Here’s what’s happening with Obama poll numbers
Some folks in the thread down below got into a discussion about Obama’s allegedly declining job-approval ratings and the “fact” that the “liberal media” isn’t covering his fall from the public’s grace. So I decided to take a look.
Here are the Obama job-approval numbers — drawn from all the major polls — put together by the excellent folks at Pollster.com. They do show a very gradual decline, although overall the numbers seem pretty strong.
If you look closely at the disapproval numbers, you’ll see a line of red dots consistently higher than numbers produced in the rest of the polls. That’s the Rasmussen poll. It’s somewhat of an outlier, producing consistently worse numbers for Obama than almost anybody else. Interestingly, the Rasmussen numbers have not gotten worse for the president. The most recent numbers put approval/disapproval at 56/43. Two months ago, those same numbers from Rasmussen were 55/43.
Nonetheless, the chart shows a very gradual if slight rise in disapproval numbers. Where is that coming from? Not surprisingly, most of it’s from Republicans, who were never likely to vote for Obama in the first place. Here are the job-approval numbers for Republicans only, again from Pollster.com.
The most important group of voters, those who will determine Obama’s ultimate political fate and that of his programs, are the independents. Again, here are the numbers compiled and charted by Pollster.com. The approval numbers have stayed pretty steady since about mid-March; the disapproval numbers have risen slightly, but in the aggregate Obama’s job approval numbers among independents are 20 points on the positive side, 56.6/36.5.
If conservatives want to make that into front-page news, they’re welcome to do so.
(I should also note that in the latest Strategic Vision poll, Obama’s job approval/disapproval numbers here in red-state Georgia are 49/43.)
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203 comments Add your comment
RealityKing
June 18th, 2009
11:03 am
Glad to see you finally using Rasmussen, all others pale in comparison.., scientifically speaking.
WhoCares
June 18th, 2009
11:05 am
Nobody asked me. So I guess you can make the numbers in Ga 49/44
RealityKing
June 18th, 2009
11:07 am
Polling data show that Obama’s approval rating is dropping and is below where George W. Bush was in an analogous period in 2001. Rasmussen Reports data shows that Mr. Obama’s net presidential approval rating — which is calculated by subtracting the number who strongly disapprove from the number who strongly approve — is just six, his lowest rating to date.
RealityKing
June 18th, 2009
11:08 am
Nice spin thou Jay…
Normal
June 18th, 2009
11:09 am
Polls, gee I don’t know. Statistics can be manipulated any way you want. Just by using math I can prove we have 11 digits on our hands.
With your right hand count down starting with your thumb, 10-9-8-7-6,
write the six down. Now with your left and starting with your thumb, count up 1-2-3-4-5. Write that down. Add the two numbers…11, right.
just goes to show ya…
Dave R.
June 18th, 2009
11:10 am
Just goes to show you that government-sponsored indoctriation – er, education works.
We’ve dumbed down America sufficiently that a majority of people still think Hope & Change is a good President. Think of what the numbers would be without the lamestream media cheerleading for him.
I Report :-) You Whine :-(
June 18th, 2009
11:10 am
Seeking comfort in the spin cycle, eewww
Jay
June 18th, 2009
11:15 am
Are you folks seeing the charts?
RealityKing
June 18th, 2009
11:15 am
I wonder what those 608,000 people laid off last week think of Obamanocis? Serious people can’t blame that on Bush.
Got your government job yet??
Normal
June 18th, 2009
11:16 am
Whiner, answer my 7:25am two floors down…
Normal
June 18th, 2009
11:16 am
I never get the charts…at work.
getalife
June 18th, 2009
11:19 am
Obama Boost: New Poll Shows 76% Support For Choice Of Public Plan
But NYT Poll Shows Majority See Obama As Ineffective On The Economy
Class of '98
June 18th, 2009
11:24 am
150 days in, and Bookman is rationalizing dropping poll numbers for Obama.
