Two new polls suggest the president is as unpopular as he's ever been. Is America's controversial Libya intervention to blame?
POSTED ON MARCH 30, 2011, AT 3:50 PM
A new poll reveals that little more than half of Americans think of the president as a "strong and decisive leader." Photo: Getty SEE ALL 43 PHOTOS
Best Opinion: National Review, American Thinker, Commentary...
President Obama's approval rating has slumped to an "all-time low," according to a new Quinnipiac poll. A mere 42 percent of American voters approve of the job Obama is doing, while 48 percent disapprove. It gets worse: Half of all voters say he does "not deserve to be re-elected in 2012," with only 41 percent saying that he does. A new Gallup poll offers Obama more gloomy news: The number of Americans who rate him as a "strong and decisive leader" has fallen by 21 percentage points since he took office. Is the president's decision to intervene in Libya to blame for his poor showing?
Yes. Obama's supporters don't like war: Obama gained approval during the presidential campaign by pledging to withdraw troops from Iraq, says Jim Geraghty at the National Review. And voters have since credited him for "keeping America away from messes in the Middle East." Now, we're "putting troops in harm's way" once again — and voters are punishing Obama for it.
"Is Libya battering Obama's approval rating?"
No. It's the economy, stupid: Dissatisfaction over our Libyan intervention does not fully explain this loss of voter confidence, says Rick Moran atAmerican Thinker. It has more to do with "the economy and the future." House prices are "dropping like a stone," and so is consumer spending. Unless the economy improves, Obama's numbers will continue to do the same.
"Obama approval in near free fall"
It's Obama's meek attitude that's to blame: The "eye-opening" poll here is the Gallup one, says John Podhoretz at Commentary. Typically, when the U.S. goes to war, Americans give the president a bump in the polls — a "rally round the flag" boost, if you will — but not this time. Credit the apologetic, back-handed way in which Obama sold the mission to the American people. He is "practically shouting from the rafters that he doesn't want to be a strong leader."
"Why Obama's leadership poll numbers are so terrible."
Obama's Libya speech didn't help, either: Both the Quinnipiac and Gallup polls were conducted before Obama's speech on Monday, says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. But a newer Rasmussen poll finds that it didn't make much difference to Obama's popularity. The American electorate is "skeptical of the mission, and skeptical of Obama's leadership." Democrats should be very worried.
"Rasmussen: Obama's speech on Libya didn't move the needle"
"Is Libya battering Obama's approval rating?"
No. It's the economy, stupid: Dissatisfaction over our Libyan intervention does not fully explain this loss of voter confidence, says Rick Moran atAmerican Thinker. It has more to do with "the economy and the future." House prices are "dropping like a stone," and so is consumer spending. Unless the economy improves, Obama's numbers will continue to do the same.
"Obama approval in near free fall"
It's Obama's meek attitude that's to blame: The "eye-opening" poll here is the Gallup one, says John Podhoretz at Commentary. Typically, when the U.S. goes to war, Americans give the president a bump in the polls — a "rally round the flag" boost, if you will — but not this time. Credit the apologetic, back-handed way in which Obama sold the mission to the American people. He is "practically shouting from the rafters that he doesn't want to be a strong leader."
"Why Obama's leadership poll numbers are so terrible."
Obama's Libya speech didn't help, either: Both the Quinnipiac and Gallup polls were conducted before Obama's speech on Monday, says Ed Morrissey at Hot Air. But a newer Rasmussen poll finds that it didn't make much difference to Obama's popularity. The American electorate is "skeptical of the mission, and skeptical of Obama's leadership." Democrats should be very worried.
"Rasmussen: Obama's speech on Libya didn't move the needle"
from: The Week
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