Public Confidence Hits New Low For President Obama (POLL)

Nearly six in ten voters say they have little or no confidence in President Obama's ability to make the right decisions for the United States, according to a new Washington Post/ABC News poll released Tuesday.

The finding from the survey marks a new low in faith for the president and appears to be the result of how the public views Obama's handling of economic issues.

According to the poll, the president maintains a 50 percent overall approval rating; however, when it comes to the economy, 54 percent say they disapprove of how Obama is doing his job.

Despite the dismal numbers, the president still boasts higher marks from the public than both Democratic and Republican members of Congress. Sixty-eight percent of Americans signaled they lack confidence in Democrats' ability to govern, while 72 percent expressed the same of Republicans.

Gary Langer at ABC News explains what the numbers may mean for the upcoming midterm elections:

While Democrats are most at risk, the danger's not theirs alone. Registered voters by 62-26 percent are inclined to look around for someone new for Congress rather than to re-elect their current representative - the broadest anti-incumbency on record in ABC/Post polls since 1989. Backing for incumbents has lost 11 points since February, an unusually steep decline.

Comments

[CGrib]

04:50 PM on 07/19/2010

I read in The Nation that Obama needs to re-energize his base before the mid-term elections. What I think he does not realize (and this is what the polls really show) is that his base has disengaged from him.

[CGrib]

04:56 PM on 07/19/2010

The real question is what will it take to re-engage the base.
In my opinion the first step is a simple one. I don't expect to agree with the president, but I do expect to hear what's true when its true and clear reasoning behind decisions (whether I like them or not). We can handle the truth!
Right now we do not percieve truth, straight talk or tranparency from the White House or Congress.

[Nonamnesiac]

02:03 PM on 07/14/2010

Many now see it this way. Obama is as much of a supporter of voodoo economics (Reaganomics, neo-liberal economics, Clintonmics) as W and Clinton. That's why no one trust him. Now he picks another shill of the financial institutions to his front line economic team. Obama is a hardline, poison-ivy-league fanatical supporter of voodoo economics catechism (unbridled free trade, privatization (which includes relying on corporations to police themselves and fix problems historically fixed by government), low taxes for the wealthy, endless war, anti-labor policies and deregulation). Everyone who really wants "change you can believe in" sees through him now and that's why his personal approval is low and getting lower.

Now he appoints another Rubin-protege.

Obama believes the base has no choice but to support him in the end, so he just defecates all over us. But he's wrong. Those who want change see in him another warmongering war criminal who thinks we're so stupid he can pass hurt-the-middle-class health legislation and call it health care reform. We see someone who passes legislation that neither regulates nor punishes those who violate regulations and refuses to prosecute them and calls that legislation regulatory reform. We see someone who attacks working people and says he's pro-labor.

Obamaniacs can spin this however they want, but Obama has lost the honest base. There's little he can do to get us back, even if it means a Republican wins. Obama is dishonest with Republican policies.

[kinogod]

01:05 PM on 07/14/2010

I don't have confidence in him and I worked my ass off for him. He doesn't appear to have the guts it takes to fight for a principle. The American people will believe in you if you fight for them, but appease and u r done

[luvU2]

01:42 PM on 07/14/2010

Well you can always voe for $arah in 2012. I am sure she will do much better.

[valleygent]

09:59 PM on 07/14/2010

You know that is a false choice... just because one has lost confidence in the President's abitlity to achieve change does not mean that one would or must support a Palin. Mature up and take a logic 101 course at the college level.

[Liberal2009]

12:14 PM on 07/14/2010

I also strongly believe that most Americans simply want change for the better, but don’t realize how bad a shape we are in nationally and globally, and how difficult it is to get past that. They are unable to comprehend what it will take to “fix” the problem, and don’t want to make sacrifices to do it. Typical, “I want it now” Americanism.

Overall, I commend him on what he has done for our National image and what he has accomplished to mend broken fences. Sadly, I think that there is so much wrong that he will be more remembered for what he failed to accomplish instead of did accomplish.

[3dtrix]

12:09 PM on 07/14/2010

Buried in the same poll results: Stupidity in the USA reaches record levels - the trend line extends beyond the destruction of the nation...