Who didn’t see that coming? hahaha
Mr. Doocy's Altered Ego
June 18th, 2009
11:27 am
What charts
I rule Andy
June 18th, 2009
11:27 am
No, they see what they WANT to see…
Of course they rail on and on about Obama, but ignore the fact that the election was anybodies ballgame, and they blew it by embracing extremism… lost opportunities or gained opportunities…
They lost they opportunity to do capture the “conservatives” holy grail, replacement of one (probably two) liberal Supremes, thus the ability to use “conservative” activist judges to overturn Roe vs. Wade.
They gained the opportunity to wish failure on the country and kvetch non-stop about a democratic administration that carries on the policies of the “Greatest President Ever” George W Bush.
That pretty much shows what “conservatives” find more important, they chose incessant whining over repealing women’s right to an abortion and an opportunity to legislate from the bench for a generation.
ewwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww
Doggone/GA
June 18th, 2009
11:29 am
“Are you folks seeing the charts?”
No
USinUK
June 18th, 2009
11:31 am
nope. no charts here .. but it could be our firewall. (curse you, firewall!!!)
Doggone/GA
June 18th, 2009
11:36 am
Another blog site I frequent had a “Name Cheney’s autobiography book” contest and the winning entry was “Lord of the Lies”
Rush Effectiveness Aggregate Poll
June 18th, 2009
11:38 am
The numbers do not look good, Lush, er, Rush. Perhaps a little more emotion would help. Or, another Republican groveling at your feet. You could always pay Newt to apologize for something. He’ll do anything if the price is right.
pat
June 18th, 2009
11:39 am
I am so happy, PETA is a leftist organization. I think they encapsulate all that the left stand for…Save the flies, kill the babies!
Paul
June 18th, 2009
11:42 am
Jay
The charts show just fine.
Off for a bit to read them. Then off to get some fixins for Scotch Broth.
Later.
Normal
June 18th, 2009
11:43 am
Pat, you should get with Whiner, then perhaps the two of you can answer my 7:25am, two floors down…
Rush Effectiveness Aggregate Poll
June 18th, 2009
11:43 am
That’s right. Sixty-five percent of the losers disapprove of Obama’s performance. I’m shocked too. Why aren’t there 100 percent of the losers disapproving of Obama’s performance. Could it be…no. No. NO! I cannot think such thoughts. I WILL NOT THINK such thoughts. NO!
Normal
June 18th, 2009
11:43 am
Paul, do you use young plump scots with that?
DB, Gwinnettian
June 18th, 2009
11:44 am
Approval numbers all the way down to 56%, five months in?
Yea, verily, I doth tosseth and turneth at nightfall from worry.
getalife
June 18th, 2009
11:45 am
The Independent chart is higher than I thought but when you think of the gop back in power, there really is no choice.
There will be around 30%, the American taliban, cons if you will, wanting the gop to destroy our country again.
Insane?
You betcha
USinUK
June 18th, 2009
11:47 am
“Scotch Broth”
does that involve fried Mars bars???
Joe Matarotz
June 18th, 2009
11:49 am
Jay,
The liberal NY Daily News made it front page news. Maybe you’re just slow on the uptick, hmmmm?
President Obama’s still popular, but his policies are not, show polls
BY Michael Saul
DAILY NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT
Updated Thursday, June 18th 2009, 9:25 AM
President Obama remains popular with the American people but two new polls find deep misgivings about major policy positions, suggesting the new president’s honeymoon may be coming to an end.
A new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll pegged Obama’s job approval rating at 56%, a fall from 61% in April. Obama’s approval rating among independents in this poll dropped dramatically, from nearly a two-to-one approval to closely divided.
Similarly, this poll exposed deep concerns about the administration’s approach to the economic crisis, notably its policy prescription for the beleaguered auto industry.
Nearly seven in 10 Americans said they had concerns about the federal government’s intervention in the economy, including the administration’s decision to take an ownership stake in General Motors and the limits set by the White House on executive compensation.
