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

[Wilsonv]

I never liked CM. He doesn't shut up and let his guests talk. He keeps talking over them. Why have a show then? Why not just have a show of him talking all the time?

He needs to go. KO seems to have gotten a bit wattered down lately too. At least RM is staying sharp.

[soulfulnotes]

That's why he's also known as "Tweety" on some of the competing blogs.

[flagger]

Chris Matthews is desperate for viewers. Here are the ratings for last night (Tuesday) in the Hardball 7 p.m. EST time slot:

Shepherd Smith (Fox): 526
Campbell Brown (CNN): 326
MSNBC (Chris Matthews): 291
Headline news (V. Mitchell): 206

He's losing viewers every month.

[Wilsonv]

We need an accurate poll of Fox. I bet $1000 that a good 10 to 15% of their viewership are left wing folks watching it for a laugh.

[catsonacid]

You know I hate Fox News but I like Shepard Smith. I'll admit that if I do have the TV on around 7pm, I'm more inclined to watch his show than Matthews or whoever else is on cable news at that time.

[skippypicasso]

Shep Smith might be likeable, but man is he dumb.

[myworld]

Good job Chucky T -Keep it in perspective.

[SDindependent]

Chris Matthews is becoming a Rush Limbaugh in his own right. Instead of saying what he believes, he is willing to say anything he believes will get him listeners. The show has become a bore, I don't watch it any longer.

[didntvote4him]

What do you mean HAS become a bore?

[Jasel]

Becoming? Chris Matthews has been pulling that act for years.

[island-in-alabama]

At least Limbaugh is consistent, even if in an ugly way.

Matthews seems like more and more of a flake.

[Arenk]

Polls are not worth mentioning. Barack is working every day and bills are getting signed and transparency is evident. How refreshing and unusual!! YES WE CAN. Lets audit the republicans in the house and the senate and see whether their taxes have been paid. It's a different story when a self-made man , our president is getting things done--government will be very different.

[John51]

I am disapointed that President Obama has spent so much political capital defending a friend that, under the light of day appeared to lack creditability, and apparantly no longer enjoys the support he initially enjoyed with the American people. I had hoped that Mr. Daschle would resign about 10 days ago and save everyone this distraction but he chose not to do so. That said, I am still behind President Obama's agenda 100 percent and first thing this morning I called Senators John McCain and Sen. Jon Kyle and strongly urged them to participate in developing a Recovery Bill as constructive and sincere members of the Senate. I informed the Senators Obstructionist would not be tolerated and that simply walking away from ones responsibility to contribute to a solution in a positive way was totally unacceptable to this constituent. I promised Sen. Kyle that I would vote for his unemployment if he did not support our President in his efforts to get America back on track. I told both Senators if they were unwilling to support the change America demanded that they would find me working very hard to bring about a change in their status. If everyone here placed calls to their Senators today we are in good shape.

[eden4barack08]

Good job, just make sure you vote McCain OUT in 2010, no matter what.

[didntvote4him]

I may just do that.

[scorpioleidy]

Bravo!

I'm from Illinois, and yesterday I called my senators (Burris and Durbin) and told them the same. I went a step further and also called our new governor (Quinn) and urged him to publicly urge both our senators to support the stimulus, as well!

[karronna]

Your senators plan to be out of the country and not vote on the bill. I'm serious....it was reported today on this site.

[island-in-alabama]

Thank you for what you've done.

[vinny]

I think many liberal democrats are beginning to peel away from Obama. When you look at many of the policy decisions, it's indicative of somone who prefers to use executive power over democratic legislative process.

Look at the second TARP - he issued a veto threat. Liberal democrats would have preferred Congress to reissue the TARP legislation with new rules and guidelines for spending.

Look at the stimulus package - he lobbied for a massive multi-item bill and is trying to steam roll it through Congress under the guise of having made bipartisanship concessions. Liberal democrats would have preferred to debate and vote on each item on its own merits. Now, we have a hodge-podge bill, with things like big tax rebates for homebuyers, that will receive minimal public debate about who will benefit or be harmed.

In each case, Obama has set himself up as the power broker and is playing an image game. He is using the fear card to create an image of urgency to quell honest public debate. Many of his die-hard supporters are willing to "trust" Obama's judgment. Liberal democrats, however, would rather put their faith in the democratic processes of governement.

[listentome]

You are funny. Two weeks and you got him all figured out. Oh! Wise-one or yea of so little faith, give me a break. Bush got 8 years, but President Obama gets two weeks?

[vinny]

see FISA, executive funding of faith-based programs, etc...

[buzzygirl]

Hogwash + Poppycock makes a big wad of poop. And you have got Obama all figured up.


Everybody wants to be a pundit. Ha!! The talking heads themselves on television are a bunch of egotistical maniacs, bloated with their self-importance, and herd mentality that it would be comical, if we were not in such a serious situation.

Everybody has an opinion, and you know what they say about that.

[vinny]

You've proven that not everybody has an opinion.

[Phxflyer]

And yo would be wrong.

[island-in-alabama]

Sure. Nothing urgent about tens of thousands of Americans losing jobs every day huh

[CaptainVideo]

You sound a lot more like a concern t.r.o.l.l. than a liberal Democrat.

