New poll spells potential trouble for Democrats

[cory777]

Source: Reuters

Mon Mar 8, 5:23 pm ET

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – A new poll on Monday found signs of trouble ahead for President Barack Obama and his Democrats on national security issues such as the handling of terrorism suspects.

The poll was conducted jointly by Democratic Corps, a Democratic organization, and Third Way, a progressive non-profit organization. It was done mainly to gauge voters' views on Democrats' handling of national security.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_usa_politics_democrats_poll

[FrenchieCat]

1. Ooh! National security!

I'm skeered! :scared:

[Ken Burch]

2. If we vaporize Iran this week....it's JUST a COINCIDENCE...

...I swear...

[rpannier]

5. I Found this earlier today. Hope it alleviates your scaredness

http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/poll-obama-doing-better-job-than-bush-on-national-security-and-terror/

When it comes to national security, do you think President Obama is doing better, worse, or about the same as President George W. Bush?

Total better: 39
Total worse: 31

And:

When it comes to combating terrorism and handling terrorism suspects, do you think President Obama is doing better, worse, or about the same as President George W. Bush?

Total better: 38
Total worse: 31

So Obama is rated better than Bush on national security and terrorism and the handling of terror suspects — despite the fact that the Cheneyites have been arguing for months that by undoing Bush policies, Obama has made us less safe.

The poll also finds that Obama retains a high 58% approval rating on national security and 55% on terrorism. Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, score 45% on national security.

What’s more, as Spencer Ackerman notes, this poll also has some numbers that drive home, yet again, one of this blog’s pet theories: That Congressional Dems, by skittishly refusing to have any kind of message at all on national security, are only hurting themselves.

To wit: Only 43% approve of Dems on national security — less than Republicans, and far less than Obama. Saying nothing on these issues doesn’t help, see?

[FBaggins]

8. Great! So all we need now...

... Is for Bush to run in every contested Senate race.

Who can we call to get that done?

[rpannier]

22. Or...

The Democrats in Congress could stop trying to be more like the republikkans on the issue and do the right thing -- as the Administration (for the most part) has been doing

[FBaggins]

25. "Better than Bush" is NOT the same thing as "worth voting for"

There's a massive chasm between the two.

[Skittles]

3. gee, big surprise

NOT

[rpannier]

4. For a different perspective

link:
http://theplumline.whorunsgov.com/terrorism/poll-obama-doing-better-job-than-bush-on-national-security-and-terror/

When it comes to national security, do you think President Obama is doing better, worse, or about the same as President George W. Bush?

Total better: 39
Total worse: 31

And:

When it comes to combating terrorism and handling terrorism suspects, do you think President Obama is doing better, worse, or about the same as President George W. Bush?

Total better: 38
Total worse: 31

So Obama is rated better than Bush on national security and terrorism and the handling of terror suspects — despite the fact that the Cheneyites have been arguing for months that by undoing Bush policies, Obama has made us less safe.

The poll also finds that Obama retains a high 58% approval rating on national security and 55% on terrorism. Republicans in Congress, meanwhile, score 45% on national security.

What’s more, as Spencer Ackerman notes, this poll also has some numbers that drive home, yet again, one of this blog’s pet theories: That Congressional Dems, by skittishly refusing to have any kind of message at all on national security, are only hurting themselves.

To wit: Only 43% approve of Dems on national security — less than Republicans, and far less than Obama. Saying nothing on these issues doesn’t help, see?

[Earth_First]

9. Meh, we all know that soundbyte headlines terrorize far better than the facts...

The nightly news disinformation programs will lead with a headline of similar caliber and omit a majority of the facts that disprove the headline with the same poll.

[last1standing]

6. Hmm... An administration that flip-flops on security issues because of politics.

I wonder why people are starting to lose confidence. :shrug:

[No Elephants]

7. Terra! Terra! Terra!

Iam afraid of Third Way, though.

Third Way is a progressive organization if progressive means center right.

[DCBob]

10. I guess Americans miss waterboarding..

:(

[Jennicut]

11. The only thing people disapproved of in the poll was the handling of terrorism suspects

Obama received strong ratings in the poll on his handling of national security challenges such as the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq.

But, the pollsters said in a memo, "Historical doubts about the Democratic Party on national security show signs of reviving and many voters worry the president and his administration are not dealing forcefully enough with terrorist suspects."