Obama and Congress should worry more about keeping the deficit down, 58% of the respondents said. A majority disapproved of Obama’s decision to close the prison in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
The latest New York Times/CBS News poll revealed 60% of Americans believe the Obama administration has failed to develop a clear plan for dealing with the budget deficit.
A majority, 52%, said the government should not spend money to stimulate the economy and should focus instead on reducing the deficit.
Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/
Bosch
June 18th, 2009
11:50 am
Well, at least they tried, but alas, Brazil came up the victor 3-0. Sigh. I’m off to sulk for a while.
Jay
June 18th, 2009
11:51 am
OK, folks, I think I fixed the chart problem. Take a look.
USinUK
June 18th, 2009
11:53 am
RealityKing –
“Polling data show that Obama’s approval rating is dropping and is below where George W. Bush was in an analogous period in 2001″
please, show your supporting data.
because the 100-day polling data that I found shows Obama at a 63% approval at the end of his first 100 days and W at 58%.
http://www.politicsdaily.com/2009/04/26/what-the-american-people-think-about-barack-obama/
Right on Right
June 18th, 2009
11:53 am
The American people will never knowingly adopt socialism. But,under the name of “liberalism,”they will adopt every fragment of the socialist program,until one day America will be a socialist nation,without knowing how it happened” I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democratic Party has adopted our platform. Norman Mattoon Thomas – six time Presidential Candidate (Socialist Party of America)
Rush Effectiveness Aggregate Poll
June 18th, 2009
11:54 am
Works for me — the appearance part. It’s the results that don’t do it for me.
Same Old Whiners
June 18th, 2009
11:56 am
Well, I just don’t believe it. How could anyone think that Obama is doing a good job. I mean, after all that we in the fair and balanced end of the media have told the public. How. How. HOW!
DB, Gwinnettian
June 18th, 2009
11:57 am
Jay, poll charts display fine ‘n dandy.
Norman Mattoon Thomas – six time Presidential Candidate (Socialist Party of America)
and, likely, the first time any of us have heard of the guy.
Congratulations, Norm–you got noticed. for your next trick, might I suggest setting your underpants on fire?
DB, Gwinnettian
June 18th, 2009
12:05 pm
The most important group of voters, those who will determine Obama’s ultimate political fate and that of his programs, are the independents.
Interestingly, that same polling aggregator shows the number of people self-IDing as “independents” has risen sharply in the past month, almost entirely at the expense of self-IDing Republicans, apparently.
But it’s only a month’s worth of increase, so who knows why that might be.
Redneck Convert
June 18th, 2009
12:14 pm
Well, when President Palin takes office you’ll really see some good approval numbers. All us Conservatives just dream of the day she stands there with her husband and kids and maybe 8 or 10 grandkids, some of them legal and others the result of axidents, and takes the oath of office.
Anyhow, I can’t help but feel a little disappointed. Every day us Conservatives get on blogs and blast away at this Obama and it don’t hardly make any diffrence in his numbers. And it seems like his numbers go up when old Newt or Sarah or that Mormon Romney cut loose on him. At this rate we’ll need to about 2028 before we get him down to the point we got a chance. And while we’re waiting he’s going to let My President’s tax cuts expire and give away health insurance to the shiftless bums and make gays just as good as reglar people and appoint librul judges. And if we keep loosing elections there won’t even be enough Republicans to make a filibuster. We’ll be steamrolled as flat as a possum that’s been run over by a cement truck.
Evil days are upon us. Have a good p.m. everybody.
RB from Gwinnett
June 18th, 2009
12:15 pm
Jay, yes, we noticed the charts. Did you happen to notice D congressional leaders comments saying they want to enact the fairness doctrine before you wrote your piece earlier today?
clyde
June 18th, 2009
12:16 pm
58% of me likes Obama according to the Independent poll.100% of me doesn’t trust him,I can tell you that.
