Obama Losing Support Among Democrats

While all the attention has been paid to angry opponents of health care reform at Congressional town hall meetings, a bigger problem for President Obama and his party is brewing among Democrats.

Our latest Zogby Interactive poll of 4,518 likely voters (conducted from Aug. 28-31) found 48% disapprove of Obama's job performance, and 42% approve. The big story lies behind those top-line percentages.

In a similar interactive poll done six weeks ago, 88% of Democrats approved of Obama's job performance. That percentage is now down to 75%, a significant drop of 13 points. Meanwhile, there is only slight change among Republicans and Independents.

Obama has lost even more support among 18-29-year-old voters, whose approval fell by 18 points over that time. The Democrats may be able to count on older, die hard party members to come out and vote, even when they may be disappointed. But those young voters could very easily sour on the Democrats and politics itself if Obama does not deliver on his message of change.

Health care isn't the only issue that is hurting Obama with his Democratic base. The war in Afghanistan is losing popularity, and his handling of detainees and the bank bailout may not be what many Democrats voted for.

Obama still retains most of his personal popularity with Democrats, with 85% rating him favorably. However, partisans are less likely to continue to separate their opinions of the man from those of his policies than are less issue-oriented voters.

Obama is now firmly between a rock and a hard place. Liberal Democrats want a strong health care reform bill with a public option. Republicans and more conservative Democrats disagree. Obama needs to enter the fray in a very public way, which may mean knocking heads with both wings of his own party.

Comments

[quimbys]

So our choices these days are incompetent Democrats who are afraid of their own shadow and appear to have no moral backbone or principles other than good oratory OR facist Republicans who get things done legally or illegally, by hook or by crook and have no absolutely no morals at all! Time for me to find a new country.

[Parsimony]

Mr. Obama must attempt to govern from the center even as he tries to move the inertia to the left. Although the country voted for change, the center of the country is far to his right. He must lead, but he is swimming in a sea of sharks who use every opportunity to disable him and his agenda even to the point attacking him for using his stature as our first African American president to urge children to stay in school and their parents, male and female, to take more responsibility to see that they do.

Where I think he (and the party) screwed up is in allowing congress to take the lead and to move on cap and trade before health care. After seeing, indeed smelling, the product that they put out, why would anyone trust them to get it right on health care? Pelosi and Waxman bear a great deal of the responsibility for the position the president is now in.

[FinnofBlaxAlternate]

My gut feeling is that Democrats need to 1) be patient and 2) not plan on getting everything. The real world does not work like that. If Obama manages a reform plan that does even some small things--like keeping insurance firms from barring coverage on preexisting conditions-- that, is progress. Of course you want to ask for the whole thing (the biggest component of that being a single payer system), but reality says you will only get some of what you want.

The stupid thing for Democrats now is to sit around getting disappointed, or critiquing the President. Republicans will do fine by themselves trying to reinforce the status quo on healthcare reform.

Just ask yourself, would you get more reform from McCain, or from Obama, McCain being the alternative.

On most other issues, I think Obama is biding his time. IF you get healthcare nailed down, that builds momentum for every other battle. I would imagine he will move to immigration next year, and of course all the conservative complaints now will shift to that issue (lies and exaggerations included).

[nodemrep]

My personal minimum requirements for an acceptable national medical plan would be:

It must be the same plan for Congress and the executive branch, with no alternatives for them which are not available to all citizens. Only if they experience the same benefits and difficulties as ordinary citizens will they correct or improve whatever health plan becomes available.

It must realistically be affordable both for individuals and the government(s).

It must be clear and understandable by the majority of citizens.

It must not place difficult bureaucratic burdens on citizens or health providers.

It must include strong and effective tort reform as regards medical providers.

It must assure competitive costs for treatments and drugs, no matter who pays.

It must retain "choice" for health care consumers, without legislation or policy promoting or penalizing any choice.

Please note that those requirements are politically nonpartisan.

[ProgressiveCynic]

>The GOP has been trying to make it possible for people to buy health ins, across state line

That's because some states make it easier than others for insurance companies to screw over the people they insure---reject claims, ask for refunds of claims paid, cancel policies, etc.

[ProgressiveCynic]

Dubya spent 8 years giving his base what they wanted—war, tax cuts for the rich, attacks on public education, torture, attacks on liberty.

And what do we get? A vegetable garden next to the White House?

[gmjr]

I belive in Capitalism.. I hate that gecko and progressive ins ads ect. But because of thier aggressive advertising, my auto ins is 40% cheaper today than it was 2 years ago. (samecoverage).
The GOP has been trying to make it possible for people to buy health ins, across state line for about 10 years. I am semi retired and there is no reason for me to buy ins which covers pregency! If I could streamline my health ins, like I do my auto ins I would not have such a high premium. Not to mention the competition factor. NYS insists that HMO's cover rehab programs for addicts and Drunks, and they must re-admit more than once. Drives up the cost. Actually AA and NA do a better job for free. IF you are a single man do you need coverage for a pap smear. Or if you are a women do you need coverage for a prostrate exam. The list goes on and on ad nausem!
I could get all the coverage I need for 1 third of the cost, if I could buy ny ins from Ariz!!!!!!!!!!!

[dzuh]

I voted for Obama, and though I don't approve of everything he's done, I'm still very glad that I supported him. I mean, it stinks that he's making backroom deals that help the pharmaceutical companies make more profit at the public's expense. It does seem like Obama is too willing to compromise with corporations and sell out his progressive constituency.

Having said that, it's important to understand that we're still a LOT better off with him in office than the Republicans. Seriously, the mess we're in right now would be SO much worse if John McCain and Sarah Palin had been elected. So at this point in Obama's presidency, the Zogby numbers serve to oversimplify the issue somewhat.

