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

[vesaversa1]

I have always supported Preisdent Obama .The DOW is up 500 points wondering if the republicans will whine now that the president plan have set his economic plan into action .It have been obvious that the republicans don't have any plans ideas nor solutions ,no no no .

[KillBillV2]

DOW UP 500 POINTS, OBAMA'S APPROVAL RATING IS UP, and Only 7% blame him for the AIG mess..

T r0lls? calling all t r0lls?

[SPQR1052]

sssh, don't do hat because they haven't been fed this morning.

[timetorevolt]

Media Fantasy...They make up controversy for high ratings. And if the Media was in the Gallup poll they would have gotten a substantial amount of the blame. They did not do the investigative journalism that could have informed us aobut AIG, Citigroup, Bank of America, etc... But they didn't.
Instead of investigating the scams they were the cheerleaders for greed because they benifited. Now that the house of cards and the ponzi schemes have collapsed they are pointing fingers at Obama.
Where were the fingerpointing while the mess was being created during the last decade?

[research]

I don't blame Obama for IAG /AIU.

I blame Phil Grahm, the GOP and DINOS who conspired to allow the greatest fraud in human history.

Yes we can convict them of fraud: deception and trickery to harm people by taking the money. It does not require a specific rule violation.

Obama, Wake up!, You are not better than FDR, you will need to deal with the Banks they way he did.

Kucinich for Treasury the one the Banksters and the Oligarchs fear the most, because Kucinich has betteen the banks, saved his people millions, and understands the economy and fraud better than anyone alive.

You think Kucinich is a joke?

The Jokes on you, The banksters are taking over the world right in front of your face.

[Coinyer101]

kucinich is my next favorite politician, 2nd only to President Barack.

[research]

Agreed.

[research]

Kucinich is uniquely qualified to run the Treasury.

[kdlaiusa]

The Fed and gov did miss this bonus debacle, they should be partially blame for it but it's all their fault. It all goes back to prove how greedy and unethical these companies are.

The bonus is not the primary issue, it's how to get th economy going again. And yes, it will be another teleprompter day for people like Sean Hannity.

[McChimp]

Wonder what Rush Limbaugh will say now, "Polls don't matter..."

But wait Mr. Limbaugh, you were relying on polls that showed Obama's approval dropping...

LMFAO, the Republicans are lost and President Obama checks them again!

President Obama is indeed The One aka Neo from The Matrix, he dodges all these attacks in slow motion!!!

Ok maybe I went overboard with the final sentence, but you catch my drift :)

[lisak2008]

Nope, not so far off!

http://z.about.com/d/politicalhumor/1/0/t/6/2/obama_matrix.jpg

[eden4barack08]

Cool. :))

[Mekarri]

Love it. President Obama makes me smile.

[Hopeington]

Love it, put it up as my screensaver! Thanks

[Javida]

Could someone due a computer animation of Obama as Keanu in those scenes where he dodges bullets in slow motion. That would be some screen saver!

[shel3364]

You mean "bonus" in the one-word sense, right?

Cuz "bone-us" feels much more applicable.

[Eyeswideopen1]

I think there should be calls for resignations in the MSM. They have shown once again that the only people having a "Katrina moment" are them!

[eden4barack08]

I want them all out. Where do I sign?

[Coinyer101]

co-sign

[kalimuzo]

I knew it. The AIG flare up was completly made up by the media, they thought they smelled blood and they attacked. Shame, shame MSM. Axelrod was right, people are concerned about finding work and paying bills, and they see the republicans as standing in the way. AIG was not as big a deal as they thought it was. The backlash agains the media is real though. People are sick of the lies and the hype, they need helfull information.

[unity08]

The media; playing a little CYA, because once again, just as in the lead up to the war in Iraq, they failed to do their job on the economy

[magecat]

I am going to throw some water on the “recession is over” posts. With upward motion with the stock market looks very good.

Remember, it took years to get to this place and it will take a lot of time before we can say the recession is over.

[zelduh]

Agreed.

What are people going to say when market goes back down? Are they going to blame the drop on Obama?

The shakeout is going to take a very long, long time, and the current uptick is just traders feeling overly optimistic before the March foreclosure and employment (unemployment) figures come out.

[eden4barack08]

That seems to be the MO. Blame for the downturn, don't credit for the uptick.

[Lazslo]

For now. Wait til the Geithner plan gets executed.

[ImaSpeakonit]

As Nelson on The Simpsons would put it "Hah Hah!" @ the MSM and the GOP spin doctors!

[CheshireCat2]

With all due respect, most people do not pay attention to what is going on and have no clue about how the bonuses came about.

[Deparis]

Since you do pay attention, could you please share with all of us who do not pay attention and have no clue exactly "how the bonuses came about"? No pun intended.

[flagger]

How right you are, CheshireCat2. More than half the population doesn't have a clue as to what's happening in Washington right now. All they know is what they read in People, US, TMZ and the rest of the trash press.

