Most approve of Obama's Cabinet picks, poll shows

[Beacool]

By Paul Steinhauser
CNN Deputy Political Editor



WASHINGTON (CNN) -- A new national poll suggests that Americans think President-elect Barack Obama's getting it right when it comes to his Cabinet picks, especially Hillary Clinton and Robert Gates.

Seventy-five percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey approve of Obama's Cabinet choices, with 22 percent disapproving.

That's 16 points higher than those in favor of then President-elect Bush's Cabinet picks eight years ago.

The poll indicates that 71 percent approve of Obama picking Sen. Hillary Clinton for secretary of state. Democrats overwhelmingly approve of the choice, with two-thirds of independents agreeing and Republicans evenly split on the pick.

Clinton and Obama were rivals for the Democratic presidential nomination during the very long and bitter primary season, and the two didn't see eye-to-eye on some major international issues.

But the poll, conducted Monday and Tuesday, suggests that Americans don't think Clinton will go rogue when she and Obama disagree.

"Will Hillary Clinton or Bill Clinton try to push their own foreign policy agenda? Americans say no," said Keating Holland, CNN's polling director.

Fifty-seven percent say Clinton will follow Obama's policies rather than her own when she disagrees with the future president, and 54 percent think her husband, former President Clinton, will stay out of U.S. foreign policy.

Holland adds that the "favorable ratings for both Clintons have risen dramatically since the election."

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/12/03/poll.obama.cabinet/index.html

;)

[bluestateguy]

1. The Great American Majority gets it right

The carping and whining at DU about Cabinet choices is having no impact whatsoever.

[Beacool]

2. That's why I posted it.

There's the real world and then there's DU, KOS, Huff, etc.

LOL!!!

:7

[bluestateguy]

5. Kos's community is far more pragmatic than what you get here

But your point is well taken.

[jefferson_dem]

8. Given the general tone of this board the past couple weeks...

I have to agree.

[Beacool]

12. Thank you kindly.........

:hi:

[FrenchieCat]

3. Even as the media tries to "work it" against Barack, little by little.....

Thank goodness the American people appear to have become quite wise lately!

[Beacool]

4. There's always been a dissonance between regular people

and the political junkies on the blogs.

:eyes:

[Mark E. Smith]

6. Don't you know? If you don't agree with those who bash Obama over these things..

.. you are taking away their right to free speech.

It is more an esteem issue. They want to be honored
for their progressivy-ness.

[Sebastian Doyle]

7. Sorry, but I'm not taking Vinod Gupta's word for anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vinod_Gupta

[Beacool]

9. What the heck does Gupta have to do with this thread?

Besides, you should be happy today, your guy got a cabinet job.

:7

[Sebastian Doyle]

15. I believe these polls are useless and Gupta even more so

Who is being "polled" by these asshats? Funny how they never explain that.

As for Richardson's appointment, yeah that's good news, though it's not the job he was BEST qualified for.

[Beacool]

19. Well, at least he got a plum gig for all his troubles.

:shrug:

[jefferson_dem]

18. Oooga Booga Gupta ...

It's like Freepers do regarding Obama and Ayers...

When in doubt, simply dropped the name of some supposedly shady figure from the Clintons' past.

[ProSense]

23. Gupta used to run the company that does polling for CNN.

He was removed as head of the company in August 2008 related to an SEC investigation.

[ecstatic]

10. bradley effect!11 series!1

[dancely]

11. 16 out of the 22 % are democrats

[ProSense]

13. Here's why I don't trust most polls

Laura Bush Approval Ratings Among Best for First Ladies

PRINCETON, NJ -- While her husband George W. Bush struggles to improve his low job approval ratings, Laura Bush remains a very popular first lady. Her current job approval ratings are among the most positive ratings Gallup has recorded for a first lady. But her high level of popularity may not translate into political support should she seek public office. Most Americans say they would not like to see her run for the U.S. Senate.

A Jan. 20-22 CNN/USA Today/Gallup poll finds 82% of Americans approving and just 13% disapproving of the job Laura Bush is doing as first lady. Last year, she had a similar 85% rating, and she had a solid 74% rating in July 2003 when she was first rated.

