Rasmussen: Obama loses majority support
posted at 11:36 am on July 24, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
Rasmussen’s presidential tracking polls detecting slippage in support for Barack Obama first, and now they report that his approval ratings have fallen below 50% for the first time. Driving the indicator, as it has all along, is the departure of independents from the president’s banner. Obama only has a 37% approval rating among unaffiliated voters, which will make his Capitol Hill colleagues even more nervous as Obama’s big-spending plans come up for votes:
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 30% of the nation’s voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-eight percent (38%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -8.
Just 25% believe that the economic stimulus package has helped the economy. …
Overall, 49% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President’s performance. Today marks the first time his overall approval rating has ever fallen below 50% among Likely Voters nationwide. Fifty-one percent (51%) disapprove.
It marks the first time that Obama has gone underwater since he started his remarkable run for the presidency in early 2007. Undoubtedly, voters have now put the responsibility for the economy squarely on Obama’s shoulders after six months of worsening indicators. The steep decline in support for his health-care bill represents in part a lack of confidence in his ability to deliver after the failure of the massive stimulus package, which he promised would put America back to work.
Even the Democratic gender gap has mostly been wiped out for Obama. Although crosstabs are not available on daily tracking reports, Rasmussen’s poll shows an approval rating of 51% among women, just two points above the overall average. If Obama had hoped to maintain the traditional Democratic inroads with women with his focus on health care, that appears to have backfired, as the survey on that issue earlier in the week showed women opposing it by a 50%-46% edge, with men more clearly in opposition at 53%-44%. Why? Pluralities among both genders believe that their personal coverage will get worse under ObamaCare.
With that in mind, it will be interesting to watch Rasmussen on Monday and Tuesday next week when the effect from the Obama presser gets absorbed in the polling. Will Obama get a bump just from being on TV? Or will his lackluster and trite presentation of old arguments work against him with the people who are already unhappy with ObamaCare?
Blowback
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I couldn’t be happier. It’s too bad that it has taken this long for 51% of the ocuntry to figure out what we have Known all along.
This guy doesn’t care what he passes, as long as he passes something. He doesn’t care if it improves healthcare, only that it gives him bragging points.
bopbottle on July 24, 2009 at 12:07 PM
This sure explains that whole “praying” thing from yesterday.
Bob's Kid on July 24, 2009 at 12:07 PM
chromium on July 24, 2009 at 11:53 AM
A true narcissist (which he undoubtedly is) is incapable of accepting personal failures or shortcomings. He will blame others for everything negative. It simply cannot be his fault. We’ve seen plenty of that already, just watch for the escalation, more lashing out. However, he will never give up and never, never step down.
IrishEi on July 24, 2009 at 12:07 PM
LMAO
marklmail on July 24, 2009 at 12:07 PM
Man I hope those tapes have Gates screaming somehwere on them.
BadgerHawk on July 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM
“If I were the filthy liar, I’d be spending the weekend converting the West Wing into a kennel for all the puppies he’s going to need.”
Chuckle…
percysunshine on July 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Time to take the kids out for ice cream…
tims472 on July 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Carter had his head in the clouds. Barry has his hand in your wallet.
Limerick on July 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM
It would be tough, Crazylegs, but she MIGHT be able to pull it off. The timing and circumstances would have to absolutely fall in line, and she would have to say the right things to punch a few more holes on the side of his sinking ship.
Not that I want Hillary in the White House, I just postulate these things as amusement.
But as I’ve said before, there is ONE thing Barry O’Hopenchange did accomplish in his scant career that I didn’t think ANYONE could ever do: Made me realize that maybe, just maybe, Hillary might not have been so bad after all!
JamesLee on July 24, 2009 at 12:08 PM
Exactly. The Precedent really went over the line on this one (moreso than his other ridiculously insane forays into racial grievance politics). There has been a dissatisfaction building up from his inauguration with “when white embraces what’s right”, his munchkin Reich’s assertion that he doesn’t want to see the stimulus jobs go to highly skilled workers or white males, Sotomayor’s moronic and grammatically incorrect declaration that wise Latinas are wiser than white males … and finally to his ignorant defense of Gates, who should have been effusive in his appreciation of the police for responding so quickly to reports of a break-in at his house. This has all accumulated in the public mind and, except for those real America-haters backing The Precedent (probably something like 35%) the rest are really starting to recoil at what a truly despicable POS is sitting in the White House.
progressoverpeace on July 24, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Battle lines are being drawn. Neither side is backing down. All this because the filthy liar in the White House was incapable of saying “I don’t know what the facts are so I can’t comment on that.”
highhopes on July 24, 2009 at 12:09 PM
Obamas polls really read like a greek tragedy
blatantblue on July 24, 2009 at 12:09 PM
When’s he going to Martha’s Vineyard?
