The only thing that is buoying up Obama's chances for reelection,

[MadHound]

Is that the 'Pugs are even more despised than Obama and the Dems.

"President Barack Obama’s approval ratings fell to a record low as more than 60 percent of those questioned said they don’t approve of the way he’s handling the U.S. economy, the Washington Post reported, citing a poll it conducted with ABC.

The poll found that 43 percent approved of how he handles his job overall while 53 percent didn’t, the newspaper said.

Only 28 percent of those questioned said they approved how Republicans are handling their responsibilities in Congress while 68 percent disapproved, the biggest gap since the summer of 2008, the newspaper reported. "
<http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-06/obama-approval-rating-drops-to-record-low-on-economy-washington-post-says.html>

This is not a good thing either for Obama or the Dems. When this many people disapprove of both parties, that means a lot of people are going to stay home. Obama got into office because he was able to get a massive amount of people to the polls. If he can't repeat that trick, then he's not going to be reelected. Relying upon people to simply vote for the party they dislike the least is not a good strategy.

Obama has another golden opportunity to regain the trust and approval of a lot of people. But that means he has to come out big on his jobs speech, and actually stand and fight for it this time. He has to show people that he is willing to go to the mat for their well being. If he doesn't do this, if he continues to try and be the Grand Compromiser, he could very well lose next fall.

We'll see, his fate is in his hands.

[Gman]

1. " We'll see, his fate is in his hands."

We can do only what we are able to do. Most of it is up to him.

[Broderick]

2. I don't underestimate Obama's ability to campaign effectively

[MadHound]

3. Hard to campaign effectively

When one's record speaks loud and clear. Obama was able to campaign effectively during the last go around because he was a pretty unknown quantity. Now that he is known, now that he has a record, he simply can't be that effective. He can't campaign his way out of this, he has to actually have a record of approved accomplishments, which in the eyes of many people he doesn't currently have.

[Broderick]

4. If only campaigns could last 8 years

[MadHound]

5. What, you don't think that they do?

C'mon, every move a politician makes is done with one eye on the next election. Which is a huge problem in this country because taking that tactic means that we have no long term thinking in play, only short term thinking based on a politician's personal interests at the heart of it.

[Broderick]

8. So you desire longer terms perhaps? Lifetime?

I rather have term limits on all of them. They drink something in DC that turns them into corporatists and they rather play nice with their new friends, party it up, and vacation away. Meanwhile Rome burns.

[loyalsister]

15. Term limits in congress would be a nightmare!

I have seen the damage first hand at the state level. You get a revolving door of people who run for office just to have it on their resume, then get golden parachute jobs as lobbyists AFTER doing nothing but block legislation or pass the damaging kind that they would never be accountable for.
I don't think the tea partiers who were just elected had any intention of staying in congress for any length of time. Just long enough to keep Obama from doing anything productive or getting reelected.

Legislators with short term goals are bad news.

[stuckinarut]

10. It feels like they do..

and that's one of the main issues IMO.

[jaxx]

12. You haven't been paying attention.

The President has a long list of accomplishments to campaign on.

http://pleasecutthecrap.typepad.com/main/what-has-obama-done-since-january-20-2009.html

[adhd_what_huh]

13. yes he does and you would agree if you were a Democrat.

[WI_DEM]

6. Obama isn't personally despised. Many people like him but don't think he has been

an effective president. That is a key difference. The GOP on the other hand I would say many don't like them personally or their policies.

[MadHound]

7. Lots of people would disagree with you,

Lots of people who worked and voted for Obama in '08 now do despise him, and his policies. That's what happens when you don't end wars, attack teachers and public education, cave to the rich time and again, etc.

[frazzled]

9. But the polls say most people don't disagree

The (respected) Pew Research poll from last week indicated that 71% of Americans think Obama "stands up for what he believes in," 63% think he is "well informed," 70% think he is "warm and friendly," 59% think he is "trustworthy," 63% think he "cares about people like me," and 75% think he is a "good communicator." True, his numbers for "able to get things done" have slid--from 54% in January to 44% in late August--but it's not clear who people blame for this -- him or the (Republican) Congress. Same with "strong leader," where he has slid from a high of 58% in May to only 49% in August. Not that bad of a number, all things considered.

So while you "despise" him, the facts say that a majority of Americans don't. It's important to remember not to project your feelings or views onto everyone else. You can call everyone else deluded, which is fine. But it doesn't really matter.

[Andy823]

11. Exactly!

The majority of people do NOT despise him, only a small fraction on the left who didn't get what "THEY" want, and of course the morons on the right who don't have a clue, they just listen to their right wing talk radio clowns for their information!

Sad the some can't find out the facts before they post.

Thanks for posting the facts.

[emulatorloo]

14. Thanks for posting.

Sometimes DU confuses a minority viewpoint with the majority viewpoint.

[daa]

16. They don't despise him, just the job he is doing.

When they aren't voting for you in Youngstown, Ohio, you are in BIG trouble.

<snip>
A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll of 1,000 adults, taken Aug. 27-31, found that 44% of Americans approve of the job Mr. Obama is doing as president, with more than half, or 51%, disapproving for the first time since his inauguration. Some 73% say the country is headed in the wrong direction, a level of pessimism not seen since late 2008, as the financial crisis struck.

More than 70% of people surveyed said the economy hasn't yet hit bottom. Most Americans still say the president inherited the nation's economic maladies from President George W. Bush rather than caused them, although that number is slipping.

Voters appear to be looking for a new direction. By 44% to 40%, Americans now say they are more likely to vote Republican next year than for Mr. Obama's re-election. In June, the president held the edge, 45% to 40%. The president is losing support from key groups including political independents, women and Hispanics

http://professional.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111903895904576547014053423394.html?mod=WSJPRO_hpp_LEFTTopStories