Chuck Todd 'Can't Get Worked Up' Over Obama Poll Drop (VIDEO)

The political media is ever so fond of trafficking in all manner of polls, one of which is the oft-cited approval rating. In general, I subscribe to the idea that these sorts of polls are often abused as an inadequate shorthand for the public mood, but I can see their value. The press is supposed to have an adversarial relationship with politicians, and declining fortunes in approval rating are the sturdiest brickbat they can swing at a president. During the last years of the Bush administration, wield it they did, clucking over each historic low.

On yesterday's Hardball, Chris Matthews dug into the first major decline on President Barack Obama's fortunes, noting what he considered to be a statistically significant drop of nineteen points.

MATTHEWS: Time now for The Big Number. With it comes the warning that honeymoons don't last forever. Just three weeks ago, 83% of Americans approved of the way Barack Obama was handling his job as President-Elect. Now amid some tough decisions, President Obama's in the new USA Today/Gallup poll down to a still groovy but not still heavenly 63% job approval. Which translates to a 19-point drop in 3 weeks. Message from Ben Franklin: [unintelligible] get some things done, Mr. President. A stitch in time saves nine. Obama's nineteen point approval rating drop says get going with the program. That's tonight's big number.

[WATCH.]

Aside from the subtraction error, there seems to be some internal disagreement at MSNBC over the significance of this poll:

TODD: I'm sorry, I can't get all worked up over "Oh my Gosh, it went from 83%, before he was President at all" -- don't forget, that was a silly number at the time, and at 66%, I can tell you this: any day they are above 60, the White House is happy.

[WATCH.]

For the time being, I'm going to go with Chuck Todd on this. I see that crazy high, pre-presidency approval rating as having more to do with the general good will and buoyant mood that accompanied the Inaugural. The Daschle matter has got Obama in the midst of his first spate of rough news, so I'd look to the next round of approval polls for a measure of how well or how poorly the public is taking it.

Actually, if you want to source that drop from 83%, I'd say that it probably came from all those people stuck in the Purple Tunnel of Doom. Still, I'd be interested in hearing what you readers think! So leave a comment and answer whether this is a hiccup, or a bump in the road.

UPDATE: Just in case Todd's remarks leave the matter in need of underscoring, let's heed the emphasis that emailer Michael Ellis brings to bear on the point: the sky-high number was a rating of how Obama was handing the transition. Here's the Gallup Poll itself, tracking what looks to be a mere three point drop in approval rating. As Ellis astutely points out, a comparison of the transition approval to Presidential approval is classic "apples and oranges."

Comments

[RRH]

I think Matthews lost the tingle up his leg for the President. Matthews has a big ignorant mouth and Todd is way superior to Matthews. Todd has always behaved professionally which is more than I can say for Matthews!

[armadillious2002]

I think Obama's drop has been from Dems who are disenchanted with his appointment of Repubs to high positions. Most say if we had wanted Republicans - we would have voted for them.

[jimrs6]

Let's not pretend Chuck Todd is anything but a mouthpiece for Axelrod and Gibbs. His response to every question about some hard issue is "well, the white house would argue...." and he gives their spin. He got that assignment because he's so tight with those guys. Don't hold your breath waiting for any on-air criticism or difficult questions at the pressers from him.

[Terrence0258]

They should have asked Bush how it felt being in the 20's.

[Sugermen]

Maybe that tingle up the leg when to his brain

[SEQUOIABISON]

Meaningless hogwash, Bush never allowed his 20 plus poll numbers stop him from governing from the extreme right and driving this country into a ditch, and Obama should not allow his slight dip in the polls to distract him from implementing a liberal agenda.

[Tim303]

Apples n oranges.

[deanimal]

I wonder if Obama's numbers would go up if the "Journalists" on these shows quoted from the real CBO report, you know, the one that supports the stimulas bill. Sometimes I will watch a show because of the quality of the guests,Imus for example,when he was on TV. But I can no longer watch Chris Matthews or Morning Joe. They are just insulting and childish.

