Americans Not Blaming Obama For AIG: Poll

Americans are angry about AIG, and they want the government to stop the bailed-out firm's executives from getting bonuses. But according to a new USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, they don't blame President Obama (or Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner) for the upsetting rewards.

Nearly half of those surveyed (46%) say AIG management is "most to blame for the fact that these bonuses were paid." Almost one in five (19%) finger Congress, while 8% blame Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and 7% say President Obama bears responsibility.

News articles in recent days have highlighted Geithner's role in the payouts. Most recently, the Wall Street Journal reported that aides to the Treasury Secretary worked with AIG on the issue for months. And members of Congress have argued that the White House is at least partially to blame. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-Conn.) told the press that the Treasury was to blame for allowing "excessive executive compensation." Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), asked about a loophole that allowed banks receiving bailout money to give bonuses, "This was a Senate -- I'm going to cut you off -- this was Senate/White House -- this is Senate-White House language."

Comments

[Geria]

11:46 AM on 03/24/2009

Americans apparently haven't made the connection between Geithner's support for AIG bonuses and the fact that Obama hired him and expresses confidence in his policy! It stands to reason, Geithner is doing what Obama wants. If Obama felt the way he says he feels, he'd ask for Geithner's resignatio­n.

[Haitiana4Obama]

02:56 PM on 03/24/2009

What?! President Obama had nothing to do with the bonuses, in fact it's his call for justice along with Cuomo's which has forced these employees to return much of the money. Are you serious about Geithner resigning? I can understand the legal reasoning behind that clause, but I think President Obama should simply make it a requiremen­t that all such changes in bills whether supported by Dodd or other prominent leaders, should go by him first and foremost. Axelrod and President Obama were against these bonuses from the beginning, but like a true leader President Obama accepted the blame, but thankfully America knows the depth of this man integrity and are not holding him personally responsibl­e. I know Republican­ts want to see him fail but it won't be over this.

[makrom]

09:24 AM on 03/24/2009

Once again, the public WAY ahead of the press on this one.

If only the DC echo chamber would get their heads out of their A$$, Drudge, Politico and FNC, then maybe they would see the country around them has changed.

[moonflowerjewelry]

09:10 AM on 03/24/2009

of course we aren't blaming him. only the Republican Queens of the Double Standard think we should be.

[JohnBryansFontaine]

09:07 AM on 03/24/2009

The REAL fault lies with all those horrible, greedy Union bosses who run AIG

[PatrickforO]

09:01 AM on 03/24/2009

Sorry to tell you, Phillip Taylor, but the current economic situation is the direct result of Republican trickle down economic theory, exacerbate­d by the neoconserv­ative penchant for deregulati­on. The war in Iraq we are spending $10 billion a month on is the direct result of the neoconserv­ative penchant for empire. Our president must now act to reverse about fifteen years of mismanagem­ent and disastrous policies. It is kind of like losing weight, Phillip. It took years to put it on, and one cannot expect it to come off over night. The things Obama is doing with the stimulus package, his leadership with the big 20, his efforts to get people together to unbreak the healthcare system in this nation - all these are the right things. But, I've said it before; any time we try to do something that is simply the right thing to do, we can always count on a Republican to stand up and oppose it.

[PJay1]

08:58 AM on 03/24/2009

Maybe they don't blame the administra­tion for the actual bonuses, but I saw a poll today that said 41% approved of the president'­s HANDLING of the situation (after the fact), while 42% DISapprove­.

And let's keep in mind that these polls lag a bit as they are not in real time.

[rkg2004]

11:47 AM on 03/24/2009

Sorry, this one says 61% APPROVE of the way he is HANDLING the economy.

http://www­.pollingre­port.com/o­bama_ad.ht­m

Rush, when will you learn that you shouldn't make statements you can't back up?

[PhilipTaylor]

06:11 AM on 03/24/2009

This Problem is Getting Larger!

Did I vote for a MAN who told us he was "FOR the Middle Class" and "AGAINST the Wall Street/Was­hington Corruption­" and the "Treatment of Prisoners!­"

Or did I vote for a Pansy A$$?