Look for lots of shots of him with his shirt off.
(Just please spare us the ones of Michelle in a bikini).
AZCoyote on July 24, 2009 at 12:09 PM
JiangxiDad on July 24, 2009 at 12:10 PM
At -8 he’s getting there!
INC on July 24, 2009 at 12:10 PM
I think the Gates issue has really blown up in his face.
ladyingray on July 24, 2009 at 12:11 PM
I am counting up the years before I have to attend my first suicide informational counseling session. Heck I don’t even have to renew my drivers license every five years.
HoustonRight on July 24, 2009 at 12:11 PM
I’m sure his version of praying is more like scolding God for not giving him his way by the deadlines he has set and lecturing Him on the dangers of “destroying” his presidency. Maybe one of those middle-finger nose scratches tossed in just to let God know he really means busines, lol!
califcon on July 24, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Jiangxi…
Which means Rahm has threatened each and every congressman risks waking up with a horse’s head.
Mighty Casey is coming to the plate……..
Limerick on July 24, 2009 at 12:12 PM
hahahah Cambridge coming out swinging against Obama! woo hoo hahah
gatorboy on July 24, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Circling the drain… circling… circling…
Akzed on July 24, 2009 at 12:12 PM
President Obama’s not going anywhere. I wouldn’t even get too optimistic about him being a one term President. The key is getting the fillibuster back and trying to recapture the House in 2010.
If Republicans can do that President Obama is dead in the water.
BadgerHawk on July 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM
So, if Pelosi skips the markup committees, which version of the bill are they going to be voting on?
myrenovations on July 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM
It’s wonderful, It’s marvelous….may his numbers dip lower by the minute.
He didn’t sound so eloquent and intelligent using the word “stupidly”, or is it me? Sorry, I do not think he is as intelligent or eloquent as people say he is.
But keep talking Barry, without a telprompter, and your true colors will come out more and your number will go down even further.
won’t it be wonderful, and marvelous?
Conservatives R Us on July 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM
califcon on July
LOL
blatantblue on July 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM
Historically, if a President is below 50 % approval it becomes a matter of how many, not if, his party gets whacked in the off-year elections.
And the Congressional Democrats know it. They also know that they can be there longer than any Obama Presidency
jjshaka on July 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM
And they are kicking butt in this presser and demanding apologies from the mayor, Gates and Obama.
Knucklehead on July 24, 2009 at 12:13 PM
As much as I would NOT like to see the Fairness Doctrine instated, it would hurt the left more than it would help, me thinks. People don’t like to be told what they can and cannot listen to, especially Americans. They’ll go to the internet and listen to talk “radio” in droves, IMHO.
teffertoes on July 24, 2009 at 12:14 PM
That or he’s praying to satan and calling him God.
MobileVideoEngineer on July 24, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Actually, according to Rasmussen, it’s already here. 51% of those in the Presidential Daily Tracking Poll disapprove, with less than 1% unsure. Of course, that means that Rasmussen very-aggressively pushes those who can’t make up their minds.
Now, if we see other polls continue the trend and follow Rasmussen into net negative territory, I’ll break out the bubbly. After all, the trend is not Obama’s friend.
steveegg on July 24, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Not cool. Not surprising either.
BadgerHawk on July 24, 2009 at 12:14 PM
The unwritten one. The one that will be finished by aides after the numbskulls pass it.
Limerick on July 24, 2009 at 12:14 PM
Is there a president who has stayed over 50% consistently?
teffertoes on July 24, 2009 at 12:15 PM
From the presser……
“They wish they had moved forward with the charges against Gates but it was out of their hands”
Knucklehead on July 24, 2009 at 12:15 PM
Code Red stress level! Big Media scrambling to suppress this story.
whitetop on July 24, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Hmmmm…..smells like
Chicagodead fish.IrishEi on July 24, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Look on the bright side. Now the Obama family is suddenly going to choose a local church to attend in DC.
Red State State of Mind on July 24, 2009 at 12:16 PM
This is really more a reaction of lefties hating being told that they can’t control what goes out as news or opinion in mass media anymore. That monopoly went away in 1988, with the advent of Rush. It’s completely irretrievable today in the face of cable channels, satellite, and the internet.
The most they can achieve is bankrupting AM radio.
