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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsGOPee Yew: What The Media Isn’t Telling You About Obama’s Poll Numbers
by Mark NC
June 18, 2014
A new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll (pdf) has some decidedly bad news for President Obama. The American people, according to this survey, are losing patience with the President and expressing it with low opinions of his job performance, foreign policy, and leadership. It is a distinct concern for him as his administration heads into its final two years.
That said, the news isnt all bad. But far be it for the media to put the results in context so that people get a balanced perspective of the nations mood. In addition to the floundering numbers, there are some areas that ought to produce some optimism for the President and those aligned with his policies. First among them is the fact that, while Obamas numbers are nothing to write home about, his political rivals are doing so much worse that may want to run away from home.
Both the President and his party are putting the Republicans to shame. He is 30% more popular than the Republican Party, and nearly 50% more popular than the laughably inane Tea Party. If his presidency is over, as some right-wing pundits are gleefully claiming, what does that mean for conservatives?
And thats not all. When asked which party they prefer to control Congress, respondents chose Democrats over Republicans by 45% to 43%. The poll also reports that progressive positions on prominent issues are far more popular than those of conservatives. For instance, respondents support the Common Core education initiative 59/31. They believe that immigration helps rather than hurts the nation 47/42. They advocate action on climate change 61/37. They approve of Obamas recent move to set strict carbon dioxide emission limits 67/29.
Clearly the electorate is in a bad mood, and they are taking it out, with justification, on their representatives. But when directly asked about solutions to the problems that affect them most, they consistently respond with agreement for the liberal agenda.
So why doesnt the press report that?
read more: http://www.newscorpse.com/ncWP/?p=16912
randys1
(16,286 posts)and the majority of Americans are too god damn stupid to understand that
Peacetrain
(22,989 posts)What he says!!
napkinz
(17,199 posts)gratuitous
(82,849 posts)When the Dim Son was about in this point during his second term, I recall that his approval numbers were plummeting, heading through the low 30s to the high 20s. He eventually cratered around 27%, I think.
I don't seem to remember that the popular media dwelt on that very much, though. It was as if they weren't expecting anything different, and reporting Bush's anemic numbers wasn't very fun. I also remember that along about March of 2008, the Bush administration announced that they were launching a new Middle East initiative, and that Bush expected to conclude a permanent peace treaty within six months. This was reported by the media millionaires with a straight face.
I miss Media Whores Online, and not just because they had the discerning taste to post some of my comments.
Cha
(299,265 posts)go unreported by the US mediawhore Inc.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)Last edited Thu Jun 19, 2014, 08:07 PM - Edit history (1)
and you have Chuck Todd declaring Obama's presidency over
flamingdem
(39,375 posts)I saw your post, totally agree, he's been so full of glee about it.
Cha
(299,265 posts)or anything for that matter.
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TOD
flamingdem
(39,375 posts)Cha
(299,265 posts)such blowback for saying that he was actually a real reporter for about a day.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)SIMON MALOY
June 19, 2014
Attention, Chuck Todd and Ron Fournier: Presidencies are killed by bad policies, not bad polls
-snip-
This poll is a disaster for the president, said MSNBCs Chuck Todd on Morning Joe. Essentially the public is saying, your presidency is over, he added, referring to the finding that 54 percent feel Obama is not able to lead the country.
-snip-
OK
lets maybe take a deep breath or two. No, the Obama presidency is not over. Obamas approval ratings have been bouncing around in the low- to mid-40s for basically the entire year, so its not clear why this poll is any more of a disaster than the six months of polling that preceded it. Obama doesnt have to worry about reelection, so the real concern over his low popularity is whether it will drag down Democrats in November. The same poll found that the public would, by a slight margin, prefer that Democrats control Congress following the midterms.
As for questions of legacy and failed presidencies, its tempting to confuse popularity with effectiveness. George Bush would love to have left office with an approval rating like Obamas, but he launched two terrible wars and presided over the near total collapse of the economy. His low popularity was a symptom of the terrible things he did, but the failed policies ultimately resulted in the failed presidency.
Obamas ledger is actually looking far better than a lot of observers give him credit for. Healthcare reform, preventing economic disaster, sweeping regulations on carbon emissions its a substantial list. If the point of being president is to do things with lasting effect, Paul Krugman wrote recently, Obama has delivered.
read more: http://www.salon.com/2014/06/19/pundits_disaster_fetish_behind_the_rush_to_declare_obamas_presidency_over/
Cha
(299,265 posts)sheshe2
(84,494 posts)Cha~
Cha
(299,265 posts)I totally forgot about those reporters back in the day who were bowing and scraping to bush-cheney because they wouldn't get access if they had a brave bone in their body.
I just read this account of reporters back then.. which is totally what we lived through.. I think you'll find interesting, she..
"How I found out the Bushies were lying about Iraq (before the war)"
MaggieD http://sync.democraticunderground.com/10025122499
I thought it fit here well.
Great link from MaggieD~
Cha
(299,265 posts)kid!
napkinz
(17,199 posts)MSNBC gave Todd his own show. MSNBC should apologize to us.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)sheshe2
(84,494 posts)Just kidding....
Thanks for the facts napkinz.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)He belongs on FOX.
sheshe2
(84,494 posts)napkinz
(17,199 posts)we know who the Penguin is
napkinz
(17,199 posts)my bad ... I corrected it
I need a lesson on pronouns and antecedents.
flamingdem
(39,375 posts)Chuck "NBC" Toady I should say..
Cha
(299,265 posts)napkinz
(17,199 posts)RainDog
(28,784 posts)DonCoquixote
(13,616 posts)Both the GOP candidate and the Democratic candidate in 2016 plan to run on the fact that they are not that younger, afromaerican in the white House. Oh yes, Hillary will too, that is why she is on her "I would have invaded Syria" book tour, and why she will throw Red mneat out to all the old PUMAS.
napkinz
(17,199 posts)Let's not lose the Senate.
Top priority.
iloveObama12
(421 posts)his sorry ass would turn us into one of the third world countries