1. We know $5 Billion has flowed from Wall Street to Congress!
2. We know Bu/Ch Administra­tion t o r t u t e d people!
3. We know Wall Street did "Insider Trading" and misreprese­nted its products!

Yet no Special Prosecutor­s - plural, no limits on lobbying money to Congress, no regulation­s, no Executives Fired, and no Committee Term Limits!

We also know that for every $1 Main Street Gets Wall Street gets $1,000!

Where is the BEEF?

[j0n0]

08:27 AM on 03/24/2009

You were conned.

[PJay1]

09:05 AM on 03/24/2009

You're right - no special prosecutor­s for ANYTHING Let's just be 'forward looking' why don't we...

But when it comes to these obscene bonuses and the ponzi schemes and fraud perpetrate­d on us by the banks and wall street, well that's when we become 'a nation of laws' according to Summers, Geithner, and the president. They can't rip up those contracts because, you know, the lawyers will sue. Hello? To quote Jay Leno: "So sue me."

I am a law abiding citizen, but I don't get to choose which laws I will abide by or which contracts I will honor.

[JamesA1102]

05:19 AM on 03/24/2009

Just another example that the people are smarter than our millionair­e pundit class.

[x004Ronin]

01:34 AM on 03/24/2009

"Americans Not Blaming Obama For AIG: Poll"
Wow, it's almost like most Americans realize that Obama is not all powerful and therefore cannot simultaneo­usly micromanag­e the entire U.S. financial system in addition to forming foreign policy and getting legislatio­n passed.

What AIG was dumb, and Americans can tell the difference between the CEO Liddy and President Obama. It's that simple.

[SOLERSO68]

01:16 AM on 03/24/2009

I didnt buy the repub spin but im releived that even republican arent buying it...of course a concede that republican­s may only be 7% of the poulation anymore theres limpbaughs "20 million"

[weatherwaxx]

12:34 AM on 03/24/2009

Why should Americans blame President Obama for a financial quagmire created by corporatio­ns given the greenlight to plunder America by the Bush regime?

If the GOP had any concern for America, they would be working with the President instead of trying to sabotage economic recovery.

REMEMBER: 95% of the media are owned by the same 6 corporatio­ns that owned George W Bush. Do not expect them to have anything constructi­ve to say about Barack Obama.

[swo68]

11:48 PM on 03/23/2009

I can understand people feeling AIG shouldn't have paid those bonuses given the current economic situation - I'm one of them. But Obama signs a bill that specifical­ly allows them to do it, and he only gets 7% blame from the people. Hopefully it's a withdrawl from his credibilit­y bank.

[weatherwaxx]

12:30 AM on 03/24/2009

This was all set up under the Bush regime, and President Obama is trying to shovel the stable clean with the Republican­s all working as hard as they can to sabotage him.

Why SHOULD Americans blame the President? It's pretty clear that the corporate scam artists and the Greed Old P***ks are the ones behind the problem.

[swo68]

01:13 AM on 03/24/2009

http://www­.youtube.c­om/watch?v­=LWSjUe0Fy­xQ

[hortonhearsawho2]

12:43 AM on 03/24/2009

Wonderful, its all about u....

[swo68]

01:13 AM on 03/24/2009

You're all about me...

[ChiGuy]

11:18 PM on 03/23/2009

8% on Geithner?
7% on Obama??

LOL!!!

Sorry cons, but your phony propaganda over the past few weeks has fallen on deaf ears.

[Seattlelite]

10:47 PM on 03/23/2009

Common sense really. This economic disaster didn't happen in the last 50+ days on Pres. Obama's watch. But most important we must summons patients and give him sometime. Bush had all the signs of being a failure his first term and 50% of country gave him another 4 years. Pres. Obama is already proving in less than 3 months he's a huge improvemen­t.

[weatherwaxx]

12:27 AM on 03/24/2009

patients = folks who go to the doctor

patience - what I think you meant. And you're right. AIG and the other corporatio­ns set up this scam under Bush and he gave them big bucks with no strings. Why isn't there an uproar over that?

[rsprags]

10:05 PM on 03/23/2009

The polls show us that the President and the American People are in synche!

[hortonhearsawho2]

12:44 AM on 03/24/2009

ann , whats her name looks like apole...a little wider but....