Rate Obama's first year as President.

[Forkboy]

Poll question: Rate Obama's first year as President.

I was told to start my own poll after complaining about the push poll being offered up elsewhere, so have at it. :)

[taught_me_patience]

1. D+

Iraq - F
Afghanistan - D-
Geitner/Summers - F-
General Foreign Policy - B
Healthcare - D-
Gay/Lesbian Issues - D
Economy - C-
Civil Liberties - D
Gitmo - D-

[hughee99]

2. It depends...

compared to other presidents, somewhere well above average, compared to expectations, no better than average.

[mzmolly]

3. Good question. I think it was Gergen who said tonight that the President needed to

toot his own horn on first year accomplishments. They need a to update the White House website and remind voters of what has been achieved. I agree.

Here is one take from Slate in November: http://www.slate.com/id/2236708/

[Forkboy]

6. part of the trouble for Obama is that what he's gotten done is under the radar type stuff.

Smaller things that aren't the stuff of breathless headlines and hand wringing, and the type of stuff that just goes unnoticed by most unless they're looking for it. For me some of the smaller stuff has helped balance out the fewer big issues I have problems with, but I'll be honest, it doesn't make up for them completely. Gay rights especially is one biggie that will be tough to erase in my mind unless it's changed. But overall I'd vote Average, and pretty much what I expected.

:hi:

[mzmolly]

10. Agreed.

I heard one strategist suggest that Clinton threw liberals a bone every time he did the same for moderates. I think what Obama is doing is trying to find middle ground. I'm not sure some issues allow for that?

:shrug:

[Forkboy]

12. Your last line sums up the reason for much of the discord perfectly.

On some issues there is no middle ground (equal rights being the most obvious). As my father would say, it's time to shit or get off the pot. :)

[mzmolly]

17. Exactly.

:hi:

[ChicagoSuz219]

7. Isn't that what the SOTU is for? n/t

[mzmolly]

11. I'm hoping

so. :hi:

[ChicagoSuz219]

20. LOL... like the wave!

I used to be able to use the emoticons... not anymore... not sure why... just freezes my computer when I try.

So... just picture me waving back! :-)

[mzmolly]

21. Well you got the smile to work!

;) The wave can be typed like this : hi : for future reference. :) Just don't put a space between the letters and the colons.

[ChicagoSuz219]

25. Testing 1-2-3

:hi:

[ChicagoSuz219]

26. Awesome! Thanks! n/t

[ProSense]

4. Nice poll. n/t

[Forkboy]

8. Knew you'd like it.

See how a fair poll should be done? You should try it!

[arcadian]

18. Naa, this is a nice pole

you bogey-bum! :D

[Forkboy]

19. LOL

[FrenchieCat]

5. I voting in all of the Polls here!

Making up for not being in MA yesterday. :P

[Forkboy]

9. We could have used you.

Tough day here. :(

[FrenchieCat]

13. Probably how I felt in 2004!

and 2000!

Sorry about it all.
Hope there's some lemonade somewhere in there. :hug:

[Forkboy]

14. Here's the lemonade I'm taking from it.

We still have one of the best here. All is not yet lost! :)

[FrenchieCat]

16. See there.......

glass is half full! :)

[akbacchus_BC]

15. I voted outstanding.

[Chulanowa]

22. Compared to what?

What's the "average"?

I see a lot of people voting "below average" but I find myself unable to determine where he stands unless I know what I'm comparing him to. The first years of other presidents? The full terms of other presidents? The first year or full terms of former presidents? Tommy Lister in "The Fifth Element"?

[FrenchieCat]

23. Compared to Bill Clinton's first year, I would presume.....

Guess Clinton must have been magnificent! The great Bubba and shit!

[Chulanowa]

24. I admit I was rather young at the time, but...

I really don't recall Clinton's first year involving anything other than... Oh right, trying to fix a war started by a Bush and getting nothing but brainless hate from democrats.

I'm gonna call this one "average" then.

[NatBurner]

27. what war was that?

"trying to fix a war started by a Bush"

[Hippo_Tron]

33. Clinton did inherit the Somalia conflict

But I wouldn't say the US was engaged in a full scale war there.

[VMI Dem]

28. Better than nothing.

[Sky Masterson]

29. Average

He is better than any republican but I had higher hopes for him.
I still think he is a good man who means well but he needs to quit with the bipartisan bullshit.
Bush would have had a health care bill by now if the republicans tried and it probably would have been just as shitty as the Dem one.
I'm pissed really.
I'm 43 uninsured and run a small business.I needed the public option, but was thrown under the bus like so many others.
If it wasn't for our nations image being slightly improved under Obama I'd probably give him a below average.

[TankLV]

30. Extremely DISAPPOINTING. Not the "change" bullshit we were fed AT ALL!!!

And I laugh everytime I see one of his cultists spew all his "accomplishments" that are almost one hundred percent TALK and WHAT HE WOULD DO and PENDING but NONE of which are ACCOMPLISHED!

It's very SAD, really...

Oh, but he has a PRETTY WIFE!
And his CUTE CHILDREN!
And his CUTE KENNEDY DOGGIE!
And WE DON'T HAVE RACISM IN THE COUNTRY ANYMORE!!!

...yeah...

[timeforpeace]

31. That list of accomplishments really backfired.

[TexasObserver]

32. Compared to Democratic presidents the past 100 years, below average.

Compared to GOP presidents, above average. Overall, below average.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

35. The Presidents of the last 100 years:

So 1910

That would be

Taft
Wilson
Harding
Coolidge
Hoover
Roosevelt
Truman
Eisenhower
JFK
Johnson
Nixon
Ford
Carter
Reagan
Bush
Clinton
Bush

You are comparing first year activities and you find "below average"? Really? I think you must be comparing overall presidencies rather than "first year" presidencies.

[Cha]

37. I don't listen to those who have nothing but

ugly negative crap to say bc I know that's not true.

[LWolf]

34. Terrible.

Beginning with the appointments he made before he was even inaugurated. Rahm Emmanuel. Arne Duncan. Geithner. Summers. Vilsack.
Escalating the war on terror.
Escalating the war on public education.
The debacle over health insurance.
Bank bailouts while the rest of us swing in the breeze.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

36. This is an interesting poll

Your options imply in comparison to other presidents. This is something that is hard for people to do: Think of only the first years of other presidencies. It's natural to think of other presidents in the entirety of their term rather than first year only.

Also, other presidents have the luxury of time and hindsight.

I guess I'd say average. But again, it is difficult for me to separate first years from entire presidencies.

[Unvanguard]

38. Above average. He's been beset by some bad circumstances and has not overcome them

but it's hard to say how he could have.

[zulchzulu]

39. Outstanding on some issues, incomplete on others...

I would give those that think he was supposed to do everything in a year an F.