How do non-DU Democrats you know rate Obama?

[liberalpragmatist]

I'm curious how people around you feel about Obama. I don't mean on DU or the blogs, but run-of-the-mill Democrats, progressives and non-political types you know - how do they feel about the president?

My less political friends seem generally happy with him, though they're somewhat reverting to being politically apathetic, like they were before.

My more political friends are generally pleased with him, although they have disagreements on specific areas, namely Afghanistan, gay rights, civil liberties, and some disagreements over banking policy (i.e. most feel the bailouts were necessary but that they're being poorly managed). Of course, there are disagreements on this, with some feeling more disappointed in health care, for example, than others.

Still, overall, most of the Democrats I know like Obama just fine and are pretty pleased with him over all.

What do you guys find?

(My theory is that a lot of the people who are upset with Obama are people who are not or were not politically active in the past and were inspired by Obama and feel let down because they're finding politics to still be a messy, often-disappointing field. Also, a lot (on DU) are Naderites, etc., feel Obama's a big sellout.)

[Diamonique]

1. All my family & friends (all Dems)..

and co-workers (some Dem, some Rep) still support him... happily.

[Cha]

2. I hang out with people

who have had to set goals and have accomplished things in their own lives.. and they actually understand how it doesn't happen instantly. They also appreciate what we have now instead of what we had and are just grateful like I am that we are dealing in reality now.

I still talk politics all the time with the same people who were in our local Obama for President Org. We worked hard to get him elected and he's working hard for us.

[seeinfweggos]

17. "people

who have had to set goals and have accomplished things in their own lives." exactly. i got a post locked on gd for being flamebait, and perhaps it was. i'm not complianing about that. but the point of my post was that i thought that a lot of the duers yelling "kill the bill" were on mommy and daddy's insurance and had nothing to lose if the bill was killed.

[Cha]

18. Oh yeah, mustn't

have "flamebait" against the bashers. Only if they're flamebaiting against Obama and then the OPs stay around..an example is the OP Jackeens is refering to.

So, anyway..Who knows? jane hamsher said so..that's enough for some.

[Kaleva]

3. disinterested in politics for now.

Much of what I do hear is mainly from Republicans and their biggest fear is that Obama will push strict gun control laws. I did overhear two men at a car parts store gripping about health care reform and how the government can't do anything right until one said he had to leave to go to the VA to pick up his medications. I thought that was ironic.

[Lindsey]

4. Almost every Democrat I know think he's doing a find job. n/t

[Kaleva]

9. I don't discuss politics with others unless they bring up the subject.

[RoyGBiv]

5. I actually haven't found one that doesn't like him ...

And I've looked.

I have a friend I was fairly certain was going to start giving me an anti-Obama line at Christmas because he's pretty radical.

But, no.

He was actually mostly unaware of this crap we see here. He's seen some of it elsewhere in the blogosphere but chalked that up mostly to libertarians and those who don't seem to understand they're spouting the libertarian line on things.

That's not to say he's agreed with everything Obama has done, but he separates the issue from the from the bigger picture and understands how Congress and politics works.

[FrenchieCat]

6. My family and friends are pissed at the media.....

they feel like the media is nitpicking....and that makes them support this President that much more.

[rebel with a cause]

7. the few people that I talk to..

except for one, still support Obama but are disgusted with the people nitpicking him: The media, the republican, the teabaggers, the Democrats and all the others. Some are saying that they feel so guilty for voting for him and putting him in this situation that they don't plan on voting again. Of course these people were not politically involved nationally to begin with and will probably change their minds by 2012.

Don't talk to enough now to really give a good read on this though. :shrug:

[Peacetrain]

8. Very supportive of the President and Democrats in general.

I posted this last week.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=433x112679

[jaxx]

10. A lot of them don't know what's going on other than the sound bites.

So when they bring up the junk I'm glad to give them the facts, which do surprise them. Some are savvy and know that the president is getting things done. They want health care reform, they want more stimulus for jobs, and they are grateful for the unemployment extensions and help with Cobra.

All in all, I find no one who doesn't still support the president.

[JohnnyLib2]

11. I'm in Kentucky. We meet in secret, LOL.

Otherwise, I hear much the same as Jaxx has posted, above.

[get the red out]

37. Yep, we are a secret society here in the Bluegrass

But my Democratic family and friends still love the President. I heard guys on the sports call in show here in Lexington the other night hating on Ashley Judd because she dares to publicly have liberal views. The radio host was absolutely running the woman through the mud. The media in this state helps keep people brain dead. Can't even talk sports without raging on liberals.

[NJmaverick]

12. I have one relative who was a strong Hillary supporter and she

voted for Obama reluctantly and since then she never gives Obama a break on anything, even repeating right wing talking points. It's like to her being right is more important than giving the man a fair break.

