PrintNot much hope but look at the change: Obama at 45%
I think it's evident that the media either can't or won't hide the incompetence of the administration anymore and the "Emperor has no clothes" scenario is now taking over. Obama has been unmasked as a not very nice guy who doesn't know how to govern, and who practices machine politics on a national scale.
The amazing thing, is that people still want to believe in him. But there's just nothing that people can grasp and hold onto in the man that seems real. Majorities now don't believe him on health care, cap and trade, and the economy.
Zogby's poll is not the most reliable but I think it is safe to say after seeing other polls that Obama's numbers are dropping rapidly and that he is definitely below 50% approval.
David Patten of Newsmax has the story:
Asked whether they approve or disapprove of the president's job performance, just 45.3 percent of likely voters say they approve. That compares with 50.5 percent who disapprove of the job Obama is doing.I sort of disagree with Zogby's last observation that these numbers are more likely to drive the blue dogs away. The fact is, there is still a chance for an Obama rebound if the economy shows signs of life (or they can spin the news to make it appear that it is), and if he can get some kind of health care reform bill passed. In a big way, all Democrat's fates are tied to Obama's success or failure. Blue Dogs may risk the wrath of some voters in order to get a reform bill passed with some kind of public option/co-op provision just so Obama doesn't go down in flames.
The results are a strong indication that contentious national debate over healthcare reform has taken a major toll on the president's popularity...
Of greatest concern to Obama may well be his decline among all-important independent voters. Just 37.5 percent of self-identified independents say they approve of how Obama is handling the presidency. That compares with 59.2 percent of independents who disapprove...
Continued evidence of declining popularity there will ratchet up the pressure on congressional blue dogs and other conservative Democrats to go their own way on controversial proposals such as public-option healthcare and energy cap-and-trade, knowing they can't rely on presidential coattails to prop them up with voters.
Right now, given liberal opposition to a bill without the public option, and Blue Dog opposition to a bill that has it, I would say the chances are a little worse than 50-50 that we get reform this year. But the world may look a lot different to Blue Dogs once they get back to Washington and find Rahm Emanuel in their face on a daily basis trying to get them to sign off on something - anything - that resembles health care reform.