[CheshireCat2]

Please understand that, that particular comment was not aimed at people here. Most people are here because they are news/political junkies and pay attention.

[McChimp]

So last weeks talking point was that President Obama and Geithner were guilty of not knowing about these bonuses.

Now that this poll comes out, you flip flop...

Typical Republican shill.

[CheshireCat2]

I don't see the flip-flop that you claim.

[harriscrl3]

Someone needs to enlighten Frank Rich on to this fact. See what thse people dont seem to get with the AIG bonuses is that there is a MORAL issue here. Even if Geithner stricken from the bill that clause that would prevent bonuses this company still went ahead and gave them out. Lets say President Obama and Giethner were giving them the freedom in hopes that they make wise decisions they fail to do so. They are the real culprits in this. And rather than attacking these folks from a moral if not legal ground the MSM chose to attack President Obama and Giethner from a legal standpoint and fail to address the moral issue here. But notice the American people aint STU PID even though the MSM might be. This ultimately rest with the people who engaged in the behavior. The question is who is really underestimating populist outrage. Obama speak of responsiblity he took responsiblity for his role in it but kudos to the American people for seeing that these AIG excutives is the one who FAILED to take responsiblity.

Everyone claim to be outrage and speaking for the populist but do they really know what the populist is saying thats the question.

Carol

[jcwtts1]

Here is the thing you have to remember Carol, the Media has an interest in causing a fight. The media wants to attack Obama for a number of reasons, none of them good, and they are flailing around looking for something. This is the third time they spent a week screaming about Obama and then took a poll and realized that no one agreed with them. They have to get a grip.

J

[MacQ]

According to your logic, the "news" is what most people think is happening.
That's ok, that's what some of the news media think too.
Sad for us all, really

[MiddleofAmerica]

J~ this is true.

The media also has the problem of wanting to be the "first" to break a story. The you heard it here first bs.

I noticed the louder the media got the higher President's ratings went. There is very little support for the president from the media. They are too dumb to figure out we are not listening to them. They can't understand why his ratings are still high. I'd like to see the ratings for the media outlets. Be nice to see how Meet the Press has dropped.

[KillBillV2]

ditto

[HateHater123]

Nobody polled me. And I DO blame him. Voted for him, hoped for the "change" and "transparency" he promised, not seeing it, not distracted by the Celebrity crap; his picture plastered on everything right down to Super Hero Comic Books; don't care as long as he gives us what we voted for; he isn't doing it; Poll ME....I Do blame him. Made up my own big brain reasons for his cop-outs; oh, he has to play it this way to appease so and so while quietly making the fundamental shifts....but putting someone like Geithner, rather than an ECONOMIST in the Treasury? And giving him full reign to continue shoring up the Banksters and Wall Street Pirates? Please. I'm not saying we had a BETTER choice. I'm saying we were hoping for a miracle. And we didn't get one.

[chocolatecity]

What did he promise you that he's not addressing?
Health care
Education
Energy
Infrastructure
Withdrawal from Iraq
Credit Freeze

Next up
Immigration
EFCA
New Afghanistan Strategy
Financial Regulations

Come on, that's not half bad for two months work.

[imjustawitchywoman]

Thank you Chocolate City

Obama is giving us everything he campaigned on.....and he has done alot in 2 short months.

If anyone thinks he is doing exactly what he said he would.....then they weren't listening to his stump speeches, debates and town halls.

I just love how the MSM doesn't bring up the billions of dollars of TARP money that was given out, but unaccounted for.....before Bush left office.

[MESGAIN26]

WELL U APPARENTLY WASN'T PAYING ATTENSION BECAUSE These contracts were agreed to during the Bush administration and it was the Bush administration that screamed “fire” and waited until the fire was out of control. It Was Bush, GOP That Opposed Executive Compensation Caps Because when the first installment of the Troubled Asset Relief Program was passed it was the Bush administration and GOPers in Congress who were insisting that caps on executive compensation not be part of the legislation.

[Rober]

I believe that Geithner is an economist (MA Johns Hopkins) and as far as I know has never worked for a Wall Street firm.

[oldcliche]

Oh man, I needed a good laugh. You voted for him, that punchline never gets old.

[Sarahmay57]

Totally. No way hatehater voted for him.

[k6007]

~snicker~

[jcwtts1]

First, when was the last time there was an economist in the Treasury department? Hit me back with an answer if you can find one. Second, Obama being everywhere is a product of a) a landslide win, b) his willingness to take questions after 8 years of duck and cover. Finally you have to save the banks Hate. You have to. If you don't we fail as a nation. It is as simple as that. You have to save the banks or else every person you know over 60 loses his pension, every one loses their medical care over 6g. I mean do you honestly believe that your 401k will survive massive bank failures, or your house, or your parents house? If banks fail they foreclose. Are you ready to pay off your mortgage today? I know I'm not.

J