I doubt they get away with it, as you said, nothing makes something more popular than trying to ban it.
wildcat84 on July 24, 2009 at 12:17 PM
I saw the article but never clicked on it, just rolled my eyes. So was he praying to himself for guidance?
jeffn21 on July 24, 2009 at 12:18 PM
What an abomination that woman is! I suspect that the Blue Dogs and other Dems who are not in favor of this craptacular bill will vote it down if she tries to shove it down their throats that way.
califcon on July 24, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Which mosque did they choose?
wildcat84 on July 24, 2009 at 12:18 PM
I’m betting that there are A LOT of very nervous people in the MSM these days. If The Precedent goes sown the tubes, they go too, and no one is going to be able to deny the MSM’s major role in lying about The Precedent and twisting the information in every way possible in order to get the traitor elected. The MSM has gone all-in with The Precedent and they are about to lose that bet, big time. It couldn’t happen to a more deserving group.
progressoverpeace on July 24, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Time for Obama to go shirtless. That should bump up his numbers a few points.
Beaglemom on July 24, 2009 at 12:19 PM
The real Dear Leader is becoming clearer and clearer.
d1carter on July 24, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Excellent! I wish I could watch it.
ladyingray on July 24, 2009 at 12:19 PM
Hillary has diehard supports such as myself, she will be fine MighTFine :0)
TOTUS and Congress eh not so much
Hill is polling very well and we were glad she got OUT of Congress before she was pressured to vote for this SPENDING Bills from hell….
But i did want her to resign as SoS after Iran protests went unacknowledged but Sarah beat her to it (and I support Sarah too)
everyone who knows Hill knows she is a sticker, she stuck with Bill, and the party after they stole the nom. Frankly Inonly sleep at night b/c I know Hilla nd Jim Jones will leak any insane plans TOTUS might come up with….
ginaswo on July 24, 2009 at 12:20 PM
Perfectly clear :)
wildcat84 on July 24, 2009 at 12:20 PM
I cannot wait to get home and watch this.
BadgerHawk on July 24, 2009 at 12:21 PM
That won’t work now. Remember….he’s “frumpy.”
genso on July 24, 2009 at 12:21 PM
is everyone on FOX with the presser!!! sheer awesomeness seeing our peeps in blue sticking together!
ginaswo on July 24, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Oh, I dont’ think he’s going anywhere, and I’m certainly NOT on the bandwagon of the impeach him now crowd. For one, making stupid policy decision is NOT criminal. And the louder that chorus gets, the more our side will end up sounding like the Kos Kooks who were screaming to impeach Bush for anything and everything from day one.
I sort of liken it to those first few days I spent in boot camp in ’88, you know, those days you think “what the heck am I doing here, I want my mommy!” Someone explained calmly to the group that the fastest, easiest way to get OUT of boot camp was to graduate with your Company. That’s how I veiw this Admin, the quickest easiest way to get rid of him and his disastrous policies is to win enough seats in Congress to block them, and put up a good candidate in ’12.
JamesLee on July 24, 2009 at 12:21 PM
Ive been disorderly at home and abroad! and gotten hassled by The Man, and I am white like wonder bread….its a safety thing and a respect for the law thing not a race thing…
ginaswo on July 24, 2009 at 12:22 PM
Well said.
teffertoes on July 24, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Alternative headline: The Stupid Half Of The Electorate Begins To Catch A Clue.
Cicero43 on July 24, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Meanwhile 97% of blacks still approve or strongly approve of his job performance….but its not racial.
BillaryMcBush on July 24, 2009 at 12:31 PM
That was one planned softball question that hit him in the head..
TexasJew on July 24, 2009 at 12:31 PM
Meanwhile 97% of blacks still approve or strongly approve of his job performance….but its not racial.
BillaryMcBush on July 24, 2009 at 12:31 PM
But Gary Coleman got 98% in that same survey…
TexasJew on July 24, 2009 at 12:33 PM
still, 25% is a lot of kool-aid drinkers.
kirkill on July 24, 2009 at 12:33 PM
The pitch came up short like his all-star toss and he couldn’t handle it.
genso on July 24, 2009 at 12:34 PM
There’s always room under the bus!
TexasJew on July 24, 2009 at 12:34 PM
Oh NICE.
I know Oklahoma would follow suit. This could get VERY interesting.
teffertoes on July 24, 2009 at 12:37 PM
Startin’ to come together…
LibTired on July 24, 2009 at 12:38 PM
OT on the Cambridge presser, I think it was up to the officer’s discretion to slap the cuffs on the prof–and the arrest is what had three blacks on Morning Joe up in arms about–but no one has explained why the prof went nuclear when the officer asked for identification. I don’t see any racial profiling by the officer, so I don’t understand why this incident requires a discussion about racial profiling. Once again, Obama, when presented with a set of facts, creates a wholly inapplicable analogy for the purpose of drawing a bizarre moral equivalence.