[AlanInGA]

11:23 AM on 07/14/2010

Obama: "don't believe you eyes and ears, just believe me."

[ebanks84]

11:19 AM on 07/14/2010

Lies from another poll. I don't believe it and I feel people trust Obama more than they trust any republican in my opinion and the votes will display that in November.

[vulpes]

12:00 PM on 07/14/2010

Actually I'd argue that both the poll and your assumption are correct. President Obama has shown himself to be far too deferential to Wall Street and the insurance companies for my taste. Yet while I have "little or no confidence in President Obama's ability to make the right decisions for the United States", I see no preferable alternative. Also given how psychotically scary the GOP has become, I'm more likely to hold my nose and vote for the lesser evil of a Dem incumbent than abstain or go third party out of concern for how much worse the GOP would make things if returned to power.

[ebanks84]

05:40 PM on 07/14/2010

Any agreement as far as I'm concerned is good. Thank you :).

[treboi]

10:18 AM on 07/14/2010

Lol...Obama's approval numbers haven't changed since Jan (50%). So what does the media do...make up a new more confusing way to poll voters to get the "Obama narative" we want...the the MSM is so phoney...

[fictioneer]

10:11 AM on 07/14/2010

He's losing the base by playing to "bipartisanship" and he needs to lose Emmanuel or he's going to just lose period.

[Righteous Fury]

11:02 AM on 07/14/2010

You are correct sir!

[dennidus1680]

11:55 AM on 07/14/2010

He needs to start fulfilling his campaign promises and lose the whole cadre of DLC advisors. This isn't the guy I voted for. He's been a smiley face for continued Bush policies. We did'd want another Bush and if we wanted DLC we would have put Hillary in.

[Aldyth]

10:10 AM on 07/14/2010

During the campaign, I expressed concern that Obama said a lot of things that I wanted to hear, but had no record to back him up. I'm from Illinois and watch politics closely. Practically the day after Obama was elected United States Senator, he started running for President. He had a total of two years as a United State Senator - during which he was absent a lot in order to campaign - when he was elected.

My experience in dealing with politicians has taught me that what they say is far less important than what they do. I expressed concern in 2008 that while he talked a good game, how could we know if he could actually produce? I stated that Obama was swept into office on a wave of personal charisma, but actual governing requires a lot more than that.

So far, Obama hasn't produced nearly what he has promised. I'll grant that anyone coming into the office deserves time to learn, get his team formed, and become productive. He has also come into the office during the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression, an unpopular war in Iraq created under false pretenses by his predecessor, and eight years of losing credibility with the world.

I'm not ready to say that I have lost faith in Obama, simply because I didn't have a huge amount of faith in him from the beginning. So far, my observations support my initial impressions of Obama.

[dennidus1680]

11:56 AM on 07/14/2010

Agreed.

[SearchURSoulFirst]

09:58 AM on 07/14/2010

He better start paying attention because we have elections coming up and most importantly those numbers include disappointed liberals.

[StuManChu]

09:48 AM on 07/14/2010

It's Wed night, and that means it's time to party at the White House. Who's tonight's entertainment?

[wanked]

11:40 AM on 07/14/2010

That's probably the one thing o bomber can make up his mind about. But then Im sure the wife has the final say...and come to think of it...came up with the agenda.

[chonus]

09:26 AM on 07/14/2010

Well, Republican policies will bring your poll numbers down. See Bush II.

[UpNorthGuyWI]

08:45 AM on 07/14/2010

For the sake of the nation, for those who need jobs or worry about the security of their job, let's hope that Obama resigns.

[jerrde]

08:21 AM on 07/14/2010

so it took the wash. post and abc to confirm what we been saying for the last 18 months so does that make it official ... community organizers do not make good presidents

[UpNorthGuyWI]

08:43 AM on 07/14/2010

Obama would be a great intern.

[toochie]

08:59 AM on 07/14/2010

Like Monica?

[chonus]

09:16 AM on 07/14/2010

Well since Obama's been using the Republican playbook his numbers have went down. The people are sick of Republicans and therefore, sick of Obama.