[proudloudlib]

I miss Tim Russert more all the time. Was he the last actual journalist on TV?

[Merersu]

Amen!

[vinny]

I think Maddow is the only one who could possibly fill his shoes. Her style fits the format that Russert developed for MTP. Whenever you get the chance, plug her name.

[scorpioleidy]

Now I like Rachel - in measured doses! - but her style and Tim's are nothing alike! You ever remember Tim being snarky and/or sarcastic ALL THE TIME??? Never! Where are you getting this?

I think we all miss Tim - no one can fill his shoes ...

[Sugermen]

Are you kidding me
Rachel replace Russert
Please Russert was in a class by himself
Don't ever mention her with him

[island-in-alabama]

Rachel Maddow certainly has the talent, and would bring the integrity that MTP has been lacking for so long.

I don't think MSNBC's corporate ownership would dare put Rachel on MTP, because she'd constantly be blowing away the baloney right-wing talking points by demonstrating how ridiculous they are - something that blithering incompetent David Gregory is completely incapable of doing.

[23000Days]

Mike4Obama posted this earlier but it bears repeating:

82% of people polled approved of the way he HANDLED HIS TRANSITION.

63% of people polled approve of his PRESIDENCY.

http://www.gallup.com/poll/113980/Gallup-Daily-Obama-Job-Approval.aspx

He started at 68%, he's now at 66%.

The 82% was how he handled the transition. Who is feeding this garbage to these guys?

[wanked]

82 % approved of the transition? 62 approve of things in general? Man...have you been keeping track of this appointees? Change my A$$> more crooks and liers---the whole goldman sachs cabal...( ready to lead us out of chaos as quickly as they led us in), tax cheats, republicans, scandals, hold ups.
The blush is off the rose. As people wake up im sure the numbers will continue to nosedive. And Im a democrat !

[strangelet]

Sure you are.

[island-in-alabama]

That 66% is incredible, given the offensive the corporate media has been carrying out against the economic recovery plan, not to mention the press' new-found interest in executive-branch nominee's tax records, which they were completely oblivious to for the last eight years

[GrainOSand]

Report The Facts

Please do give me the truth.
Please do present the story with clarifying proof.
However, do not tell me what the story means.
Do not deny me a chance to glean...my own understanding.
I am asking nicely -- not demanding, for you who report are worthy of respect.
All I am asking is give as good as you get.
I do not need a privileged pompous pundit barking the Party line.
I do not need a compromised shill, distorting facts to cover their own ideological behind.
Do not tell me Mr. Obama is embarrassed when he has not said so.
Do not tell me something you have not verified...something that you really do not know.
Your business is not supposed to be about speculation.
Nor is your business supposed to be about water cooler gossip and regurgitation.
It is supposed to be about objective analysis and investigation.
So please Mr. and Mrs. journalist rise above the level of vegetation.
Get out of the soothsaying business of prognostication.
Give me the unembellished truth and that is all.
Otherwise do not be surprised at the changes in your stature.
Do not utter a word of protest as you slip and fall from grace.
Do not be shocked at rising subscription cancellations and ratings decline that continue to keep pace with public dissatisfaction
Be ye not amazed at a public fed up.
Be ye not alarmed if mass tune out and turn off is the consistent reaction.

[shakker]

Projecting a 19% drop over a three week period means over a 208 week presidency, Obama will be at a negative 1254% approval rating.

That means virtually everyone on the planet will disapprove of Obama by the end of his term. And you thought Bush was a bad president.

I finally scooped FOX NEWS!

[AndThenOneDay]

Their brains are a third the size of ours - it's science..

[Merersu]

When President Obama has been so for at least one year and he's still having these sort of "hiccups," then, and only then will I BEGIN to worry. My President has only been that for two full weeks with the added week given to far to much pomp and necessary circumstance. He's still having the President suit adjusted and when it fits like a fine crafted perfectly cut Armani, like we all know it will, he will do what we know he is perfectly capable of doing. Until then, GET THE HELL OFF THE MAN'S BACK!

D.A.M.N!

P.S. Did Chris Matthews all of a sudden turn Rethug? He seems to be auditioning a lot for Faux News these days. Thank the heavens for Rachel, Keith, and Chucky T!

[eden4barack08]

"all of a sudden"? Chris was gushing over GWB well into the Iraq war. It's amazing that people forget that just because he said Obama gave him a "tingle".
I don't really know what CM is or has been, but he's anything BUT a Democrat or a Liberal.

[soupson52]

Amen! Thought I was the only one who noticed.

[island-in-alabama]

I'm pretty sure we don't want to know ~what~ CM is...

[december30]

Jason, this is just a hiccup for only a second.

[listentome]

Keep in mind also that the journalists may be compelled to bash the president to pacify the claimants from the right that swear that their demise in the last election was due to the coddling of Obama by mainstream media.

[proudloudlib]

Chris Matthews is a silly little twerp in love with the sound of his own voice. I'm with you and Chris, Jason!

[proudloudlib]

OOPS. Meant Chuck, not Chris. Freudian slip?