Obama screwed up, so did his friend Deval Patrick, and so did the mayor of Cambridge.
Obama is an idiot.
BuckeyeSam on July 24, 2009 at 12:38 PM
The time for impeachment isn’t right. Gross incompetence in and of itself isn’t grounds for impeachment. If it were the list of impeached Presidents would be much longer than Johnson and Clinton. Further, the Democrats own the impeachment process and anybody who thinks that Pelosi would allow the filthy liar to be impeached is nuts.
That being said, there does come a time when a President can be so bereft of credibility that he is no longer effective in the job. Usually, such a point comes close enough to the end of a term that everybody has just taken a breath and let the clock run out (Carter and GHWB are two recent examples). What I think may be different here is the speed in which the filthy liar is losing credibility. If he doesn’t get healthcare reform through and cap and tax stays bottled up in the Senate and the economy remains sluggish….. The filthy liar does not have that many more months to score a win before there is serious doubt about his credibility to do the job.
highhopes on July 24, 2009 at 12:41 PM
It was a thing of beauty to see so many average American’s on national TV taking swipes at Barry.
Knucklehead on July 24, 2009 at 12:44 PM
It was more than that. I had to turn that crap off because they truly were biased in their rantings. They refused to admit that Gates might have been justifiably arrested and the cops might have done the job that they were hired to do.
highhopes on July 24, 2009 at 12:44 PM
Um, that second one? Yeah, I’m going with that.
flipflop on July 24, 2009 at 12:45 PM
I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop as Gates surrounds himself with racist intellectuals and other stars of the race industry and holds his own presser.
highhopes on July 24, 2009 at 12:46 PM
wrong – it’s up his anus.
poppieseeds on July 24, 2009 at 12:48 PM
The South Carolina Nullification Act. Andrew Jackson was empowered by Congress to send troops to enforce federal law.
Shhhhhhhhhhhhh…..is that thunder or drums?
Limerick on July 24, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Had this same conversation with a few guys at the cigar shop. I think HRC would benefit politically if she resigns and starts to oppose Obama’s policies, but the timing would need to be just right. The way things are going, there is a distinct likelihood that Obama won;t be re-elected, so maybe HRC is eyeing 2016 and willing to ride out these 4 years as part of the administration?
Red State State of Mind on July 24, 2009 at 12:53 PM
I’m thinking that if Gates calls in the heavy hitters, Jackson and Sharpton, it will be their Waterloo. People have had it with this race baiting crap.
IrishEi on July 24, 2009 at 12:53 PM
To see where Obama is heading, look at the approval ratings of his clone: Deval Patrick in Massachusetts.
In 2011-2012, Ogabe will dream of approval ratings in the 40s.
Norwegian on July 24, 2009 at 12:56 PM
How moronic is Barry…he started the Gates thing with his ‘planted’ question and answer…he played the race card
areseaoh on July 24, 2009 at 12:58 PM
For all of the numbskulls who support Hillary, you do know that she’s a radical Alinskyite too, right?
marklmail on July 24, 2009 at 1:02 PM
Women go to the physician more often and when they find a gynecologist they like, they don’t want to lose them.
There is so much about health care in this country that Obama and his team don’t understand. Calling the Democrat effort here “half-assed” gives them too much credit.
Their “plan” thus far is like something dreamed up in a late night bull session in the dorms, between bong hits.
NoDonkey on July 24, 2009 at 1:25 PM
The question now is, when will his rating bottom out and why?
NoDonkey on July 24, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Familiarity breeds contempt….
DL13 on July 24, 2009 at 1:26 PM
Yeah, I found myself rooting for her during the primaries – never in my life would I have thought that I’d end up doing that.
atheling on July 24, 2009 at 1:35 PM
That’s all very well and good if the voting public consisted of only people who can and do weigh the issues of governance in a serious and measured way. Unfortunately we live in an era of celebrity politics, where the politician’s perceived personality has more weight. That’s how we got this lightweight, while Palin and Romney labour under their “religious fanatic” anchors. Thus, I’m in favour of anything which chips away at Obama’s nice, intelligent, post-racial image, especially as it’s a complete fake.
Fortunata on July 24, 2009 at 1:41 PM
I always thought O had a hard time finding a white man willing to be his VP, and that that’s how Biden got where he is. But I wonder now if some people will now start thinking about leaving his admin. to avoid being assoc. with him.
JiangxiDad on July 24, 2009 at 1:50 PM
Ha ha. Same here, I saw a teenage kid (about 16?) last night at the ice cream stand wearing the exact same shirt. I almost turned to him and said, “Haven’t you burned that shirt yet? Haven’t you been hearing about how this guy is tanking the country?”