[mikefina]

I remember, vividly, 1977/78 when the Dems couldn't CONCEIVE of a Republican ever being relevant on the National stage--not after Nixon.

To Dems, Reagan was a non-issue. Carter would be unopposed.

Then. Carter HAPPENED (see Obama), Kennedy opposed (see Dean, Clinton, Progressive of your choice) and the country got wise.

Reagan, 1980 Defeats James Earl Carter (D) 489 to 49 in the electoral college. You have NO idea what might happen in 2012.

[LovelyGirl]

This is a hopeless situation. The Republicans are immoral fear mongerers who act like Stepford citizens. They just do what they are told. They don't think for themselves, research for themselves, make up their own minds. They have become the living dead, zombies. The Democrats are high minded impatient wimps. They want what they want and they want it now like impetulant little brats. They have no patience. The President is a collaborator. He's trying to find common ground. It's so sad that that's seen as a weakness and not a strength. I've learned not to underestimate him. Just because he's not loud mouthed and crude doesn't mean he's not tough. Oh, what the heck, we don't deserve President Obama. He's too good too decent for this hatefilled country where people are overly invested in their own interests and don't think about the greater good.

[Luke3]

According to the Pew Research Institute, Republicans are higher educated than Democrats. Pew is considered a left of center think tank by the way.

[wolfsvssarah]

It just blows me away that after 7 months people are just giving up. Are we going to give him time to clean up the mess of a Republican run graft only country? He cannot heal this nation overnight, no one can, well at least no human. Please give the man and his term time.

[newtom]

My opinion, for what it's worth, is that Democrats and progressives too easily participate in the criticism of Obama. When GW Bush was in office, no matter how much he lied, no matter how many rights he took away, no matter the torture, the incompetence or any of his many shortcomings -- Republicans continued to back him and support him. You didn't hear many Republicans criticize Bush!

That's not true for Obama. No sooner was he in office than many left wing progressives started to criticize him for his handling of the economy, Gitmo, healthcare, etc etc. and they still haven't given much of a chance for him to make progress.

The Republicans just LOVE this! They see it as a failure of progressive policy. They see it as an opportunity to defeat the left and they use the opportunity to their great advantage. I'm not suggesting we completely back off. We need to push, for sure, but we need to do it with encouraging words rather than threats. We will only lose if we continue down this path.

[gratonite]

I do hear what you're saying, and it would be nice if the issues were that simple. But for better or worse, it's difficult to maintain lockstep consent when yours is the side of inclusion, thoughtful discourse and diverse populations. The right is able to corral their flock to rapid consensus because sheep just aren't that bright. They see debate as weakness because they are not thinking people, they prefer to pick a color, pick a side, black or white and then dig in...i don't think we want to go there.

And honestly, I'm disappointed that the president hasn't put the same determined effort into getting single payer, or even a public option health plan for us, as he did into getting himself elected. He's there now, he's had his vacation, now let's see some democratic spine!

[lthuedk 1]

One of the defining characteristic of Liberals is the ability to think independently. How then can anything get done? By being very, very convincing.

Good luck next week, President Obama.

http://www.light-to-dark.com/obama_confronts_the_corporation.html

[duif100]

Start thinking independently!
It is impossible to be convincing if the facts are not on your side!
That is the problem!
The bail-outs, the Stimulus Bill, Healthcare and Cap & Trade are some of the failures.
They are all extremely poor packages.
On top of that,; as long as a leader asks the population to sacrifice and he himself and his cronies do not make the same sacrifices, he does inspire credibility.
His time of teleprompter persuasion is over. It is time to deliver.
Criticizing Bush was so easy; outperforming him is a lot harder. (And Bush was not an impressive president either)

[AN2009]

I know a lot of people who voted for Obama because he promised to reform healthcare. If he wimps out on providing a public option, they'll vote against him in the next election. Hopefully, he'll deliver on his promise, and if he doesn't, then he'll certainly pay for it at the polls.

[Tom Payned]

President Obama has, unfortunately, given more credence to the view that Dems are weak, disorganized, unable to LEAD, unable to manage a crisis & adapt to a new environment.

Obama hasn't learned the lesson of John Kerry's August of 2004 collapse. Obama has allowed reform of health insurance, a popular, overwhelming approved issue of the majority of voters, to be SWIFT BOATED.

And like Kerry, Obama stood on the sideline, underestimating how gullible the public as a whole can be. Combine that with a growing distrust of the man himself, based upon an unrelenting campaign of hate & disinformation of the right wing tools Rush, O'Really, Hannity et al., bleating about place of birth, socialistic goals, blaming Obama for the Bush economy, & a fear of the black man, how could he & the dem party have been so poorly prepared?

Negotiating publicly without getting concessions for the giveaways does not exude strength, smarts, or savvy.

All in all, this Liberal, is as disgusted with Obama as I was with Clinton in 1994 when he caved on welfare reform based on his inability to set the agenda & maintain his party's numbers.

Personally, no public option, no more support from me. It's not just the option, it's Obama's poor governing skills & inability to prepare for what anyone could have predicted.

[DontFeedTheBeast]

actually, i thought he OVERestimated the gullibility of the American people by trying to ram it through before it could be discussed.

[SoCalDaveO]

Obama's problem is that, as a weak and inexperienced politician, he is seeing that his powers of reading teleprompted speeches will not win the day - every day. He is wrestling with the fact that he cannot slide by on campaign promises (that is for campaigning) alone. He must govern, and he has zero idea on how to do that.

So, thankfully, he is caving in. Drink the koolaid as long as you can if you "support" his many mystifying stances on everything. And good luck sleeping at night.

[DontFeedTheBeast]

hmmm.... very similar to rasmussen numbers....