TnGelding
June 18th, 2009
12:22 pm
Polls for the trolls. Does it really matter? If the economy has recovered he’ll be reelected; if not he might not. I’d give him a C+.
Brian
June 18th, 2009
12:30 pm
I find it odd that his job approval numbers remain high, while slipping 5 points from April, given so many are concerned or opposed to his policies according to an NBC news/WSJ poll.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20090618/pl_nm/us_obama_polls_1
58% say Obama and Congress should focus on keeping the deficit down, even if it takes longer for the economy to recover.
Nearly 70% said they had concerns about the federal intervention in the economy, including Obama’s decision to take an ownership stake in General Motors and the prospect of more government involvement in healthcare.
A CBS/NYT poll aslo found a distinct difference in Obama’s overall standing and how Americans viewed his major initiatives. Obama’s job approval rating held steady rom last month at 63%, but fewer than half of respondents approved of how he was handling healthcare reform and efforts to save GM & Chrysler.
The poll also found that Americans were alarmed by the amount of money doled out to boost the economy and a majority thought the government should focus instead on reducing the federal deficit.
Both polls also found a majority of Americans opposing Obama’s decision to close the U.S. military prison at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
Thus the hast by Obama and the Dems to get things done. Damn the torpedos! We’re going to spend as much as we want and ram nationalized healthcare down your throats whether you like or not!
catlady
June 18th, 2009
12:35 pm
Jay: “It’s somewhat of an outlier”
Brother, NO ONE can out-lie the man from Texas and his henchmen!
Mrs. Godzilla
June 18th, 2009
12:39 pm
I’m a little happier every day that I voted for President Obama.
http://politifact.com/truth-o-meter/promises/
catlady
June 18th, 2009
12:42 pm
“58% say Obama and Congress should focus on keeping the deficit down, even if it takes longer for the economy to recover.”
These are the people who still have jobs and health care benefits and did not have any stocks or 401K money.
Normal
June 18th, 2009
12:49 pm
Catlady, do you perhaps have one of those pesky, furry felines?
Turd Ferguson
June 18th, 2009
12:50 pm
The only thing I see on the charts is obamas disapproval ratings on the increase and his approval ratings on the slight decrease or staying close to the same. SO overall few are approving. This is good.
AH
June 18th, 2009
12:51 pm
Come on Jay, are you also in on the morning conference call the White House has with it’s media contacts? This is a pure spin story, no one cares that his numbers have dipped, until they hit 49.9999 its a non issue and Barry needs to stop worrying that not everyone is in-love with him. He is obsessed with poll numbers when he needs to actually pick up an economics book and get a clue.
Lefty Lemonade
June 18th, 2009
12:56 pm
Polls are for idiots like Ms Godzilla. I voted for Obama and must say Im quite disappointed. The chart link Godzi brings to the table only confirms my suspcions and apprehensions. Obama has delivered on very very few promises infact delivered on a whopping 8% with many “stalled” or “in the works”. Definition of “stalled” or “in the works” = DOA.
I regret my decision to vote for this up and comer a little more everyday and now question my rationale at the time I cast my vote. Am now thinking perhaps I was just caught up in the hoopla…woe is me.
RealityKing
June 18th, 2009
12:57 pm
Rasmussen Reports, Rasmussen Reports , Rasmussen Reports shows a 56%-43% approval, with a third strongly disapproving of the president’s performance. This is a substantial degree of polarization so early in the administration. Obama has lost virtually all of his Republican support and a good part of his Independent support, and the trend is decidedly negative.
A detailed examination of presidential popularity after 50 days on the job similarly demonstrates a substantial drop in presidential approval relative to other elected presidents in the 20th and 21st centuries. The reason for this decline most likely has to do with doubts about the administration’s policies and their impact on peoples’ lives.
Joey
June 18th, 2009
12:57 pm
And besides no one wants to discuss Inspector Generals being fired for doing their job. And certainly no one wants to discuss the findings of thise IG’s.
Jay the consumate Journalist.