[Jezreel]

Thanks for the following update, Jason.

"Michael Ellis brings to bear on the point: the sky-high number was a rating of how Obama was handing the transition. Here's the Gallup Poll itself, tracking what looks to be a mere three point drop in approval rating. As Ellis astutely points out, a comparison of the transition approval to Presidential approval is classic "apples and oranges."

I agree with Michael Ellis, Chuck Todd and you too, Jason.

[Subversive]

I'm old enough to remember the Reagan years where Reagan inherited a recession, much like President Obama. In 1982, a year after entering office, the recession deepened, the unemployment rate spiked at 10% and Reagan's poll numbers took a beating as well. (And this was after Reagan's poll numbers rose after surviving the assassination attempt in 1981.) Well, the recession ended, the sun rose again, springtime came, and Reagan was re-elected by a landslide in 1984. Reagan is now thought of as one of our greatest presidents (though I find the assertion debatable). By the way, nobody remembers Reagan's low poll numbers. President Obama should take heart and keep his perspective. As for Matthews, he should start taking prozac.

[zenobiadarcy]

Any poll at this early point in the Presidency is pointless, but for the irresponsible media that needs a regulator as much as the economic markets. This problem has been expressed in Jason's column and a couple others on Huffington but not enough people are joining them in warning that some balance has to be sought by the viewer but reactions are clearly skewed by the presentation of the media and polls are one of the places that is reflected. It is going to be difficult for Obama to generate improved ratings since these problems he inherited that are so great seem to be snowballing with the political play interfering basically in every step of his transition and first two weeks of his Presidency. I do not agree that the withdrawal of Daschle was something positive, but because of the inability of the media to report issues in some manner that is proportional to the importance as related to the reality, a great public servant was sacrificed for a very shallow public response. President Obama had to choose from losing Daschle or possibly all public trust. In America it is always present, no previous good will is a factor but all negative is always present.

[lagumbo]

I was a Chris Matthew's fan but stop watching him in the middle of the primaries. He just loves to hear himself talk. He is so impolite to his guess, I can't understand why anyone goes on his show. He thinkgs he knows everything and he try to spin nonsense. He spits all over the tv camera and never stops talking. If he had something to say it might help, but Matthews have quickly become a nobody.

[OneLiberalLady]

He;s a real gasbag/

[cherylm1937]

Exactly. I am sick to death of these media types pontificating just to have something to talk about. My God...it's been what...nearly 2 wks???? And already these people have Obama about to sink into the abyss!!! For God's sake, give the man a chance to govern!!!!!

[sweetwhine]

Chris almost, almost had me fooled during the general. He was so pro- Obama and if you remember he was one of the main ones talking about how people in Pittsburg may not vote for O because of his race. So he was kind of pleading with them to over-look it. But O won Pitts! Shows you how much he knows. I no longer can stomach Chris Matthews.

[Rosewren]

Between tingles up the leg and salivating over non-news and whatever floats his boat from day to day he is becoming irrelevant. He would get further if he could shut his mouth long enough to let some of his guests get some real insightful remarks out. Can't stand to listen to him anymore.

[method]

I'm kind of agreeing w/you. Mattews is getting on my nerve a little bit and I used to be a big fan. I can go for speaking on the issues and having your opinion and agreeing or disagreeing regardless of your party especially if that party's idea makes sense; lately, Mattews appears more like Joe Scarbourgh's (spelling?) sidekick Mitka (?) can't make up their own mind and goes w/the rightwingers, whether they are right or wrong.

[CaptainVideo]

It was clear from the beginning that as soon as Obama actually took positions on issues, the unrealitically high polls would drop. After all, many of the people who voted for McCain are not going to like Obama's policies. Political capital should be used to promote one's programs over determined opposition.

[honeste]

Let's not forget the fact that Obama's preelection statements on what his agenda was won the support of only 52% of the people who voted. Why then would it come as a surprise that when he actually starts doing things that he promised to do his approval rating go down?