Tuesday, April 28, 2009

Barack's in the basement - Lower than Bush or Nixon

Tuesday, April 28, 2009
EDITORIAL: Barack's in the basement
THE WASHINGTON TIMES

President Obama's media cheerleaders are hailing how loved he is. But at the 100-day mark of his presidency, Mr. Obama is the second-least-popular president in 40 years.

According to Gallup's April survey, Americans have a lower approval of Mr. Obama at this point than all but one president since Gallup began tracking this in 1969. The only new president less popular was Bill Clinton, who got off to a notoriously bad start after trying to force homosexuals on the military and a federal raid in Waco, Texas, that killed 86. Mr. Obama's current approval rating of 56 percent is only one tick higher than the 55-percent approval Mr. Clinton had during those crises. (Clinton also split a three way vote with Bush I and Ross Perot and won the election with only 44,909,889 votes)

As the attached chart shows, five presidents rated higher than Mr. Obama after 100 days in office. Ronald Reagan topped the charts in April 1981 with 67 percent approval. Following the Gipper, in order of popularity, were: Jimmy Carter with 63 percent in 1977; George W. Bush with 62 percent in 2001; Richard Nixon with 61 percent in 1969; and George H.W. Bush with 58 percent in 1989.

It's no surprise the liberal media aren't anxious to point out that their darling is less popular than George W. Bush. But given the Gallup numbers, their hurrahs could be more subdued. USA Today's front page touted the April poll results as positive, with the headline: "Public thinks highly of Obama." The current cover of Newsweek magazine ponders "The Secret of His [Mr. Obama's] Success." The comparison with previous presidents is useful because they are usually popular during their first few months in office - and most presidents have been more popular than Mr. Obama.

The explanation for Mr. Obama's low approval is that he ran as a moderate but has governed from the far left. The fawning and self-deceiving press won't go there. On Sunday's "Meet the Press," host David Gregory asked a panel about critics who "would say one of the things that he's done in 100 days already is expand the role of government, the size of government." Historian Doris Kearns Goodwin claimed, "That's what he ran for the presidency in the first place for."

Perplexed about complaints over Mr. Obama's expansion of government, Newsweek editor Jon Meacham asked: "does no one listen during campaigns?"

It was these pundits who weren't paying attention during last year's campaign. In all three presidential debates, Mr. Obama promised to cut government spending and reduce the size of the deficit. He blamed the economic crisis on excessive deficits. At no time did candidate Barack Obama say that more deficit-spending was the solution.

Mr. Obama's popularity after 100 days is the second-lowest for a simple reason: He is more partisan and divisive than his predecessors - including Richard Nixon.

7 comments:

Opus #6 said...

Completely true. It still amazes me that 55% think he's doing a fine job. I guess some folks really do have to learn the hard way what socialism is all about. But it is refreshing to think that there are folks waking up to reality. Yay!

Anonymous said...

I guess we could make it a game and see how low it gets by the next 100 days. 30%? It's the only way we can keep up our spirits with the way he is taking this country.

Anonymous said...

This would be newsworthy if it were only true. Check the Gallop poll yourself, and you'll see that the Washington Times' editorial is untrue.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/117598/Obama-Averages-Approval-First-Quarter.aspx

To quote from Gallup: "Obama's 63% first-quarter average matches the historical average of 63% for elected presidents' first quarters since 1953. However, it is the fourth highest for a newly elected president since that time, and the highest since Jimmy Carter's 69% in 1977. The historical first-quarter average includes two presidents whose scores exceeded 70% (John Kennedy's 74% and Dwight Eisenhower's 71%)."

"His 63% first-quarter average is the better than the averages of each of his four predecessors, and the fourth best since 1953."

Anonymous said...

It never ceases to amaze me how some people will always only pick out the items in a campaign that will help only themselves. The "entitlement group" played right into Obama's hands. Well, how's that workin' for ya folks?!!! God have mercy on us.

Anonymous said...

I think I've finally figured it out.

Being a child of Democrat Parents, I have always had a hard time figuring out how Republican Political Strategists think. It is easier figuring out Democrats because other than the Clintons, most Democrats don't think.

Anyway, I kept asking myself why would the Repubs want BO to be President. There were the obvious reasons CDS etc, but it has finally dawned on me.

BO is an ILLEGAL POTUS. Every law that he and his dem co-conspirators enact is de facto ILLEGAL!

So, when the Repubs run in 2010 they will be running against an ILLEGAL POTUS and an ILLEGAL CONGRESS.

And none of the laws that said ILLEGAL POTUS & ILLEGAL CONGRESS enacted in 2009 and 2010 will be legal.

Anonymous said...

Using Sams logic he suggested last time we discussed polls this poll would be considered extreme and be thrown out.

RCP Average 04/21 - 04/26 -- 62.4 30.7 +31.7

CBS News/NY Times 04/22 - 04/26 973 A 68 23 +45

CNN/Opinion Research 04/23 - 04/26 2019 A 63 33 +30

Gallup 04/24 - 04/26 1547 A 65 29 +36

Rasmussen Reports 04/24 - 04/26 1500 LV 55 44 +11

ABC News/Wash Post 04/21 - 04/24 1072 A 69 26 +43

FOX News 04/22 - 04/23 900 RV 62 29 +33

Marist 04/21 - 04/23 975 RV 55 31 +24


Reversing Bush's tax cuts does not equal Socialism thanks for playing though ;)

Kael

Anonymous said...

Looking at it again I think this guy has gallup confused with the notorious outlier known as rasmussen