Gallup has asked the public to evaluate most of the first ladies at least one time during their tenures in the White House. In general, Americans give positive marks to first ladies, but Laura Bush's scores are among the best Gallup has measured.

For example, Hillary Rodham Clinton averaged a 64% approval rating while she was first lady, ranging from a low of 54% in January 1995, to a high of 80% in February 1999.

Laura Bush's Approval rating August 2008: 62%

Hillary's approval rating: September 2008: 51%

[Beacool]

21. I'll repeat my response to you on another thread:

That's because people seem to prefer the Stepford First Ladies over the activist ones like Hillary. Eleanor Roosevelt also had many detractors in her time. I think it has to do with a remaining vestige of sexism. I remember during the campaign some people saying that a woman shouldn't be president, that it was a man's job and that no woman could be believable as Commander in Chief. Whatever else may have come out of this election, one good thing is that there's no doubt anymore that a woman can't be tough and have the "cojones" to handle the job.

;-)

[last_texas_dem]

14. Well, if the majority of Americans approve of something, it must be O. K.

[Sebastian Doyle]

16. 71% of Americans once believed that Saddam Hussein flew his personal lear jet into the WTC

and didn't 91% "approve" of Chimpy for a week or two after that horrible event?

(Proud to be one of the 9% who didn't!)

[last_texas_dem]

17. My point exactly.

[jefferson_dem]

20. Ya!

I would much rather our duly-elected Democratic president-elect be floundering, fumbling, mumbling, and bumbling about...with nearly half the nation disapproving.

Here's to keeping us divided into red and blue, conservative and liberal, democrat and republican.

It's payback time, baby! Divide and conquer! Yeeehaw...

[last_texas_dem]

22. Hey, whatever floats your boat...

[bvar22]

24. Lots of people approve of Obama's picks:

"The new administration is off to a good start."
-- Senate Republican leader, Mitch McConnell.


"Superb ... the best of the Washington insiders ..."
-- David Brooks, conservative New York Times columnist


"Virtually perfect ... "
-- Senator Joe Lieberman, former Democrat and John McCain's top surrogate in the 2008 campaign.


"Reassuring."
-- Karl Rove, "Bush's brain."



"I am gobsmacked by these appointments, most of which could just as easily have come from a President McCain ... this all but puts an end to the 16-month timetable for withdrawal from Iraq, the unconditional summits with dictators, and other foolishness that once emanated from the Obama campaign ... Clinton and Steinberg at State should be powerful voices for 'neo-liberalism' which is not so different in many respects from 'neo-conservativism.'"
-- Max Boot, neoconservative activist, former McCain staffer.



"I see them as being sort of center-right of the Democratic party."
-- James Baker, former Secretary of State and the man who led the theft of the 2000 election.



"Surprising continuity on foreign policy between President Bush's second term and the incoming administration ... certainly nothing that represents a drastic change in how Washington does business. The expectation is that Obama is set to continue the course set by Bush ... "
-- Michael Goldfarb of the neoconservative Weekly Standard.


"I certainly applaud many of the appointments ... "
-- Senator John McCain


"So far, so good."
-- Senator Lamar Alexander, senior Republican Congressional leader.


Hillary Clinton will be "outstanding" as Secretary of State
-- Henry Kissinger, war criminal


Rahm Emanuel is "a wise choice" in the role of Chief of Staff
-- Republican Senator Lindsey Graham, John McCain's best friend.



Obama's team shows "Our foreign policy is non-partisan."
-- Ed Rollins, top Republican strategist and Mike Huckabee's 2008 campaign manager



"The country will be in good hands."
-- Condoleezza Rice, George W. Bush's Secretary of State


http://www.alternet.org/blogs/peek/109160/neocons%2C_republicans_and_war_criminals_rave_about_obama%27s_%27team_of_rivals%27/

When these people are cheering, we have a problem.

[FrenchieCat]

26. They are cheering because their money is on the line.....

and they understand that Obama has to succeed for them to recoup their loss.

That's why those assholes are BBF to Obama right now.

[Odin2005]

25. Sanity returns to America.

The Naderites = EPIC FAIL