[Cha]

19. DU is teeming with that

..the John Edwards avatars really crack me up on trolltree.

But, some of my favorite posters now are former Hillary supporters from the primaries..shows they were more interested in the well being of their country..than feeding that overfat ego.

[rebel with a cause]

24. Just shows that there are good and bad in all groups,

even Hillary supporters. :sarcasm:

Don't flame me, only joking. I was a Clark supporter in 2004 and had to come around to not only support Kerry on line but work for him as I volunteered at the Obama/Democratic campaign office in our region. Sorry to his supporters but I could never get behind Edwards. Had to just hold my tongue there. ;)

[NJmaverick]

26. I think the problem is too many people got too nasty and too personal

now they have backed themselves into a corner where their egos or perceived images will not permit that they could be wrong. If Hillary had won I would be just as supportive of her as I am Obama. It's not about me or who I wanted. It's about helping the Dems keep the GOP out of power.

[rebel with a cause]

27. Exactly!!!

If Obama had not gotten it, I would have forced myself to support whoever got the nomination. Some would have been easier than others. I can't lie about it, but I would not have been a teabag loving talking point spouting neo-con.

[goclark]

35. I keep wishing, " Can't we all get along?"

[Cha]

29. I was a Deaniac in 2004 ..so

I had kind of the same experience in coming around to Kerry on DU and then actually supporting him.

My sister and I took a road trip to Manchester, NH on Nov 2, 2004 to hear Kerry at a last minute Rally there..15,000 showed up and we were PUMPED!

[euphoria12leo]

13. The Democrats I know

not just family and friends, are very supportive. They do disagree with the President on some issues but understand politics. To my surprise my Republican associates are damn angry and not with Obama. They feel he is doing a good job. They are angry with Palin/Beck, members of the Republican party and the teabaggers. When it comes to Dick Cheney, I can't repeat some of the things they say about him. Every time Cheney speaks their anger builds.

The advice they have given me, stay away from the blogs. It's unhealthy.


:think:

[Cha]

20. I'd love to know some

republicans like that. The only ones I know about are fauxsn00zers and hateradio advocates and you know how they tell them to think.

Good to know they're out there and you're very fortunate to know them, imv.

[rebel with a cause]

25. you know the same type of repubs that live in this

part of the country. They will hate and fight for the bushies until the end. No changing them, many are red necks to the core.

[Cha]

28. We know the run the mill types.

[Diamonique]

23. What you've said here...

To my surprise my Republican associates are damn angry and not with Obama. They feel he is doing a good job. They are angry with Palin/Beck, members of the Republican party and the teabaggers. When it comes to Dick Cheney, I can't repeat some of the things they say about him. Every time Cheney speaks their anger builds.

Is exactly what I've heard from the two Republicans I've talked to at work about this.

[euphoria12leo]

30. Republicans with a brain.

They think I've been avoiding them and they are right. I should have known they are smart enough to see through the bs out there. I just didn't want to get in a mudslinging contest with them. I think they are fed up enough to move in a different direction. Only time will tell. They might be a little pissed at me for not talking to them. :shrug:

[Nicholas D Wolfwood]

14. Very, very highly. (nt)

[DevonRex]

15. My friends all think Obama is doing a good job, especially considering

the mess this country was in when he took office. And the well informed ones realize that the Senate hasn't exactly helped much. They all want liberal policies put in place but they understand that he can't force the Senate to do exactly as he wants them to do.

[seeinfweggos]

16. a couple are opposed to his afghanistan policy but even they are VERY thankful he's our president

my glbt friends are excited about the fact dadt will probably bite the dust this year or next. i have a LOT of democratic and otherwise progressive friends and NONE, ZIP, ZERO, NADA of them say shit like i read on GD and GDP. Those people that post that shit are NOT democrats. I bet a majority of them didn't vote for obama to begin with.

[Cha]

21. +1

[firedupdem]

31. +1

that about sums it up for me too. I never hear the stuff I read on DU and I'm around republicans here in NE.

[CBR]

22. I attend graduate school and work at a university in a very liberal department

(Urban Affairs). We constantly have political discussions. None of us agrees 100% but I have heard absolutely NO mention of a primary. I guess we are among the 87% of Dems.

[treestar]

32. They support him and the numerous Republicans I know think he is

a dangerous socialist, which would be news to DU lefties.

[graywarrior]

33. My 20 year old co-worker un-subscribed from Obama's website

He's disappointed with the president for many issues including the health bill.

[Arkana]

34. Most of the Dems I know blame Congress for the shit that's happening,

not Obama.

[goclark]

36. People I know love our President