Which one of these doesn't fit? More jobs, a record stock market, wars ending and dismal poll numbers.
All apply to Barack Obama's presidency as it passes the 2,000-day mark, raising questions about the viability of what used to be known as conventional political wisdom.
A strengthening economy and robust stock market traditionally mean general public satisfaction with government. Bringing soldiers home from war zones has always boosted presidential popularity.
Not this time with this President.
A CNN compilation of recent national polls indicates only 41% of Americans approve of Obama's handling of the job, down 6 percentage points from a year ago and matching the low of the past 12 months.
Why the disconnect? A convergence of factors -- uneven economic growth, government crises both real and exaggerated, foreign policy problems, hyper-partisan Washington politics now on election-year steroids -- helps explain it.
CNN then goes through each of the positives they just named and picks them apart in order to justify Obama's low poll numbers but that is all bullshit.
The reason is because ever since the day this President took office Fox News, Sarah Palin, and other Right Wing talking heads have undermined every single thing that he has accomplished, while the Republicans in Congress have actively worked to keep him from accomplishing anything.
President Obama has worked night and day to cleanup the devastating mess left by George W. Bush, and the entire time he has had to endure withering attacks from the very people who applauded the last president while he was making that mess.
So fuck them!
Look I have things that I disagree with President Obama on.
The drone attacks, NSA spying, the way we treat whistle blowers, but there is no room left to have a civil disagreement because as a progressive I feel it is my job to stand up for this President and defend him against unwarranted attacks, while also publicizing the incredible job he has been doing.
In the end there is simply no reasonable comparison between this presidency and ANY of the Republican ones that came before. Simply put, Democrats do this job infinitely better than do Republicans.
And despite the wishes of the Right Wing history story will show that THIS President was one of our very best.
Well, we also have to realize that CNN is "Fox News Lite." No media outlet has been fair to President Obama. Oh, the NYT endorsed him in 2008 and 2012 but, once he was elected, they sure did little to support his efforts. And no one in the national media has gone after the GOP and their deliberate acts of sedition that began with the meeting on Inauguration Day 2009.
ReplyDeleteBeaglemom
Out of the park spot on Gryphon. It is incredible as to the accomplishments of President Obama. Has it been fast enough or hard enough. Of course not when the whiny sisters Boehner and Cantor are so afraid of the ignorant Tea Bags to offer up sane legislation to offer sound legislation on immigration reform, health care, education, infrastructure repairs, etc. The Party of No has painted itself into a corner. Only a true ideologue moron would support their post Reagan pile of failures.
ReplyDeleteWhere do those poll numbers come from? Are they from calls to random landlines? If do, they are automatically skewed in favor of older people who are home and have the time to answer poll questions.
ReplyDeleteI've been unhappy with him because he's tried so hard to negotiate with the wingers, hoping to draw them in and get something accomplished. So far as I'm concerned, he should have started out by kicking asses. But his job is to protect and defend the constitution of the United States, and he's an expert on constitutional law, and the constitution says to work together. Yes, he will be remembered as one of the very best, if one one of the greats- but he is one of the greats.
ReplyDeleteCheck out this chart!
ReplyDeletehttp://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/sharp-improvement-the-unemployment-rate
This poll really is “worthless” and “useless.”
ReplyDeleteI’m not sure which is more irresponsible: Quinnipiac, for putting such a pointless survey in the field, or media professionals who are pretending the results are important.
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/the-best-and-worst-modern-presidents#break
Being president while black undoubtedly costs some points in polls.
ReplyDelete"Worse than George W. (there are weapons of mass destruction in Iraq) Bush?"
ReplyDeleteOf course, even if that had been the poll question, the answers would still be skewed by the mindless hatred of the tea party types.
It's all a matter of American Exceptionalism.
ReplyDeleteThat is, America is treating Obama exceptionally badly.
He deserves far better.
We should be ashamed.
Damn straight, Beldar, but he rises like the proverbial phoenix!
DeleteI would like to know the questions that were asked for the poll - how the people contacted - what age group and were the questions done in a negative slant to begin with? How many racists were contacted and a part of that poll?
ReplyDeleteHe is doing a great job but I didn't get a call! I voted for him both times and would again if it were possible. He is playing chess while the Republican assholes (U.S. Congress) are playing marbles! He's so much smarter than the majority of them!
Love, love, love him - his wife Michelle and their two beautiful daughters!
Read this sh*t and weep! (Just HOW stupid can they get???!!!)
ReplyDeletehttp://www.businessinsider.com/conservatives-purposely-making-cars-spew-black-smoke-2014-7
His poll numbers are low in part because the right has done nothing but obstruct and LIE from the day he was inaugurated.
