"57% believe Obama understands the problems of people like them...63% consider him a strong leader"

[ProSense]

ON THE EVE OF THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY....

With the release of a new Washington Post/ABC News poll, the network's summary of the landscape seems fairly reasonable.

Bruised if unbroken, Barack Obama faces shrinking public confidence, increasingly negative views of the country's direction and far lower ratings than those he carried triumphantly into the White House a year ago this week.

But it could be worse.

Despite their disappointments, 53 percent of Americans in this ABC News/Washington Post poll approve of Obama's job performance overall -- 15 points lower than his opening grade, but still just over half at the one-year mark. He remains personally popular, if far less so. And confidence in his leadership, as weakened as it is, greatly exceeds that in the Republicans in Congress, or, for that matter, in his own party.

The president's 53% approval rating is up a few points from December, and his personal qualities still remain relatively strong -- 57% believe Obama understands the problems of people like them, and 63% consider him a strong leader. A 58% majority have a favorable view of the president personally. Notwithstanding the assumptions of Dowd, Gerson, and other Villagers, 55% approve of the president's handling of the terrorist threat, and 62% approve of his handling of the failed Christmas-day terror plot. Looks like the Cheneys' efforts to undermine the administration fell flat.

For the White House, that's the good news. The bad news is the public remains in a deeply sour mood, and has grown increasingly impatient. Obama's numbers have dropped below the 50% threshold on the economy and health care, and the number of Americans who believe the country is on the right track is lower than it's been since February. Ouch.

But in keeping with the year-long trend, Republicans are simply not the beneficiary (pdf) of public discontent. Only 24% of the public has confidence in congressional Republicans "to make the right decisions for the country's future." The number for congressional Democrats is at least a little better at 32%, while the president's number is nearly double that of the GOP at 47%.

What's more, "when it comes to assigning blame for the nation's economic woes, about twice as many fault the George W. Bush administration as do Obama's."

<...>

[mkultra]

1. 23% of Du posters think he sucks and can see the inside of their colon

you know, because their head is up their ass.

[Atticus]

11. Posters on DU who "think he sucks" are actually rare. There are some, though, who

are disappointed in his relatively meager progress in areas where he made campaign promises or, at least, created expectations,

And, there are also plenty of his cheerleaders who are keeping their heads in a perpetually methane-rich environment.

I support Obama, but I do not support all that he has done nor all that he has neglected. That doesn't mean I think he sucks. It means he is more like "politics as usual" than he lead us to believe he would be. There have been great moments, when I thought "THAT's what I voted for!" But, their have also been moments when I asked myself "How's this different than Bush?"

If the Democratic base ever stops being liberal, the Democratic Party will have ceased to have a reason to exist. That base, of which I am one, is being taken for granted AGAIN. Before Obama, the Democrats were on the verge of losing their loyal African-American members because THEY had been taken for granted. And, labor has been virtually abandoned as a player to be listened to and respected.

If the drift---some would say stampede---toward competing with the GOP for the leavings of corporate America does not stop soon, a proposal to merge the two parties will have few left to oppose it.

[mkultra]

24. i see we have another winner

Heres the deal buddy. We don't come here to listen to assholes like you bitch about democrats. We can get that anywhere. we come here for a break from that. If you feel like things have changed enough that you are drifting away from the democratic party, the i encourage you to drift the fuck away from this board as well.

Why would you hand around here when there are plenty of sites devoted to discussing how disappointing Obama is. Yes, we are cheerleaders. we support democrats thus the name of the board "Democratic" Underground. if you think that makes us stupid, then you can go fuck yourself.

[Atticus]

25. I guess I'll just leave it to the board, lurkers and all, to judge whether anything in my post

justified that type of "response". Do you even know what "ad hominem" means?

Curious that you ended with a Cheney quote.

"Birds of a feather?"

[mkultra]

26. im sure you will change your tune come election time

Just in time to avoid the tombstone. In this case i think an ad hominem attack might just be good old fashion common sense.

[Atticus]

28. Sorry, I don't speak "Palinese". nt

[TomCADem]

15. Think The Percentage Is Lower, They Just Post A Lot...

They usually are the same people who never post anything positive about a Democrat unless a Democrat attacks another Democrat.

[azmouse]

21. ahhh... the old cranial - rectal inversion.

It's happening a LOT here on DU.

[Kaleva]

27. ahhh...the obligatory remark about the old cranial-rectal inversion

j/k!

[impik]

2. And, he's at 53%, which is exactly the number he won with.

That must kill some DU residence.

[Peacetrain]

3. Those are quite good numbers actually..

[Knockout]

4. Interesting - Always hear about Approval Rating but 57/63 are REALLY good all things considered!

[Drunken Irishman]

5. These are the numbers re-elections are built on.

Obviously higher approval ratings would be nicer, but these two numbers help in an election when you're an incumbent. It helped Reagan in 1984 - even though he wasn't popular. And hurt Carter in 1980 - even though Reagan wasn't entirely popular.

[Kdillard]

6. kick and rec. Those are good numbers.

[ShortnFiery]

7. Another manufactured poll to TELL us what to believe.

:crazy:

[FrenchieCat]

8. Another Post from you saying absolutely nothing!

And letting us know you are in line with the party of NO!

[ProSense]

9. Is it that hard for you to believe what you want to? n/t

[Hippo_Tron]

10. You sound like Stephen Colbert

Ignore polls because your gut tells you otherwise.

[Arkana]

12. "Strong leader" is an important one.

That translates into reelection.

[ShortnFiery]

13. What Leadership? He makes flowery speeches, then behind closed doors, he warmongers

and capitulates to multi-national corporations and the republicans who adore them. :thumbsdown:

[ProSense]

14. Too bad mindless drivel can't change the poll results. n/t

[depakid]

16. What changes poll results is political and socioeconomic dynamics over time

Of course, as we saw during the Bush era- there always a certain set percentage (seems to run somewhere around 30%) who will never waiver- no matter what the evidence is- and will play the see no evil, hear no evil deal on anything that runs contrary to their preconceived notions.

[ProSense]

17. Maybe you missed this:

57% believe Obama understands the problems of people like them, and 63% consider him a strong leader. A 58% majority have a favorable view of the president personally.

[depakid]

18. LOL- you keep on spinning and spinning

I'll keep on observing the dynamics and objectively analyzing the policies and procedure.

[ProSense]

19. Spinning? You're posting in an OP about a poll that refutes your nonsense.

"I'll keep on observing the dynamics and objectively analyzing the policies and procedure."

Translation: I'll keep ignoring reality and continue spinning drivel.

[depakid]

22. Irony impairment

It's not just for Republicans anymore!

:rofl:

[ProSense]

23. Yes, you should have that checked n/t

[greenbird]

20. Piffle.