major poll results showed approval of his job performance averaged 45-46%.  Disapproval averaged two or three percentage points higher.  A CNN/ORC poll conducted June 26-28, however, showed his job approval at 50% while 47% disapproved.  The Gallup poll’s daily tracking report for July 14, 2015 showed Obama’s job performance rating at 46% approval vs. 49% disapproval.   (Approval of Obama’s job performance will probably increase following the deal with Iran.) 

The same organizations’ recent polls showed positive perceptions of Obama as a person frequently exceed 50%.  (His reputation for honesty dipped when it was revealed that he lied to sell Obamacare, but has since recovered.)

What’s difficult to understand about this is that when the same organizations plumb opinions about topics -- such as the country’s direction, perceptions of economic conditions, views of U.S. influence abroad, etc. -- that correlate robustly with presidential job approval, the results are usually abysmal, and ought negatively to affect dispositions about Obama.  (When George W. Bush was president, for example, abysmal opinions on these issues drove his job approval ratings )

This essay attempts to comprehend why, despite his policy failures at home and abroad, scandals, and lies, many Americans continue to approve of Obama’s job performance and regard him favorably as a person.  At least five major factors seem to play a part: 

[aposiopetic]

Obama is a tall Hawaiian (so they say) non-evangelical Protestant who is athletic, typically dresses impeccably and has (double) Ivy League credentials.

Carter was a short Georgian evangelical Protestant who was non-athletic, once wore a Cardigan, and attended the Naval Academy.

Considering the drive-by media lionize politically correct athletes (preferably tall and well-dressed), put down the South (other than South Florida) and have a fascination with Hawaii (see Magnum, Five-O etc.), fawn at anything smacking of Ivy League, tear down the military and demonize evangelicals, it is no surprise that, despite the fact that both Carter and Obama steered the Republic far to the Left, Obama is the one with the higher public approval.

Even if we say Obama is from big-city Chicago and Carter from small-town Plains, the analysis remains the same since we know which of the two the drive-by media blame for anything bad that happens.

[Comment Not Approved]

Spot on. The media is responsible for most of his inflated approval rating.

[mulligan]

Ignorance and stupidity.

[Comment Not Approved]

"He talks socialism and cloaks it in words like fairness and income equity.

The chains of our oppression are wrapped in those soothing words. But no matter how comfortable they try to make those shackles, they chafe patriots to no end.

[A CA Guy]

People who are politically aware that don't believe you can give away the Treasury and still be solvent are in a minority these days.
Due to coins from the Taxpayer/Treasury to government union make work jobs and all sorts of assistance down to Obamaphones, the people are resting quite nicely and are fairly oblivious to the economic super volcano about to go off below them.

[I am Richard Brandon]

There is only ONE reason why Obama is still so popular. A famous (infamous) man once said ““If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.” MSM, back to you!

[leprechaun9]

At least five major factors [in the author's mind] seem to play a part:

(1) Americans’ views of the presidency;
(2) Obama’s racial make-up;
(3) his party affiliation;
(4) the mainstream media’s (MSM’s) bias on his behalf; and
(5) Americans’ tendency to accord very low priority to politics.

Note that none of the "major factors" listed by the author have any reference to B.O's intentional initiatives aimed at the destruction of our country.

[nomad]

Five factors? More like one, A LOT of Americans are STUPID beyond description!