ReplyDeleteFar too many people believe every lie or manipulation of the truth that they hear on Fox, CNN, or any of the 'liberal' media, every one of which skews news to the right and focuses on the negative, even in a positive story.
History will show that Barack Obama was one of our most effective Presidents and that he saved this country from a lethal implosion.
Thank you. As one of the Walter Cronkite Huntley/Brinkley era, your words speak volumes.
DeleteI agree. Those that disagree and listen to the skewed right should be ashamed.
DeleteI take CNN with a huge grain of salt. Yeah, I'm not happy with some things, but all things considered, I'm thrilled with what he's been able to accomplish, against all odds. History will judge him a great man, Commander in Chief, Father, and Leader.
ReplyDeleteI don't like some of the things President Obama has done either but we are not privy to the intel he has. The first president I recall in my childhood was JFK and his assassination when I was 8. The teachers at my school cried, my Dad got home from work and yelled "GOOD!"
ReplyDeletePresident Obama is blamed for every damn thing that Dubya did to this country, yet still handles himself with grace, humor, and a good dose of 3-D chess He is also respected worldwide excepting those out to destroy us at all costs.
As many have said here the past six years, the meeting the night of his inauguration to take him down no matter what. I admire this man more than any President in my recollection.
Watch Michelle and he do even more when his term is done to help humanity. Bill Clinton. Jimmy Carter. You don't see that from Republicans, not by a long shot, and it beats burfday bikini shots any day of the week. WHO is leading, Queen Heifer?
.
Yes 7:07 PM....History will judge him a great man,
ReplyDeleteCommander in Chief, Father and Leader, and Sarah Palin
will be judged a silly, emptyheaded fool! .
Among the SANE people of Earth, there is an expression:
ReplyDelete"Try to act like Obama."
It means, instead of making a fool of yourself by getting all angry and spouting out overstated positions, to keep cool and calm, and realize that intelligence and poise always beats craziness.
I get told this often (being someone who flies off the handle easily).
The future will recognize this understanding, crafty, diplomatic leader, for certain...while it tries to forget the foolishness of his detractors.
Well, first, those 30% are Republicans.
ReplyDeleteSecond, this has nothing to do with his accomplishments.
It doesn't matter what he does.
The one thing he cannot do is make himself white. And that is why he will never attain the approval numbers that reflect his accomplishments. (Yeah, I know he was high when first elected, but remember, it's all about WHO you ask and WHAT you ask. Polls can be as biased as those taking them want.)
I think your analysis is spot on G. I have nothing to add.
ReplyDelete.....Which one of these doesn't fit? More jobs, a record stock market, wars ending and dismal poll numbers....
ReplyDeleteAmerica should be very grateful President Obama got us out of the recession we were in tumbling in.
How soon we forget.
Rmoney would have just dug us in deeper, while signing away ever more of our constitutional rights. (Although SCOTUS is doing a pretty good job on their own.)
Delete“the single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term President.” vowed McConnell
ReplyDeleteThank God the Republicans failed at that goal.
Time to stop reading and listening to polls....they are just BS.
ReplyDeleteWith the stock market doing great and job numbers solid, we have a right to be optimistic. Just imagine the din from the GOP if this were not the case..... Try as the GOP may with Bengazi, IRS, Obamacare...they got nothing. I do believe there is a silent majority of people out here that are watching ....New Jersey, Mississippi, etc. as events like voter fraud, corruption, etc. unfold. Don't be distracted....and that is the key.
WHEN A TRUE GENIUS APPEARS IN THE WORLD, YOU MAY KNOW HIM BY THIS SIGN; THAT THE DUNCES ARE ALL IN CONFEDERACY AGAINST HIM.
ReplyDeleteJONATHAN SWIFT
I hope you all know that the unemployment stats are gather only from citizens who filed for unemployment. In addittion, unlike wrlfare there is only a limited amount of time a person can be on unemployment. So fewer and fewer people qualify for unemployment. I'll let to do the math in regards to our unemployment polls.
ReplyDeleteYou guys must like being lied to....
ReplyDeleteDon't forget the Koch brothers own Fox News as well as most of the mainstream media, the House of Representatives, state Senate's and are now working on The Senate.
ReplyDeleteYouTube: Koch2014 or is it Kochbrothers2014 ? This video is available for recording and redistribution. A real eye opener. Towns all over America are holding local meetigs jusy to show it. Mine did. We only have 10k population here. We are writing the editor of our local as well as major metro newspapers. Gotta get the word out before the next election folks! You dont need me to tell you how important that is! Just do it! The info of where to email yhe Koch brothers is at the end of this video.Have fun!!