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CNN/ ORC Poll: Three Quarters Support Obama And Half Support Stimulus


Feb 9, 2009 by

A new CNN/ORC poll finds three-quarters of Americans support President Barack Obama, a bit more than half support the stimulus plan, most Americans feel Obama is reaching out to Congress and Republicans — and that GOPers have made gains in their ratings since they’ve taken on Obama.

This poll perhaps more than any other poll could explain Obama’s return to campaign mode. His honeymoon continues, most people (who don’t listen to Rush and Sean) like what they see, but his relatively laid-back approach to criticism of the stimulus plan confirmed what savvy politicians have come to understand in the past two decades: charges that are not effectively answered or countered will take hold. A President must use his clout and all the tools of persuasion that he has (just as Republican Ronald Reagan did quite forcefully when he became President to garner support).

Here are some details from the poll. First the big numbers:

–Do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling his job as president? Approve 76%, Disapprove 23%. No opinion 1%.

–He has other high marks. Providing strong leadership 80%; handling foreign policy 76%, handling the economy (the BIGGIE) 72%, handling terrorism policy 68%, choosing his cabinet (which was marked by toe-stubbing) 61%.

–Poll shows a very slight improvement from the South Pole numbers Congress has on how it’s doing its job from polling in the fall.

–Democratic leaders have seen an increase in their job rating. 60% now approve of the way they’re doing their jobs, versus 47% in early November.

–Republicans have seen a bigger increase in their job approval rating. 44% now versus 24% in early November.

What does all of this likely mean?

1. Obama enjoys much more clout with the public right now than Congress. If he does take to the hustings and goes into the same kind of campaign mode Reagan went in to get the support to enact his changes, it could have impact.

2. Republicans are more pleased by their leadership in Congress than Democrats. In a sense, the GOP in Life After Bush is now resembling one big happy family since Rush Limbaugh, Congressional leaders and many of the party’s hard core base are now on the same page.

3. Democrats are less enamored of their party’s leadership. The common complaint now among progressives (formerly known as liberals) is that what good is a Democratic victory if the Democrats have to (in their view) give away the store and control of part of the store to Republicans?

4. Danger for the GOP: the party now seems more isolated than ever, a kind of niche product that seems to be unable to broaden its market and doesn’t seem inclined to do so.

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3 Comments

  1. Mike_P
    February 9, 2009 | 2:33 pm

    I think it's becoming increasingly obvious that the bulk of the American public sees the Republican antics of the last few weeks for what it is – pure obstructionism. While I personally have gone back and forth on the effectiveness of what's coming out of the stimulus debate in Congress, I've never thought the stimulus was unnecessary, or too big. Recent polling indicates to me that's similar to how most feel about it.

    Politically, the Republicans may have fallen into the perfect “rope-a-dope” trap. They're all punched out, having expended all their energy on mostly trivial complaints and rejected ideological arguments. All sound and fury, signifying nothing to the American people. If that was the Administration's plan all along, a finer example of true political genius would be difficult to find. But if just the unintended consequences from the antics of a Republican Party completely out of touch with its constituents, it's just as bad for them and equally genius, if in a negative way.

  2. greenschemes
    February 9, 2009 | 2:52 pm

    54 percent, favor the bill, with 45 percent opposed.

    Wasnt this the election results as well? Those who voted for Obama think he says it so it must be true and those who did not vote for Obama like me, think he is trying awfully hard and has done little for me to go and tell a pollster that I disapprove of his job performance.

    Obama deserves his 100 days. Unfortunately this stimulus bill has created a gigantic fiasco for him to resolve thank you very much Nanny Pelosi. Had the House passed a pure stimulus bill. Ie. increase unemployment up to 1 year and increase the base amount by 25 percent and Voted to fund stimulus checks while suspending the payroll tax for 3 months till the stimulus checks rolled out, then we would see a bill in effect. The markets would be stable and people who were hungry would not be.

    Then part two we could have addressed other issues.
    Part three even more issues. But no. Nanny Pelosi and friends on both sides of the isle believe that spending massive amounts of money we dont have………..ala………DEBT is the way to solve everything.

    Havent we all woken up to the fact that DEBT is what is causing this recession.

    Lord. I could have solved this with a 12 page bill. But congress to justify 100,000 lawyers and 200,000 aides and their expense accounts and so on and so forth have to write an 800 page bill and then make Americans choose sides while they fly to one of their several homes and contemplate how to screw us next week.

  3. elrod
    February 9, 2009 | 9:57 pm

    Greenschemes,
    What is that picture in your profile?

    Note that my Smoky Mountains view photo is distorted so the sky is on the bottom AND the top.