But I held my tongue. He probably doesn’t understand what’s going on, he just thinks it’s SO COOL that we have a black preseident. Besides, my wife would have given me a hard nudge to the ribs, even though she agrees with me.
UltimateBob on July 24, 2009 at 1:55 PM
Fortunata, I actually *like* to think that more people than we realize do indeed see issues, wiegh the consequences of their votes, just not as much as us “junkies” who live for it. That said, yes, there ARE many who just grab onto celebrity, and the Next Greatest Thing(tm). However, I don’t think that group can really be relied on as a consistent voting bloc.
Remember, often elections are referendums on the most recent holder, and the party thereof, of any given office. Just like 76, people didn’t like Nixon, associated Republicans with him, and voted for Carter. Four years later, the mistake gets corrected.
Similarly, in 2000, many voters believed that Gore was intimately linked to Clinton (no pun intended), and had had enough, so Bush was (narrowly) elected. In 2004, the general perception was the Bush wasn’t doing so badly, so he got a second term.
In 2008, I actually never thought Republicans stood much of a chance, partly due to the negative press of Bush, among many other factors. In reality, things were closer than I thought it would be. Obama took advantage of that, mixed in the New Hope, added a dash of celebrity, and presto Change-O, here we are.
These polls ARE showing that people are at least having second thoughts, and I agree, anything that increases that sentiment is never a bad thing!
JamesLee on July 24, 2009 at 2:00 PM
And therein lies a core difference between the Bush admin. and the Obama admin.
Bush’s people stood by him even when his approval ratings were in the low 30s because they knew he was acting on principle (mostly) and doing (mostly) the right things. Democrats will jump ship to save their own hides as soon as they smell blood.
UltimateBob on July 24, 2009 at 2:01 PM
Typical white persons.
Time to throw the American people under the bus.
Django on July 24, 2009 at 2:10 PM
This can’t be true.
There was a poll on Fox just last night claiming that a large majority of Americans still blame Bush, not Obama, for our current problems.
More of that right-wing Fox propaganda.
tsj017 on July 24, 2009 at 2:14 PM
Drip…Drip….Drip…Drip…
CynicalOptimist on July 24, 2009 at 2:18 PM
“Let me be clear!”
“It’s about damn time, Mr. President.”
Fallen Sparrow on July 24, 2009 at 2:19 PM
Don’t worry. I read an article in USA Today a few days ago that assured readers BHO is just the modern Reagan, he inherited Carter’s mess and it took him two years to win over the public. So according to USA Today, BHO will be a successful, popular, two-term president. LOL!!!
Cornhusker on July 24, 2009 at 2:25 PM
Circling the drain… circling… circling…
Akzed on July 24, 2009 at 12:12 PM
Don’t you mean “toilet bowl”?
Del Dolemonte on July 24, 2009 at 2:38 PM
Regardless of the polls we’re still screwed. Unemployment is still moving towards 10% nationwide by the end of this year.
Also, it would appear that the high earnings of many of these companies like IBM are based mostly on the productivity of their foreign workers. I think Americans are getting that there is a disconnect between positive stock market numbers and reality for the common citizen, so aren’t buying into that anymore.
One last thing; I’m not going to feel confident in our national outlook until I see the guy waving from Marine One as he flies away to circle The Mall one last time.
Dr. ZhivBlago on July 24, 2009 at 2:40 PM
Bunker mentality sets in as Barry-O’s Berlin collapses before him.
Will Michelle have to take that pill too? Rahm? Rahm’s wife? Axelrod?
Who will rally the messiah now? He has no champion.
Like King John before King Richard came back.
Inept. Weak. Childish.
Sapwolf on July 24, 2009 at 2:41 PM
Sarah will be like Robin Hood, the wiley antagonizer of the Sheriff of Nottingham and the King.
Hey Obama, welcome to Sherwood.
Popcorn please, an extra large popcorn.
Sapwolf on July 24, 2009 at 2:43 PM
In just one speech, Obama did the following:
1. Dissed Republicans for their opposition.
2. Condemned doctors, who are mere walking cash-registers, of performing needless tonsil removals, and stuff.
3. Accused white police officers of being racists.
And his numbers are still high. Astounding.
betsyz on July 24, 2009 at 2:50 PM
I would love for you all to be right, but must remind you that a week is a very long time in politics. As long as most people have no understanding of economics or any longterm political memory, any upturn (just before the polls in 2010 and 2012, hmmm?) will be hailed as recovery. Which it will be, of a sort.
Fortunata on July 24, 2009 at 2:51 PM
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