The poll found that the Democrats' gap on national security has widened in the areas of "keeping America safe," "ensuring a strong military" and "making America safer from nuclear threats."

Singled out by the pollsters was the Obama administration's response to the attempted bombing of a Detroit-bound plane on Christmas Day.

The Obama administration has drawn fire from Republicans for treating the bombing suspect, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, as a typical criminal suspect instead of as an enemy combatant. The administration has fought back by insisting he has been handled no differently than alleged shoe bomber Richard Reid.

The poll found a 51 to 44 percent majority of likely voters disapproved of Obama's efforts "on the prosecution and interrogation of terrorism suspects."

The pollsters said to improve Democrats' standing on national security, they need to develop a stronger narrative on terrorism, and stress toughness and results by pointing out the increased use of Predator drones against Islamic militants and that FBI interrogation techniques that persuaded Abdulmutallab to produce "actionable intelligence."http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/us_usa_politics_democrats_poll

In other words, people are still being misled on the issue of civilian vs military trials. Kind of hard for Obama to win over people when Dems in his own party and local Dem officials in other states cry...no not here! Don't have the trial in my backyard. And there may be no funding for the trials either. It is the Dems, not Obama, that are making mistakes on that issue and forcing Obama into the corner.

[customerserviceguy]

12. Yes, but things have gone pretty smoothly for him, so far

The number of body bags coming back from Iraq and Afghanistan has not taken a sizable uptick, unless you count that CIA bombing that happened a few months ago. We've only had two known serious terrorist incidents in that time, the Fort Hood shooter, which most people can separate themselves from, since they're not in the military, and the Christmas Day underwear bomber, who was a fizzle.

If the President's poll numbers on this subject are weak now, I shudder to think what they'd be if a foreign terrorist actually managed to kill a significant number of Americans who are going about their ordinary daily business.

[Proud Liberal Dem]

23. Maybe he'll be rewarded with 90%+ approval ratings if something bad happens

Hey, it worked for Bush, right? :eyes: I maintain that s**t sometimes just happens and, while we should no doubt be vigilant and take reasonable precautions to prevent such atrocities, particularly when there are some clear warning signs, no Democratic OR Republican POTUS will be able to stop/foil/prevent EVERY single act of violence against our country and its citizens. Unless they, like Bush, have a PDB and/or actionable intelligence that they simply don't follow up on as circumstances warrant, I'm willing to forgive my President for not being all-knowing and all-powerful and capable of preventing every single bad thing that happens to us and will go along with my everyday life. Of course, I think we all know, however, that Republicans will be creaming (or in Liz Cheney's case, wetting) their pants every time a bunch of people get killed in this country and trying to find some way to blame President Obama and his administration for it. Hopefully, if and when something horrific happens, Democrats and, more importantly, the public understands this and avoids the rush to carelessly react to the situation like we did post- 9/11.

[Odin2005]

13. Terr! Terr! Terr!

:eyes:

[stlsaxman]

14. Third Way- "progressive"???? yeah just like the Clintons and the DLC...

:eyes:

[harmonicon]

15. yep, that is what it means now, so people should stop using the damn word.

I knew that "progressive" didn't have any meaning when H. Clinton used it to describe herself during the primary campaign. Later, many people used it to describe Obama, who is basically a center-right politician. That is what it's come to mean - it's a new synonym for "liberal", which also had no real meaning for the past several decades.

[stlsaxman]

20. No- KEEP using the word and PROUDLY... and in proper context- not affiliated with

some centrist, watered down, namby-pamby "Third Way" Rahm Emmanual DLC bi-partisan bullshit.

We can't let them steal the thunder away from the term.

[harmonicon]

21. It's already been done. What's wrong with simple honest terms like "leftist" and "socialist"? (nt)

[Faryn Balyncd]

16. Wait 'til voters react to the mandate, and realize what a pile has been sold as "reform"

[Jefferson23]

17. Third Way is progressive?? LOL

[Tempest]

18. National security is way down on the list of things Americans are concerned with

http://pollingreport.com/prioriti.htm

[Purveyor]

19. The results in the November elections will boil down to one thing: Jobs, jobs, jobs...

If the economy continues to improve, voters will not want to change players...

[Jimbo S]

24. +1

[One_Life_To_Give]

26. Election will be about 1) Jobs

2) Jobs
3) Jobs
.
.
.
n) National Security