by Mark Silva
The problems that the Obama White House has had with some of its highest profile appointees apparently haven't shaken public confidence in the new president, the Gallup Poll suggests.
President Obama's approval rating is holding at 65 percent in the aftermath of Tom Daschle's withdrawal as the nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services because of more than $100,000 in back taxes that he had to pay and Nancy Killefer's withdrawal as "chief performance officer'' in the administration because of less than $1,000 in back taxes that she had to pay.
"Americans' support for Obama is hardly shaken,'' Gallup reports today, "with fewer than one in five saying they are less confident now in Obama's ethical standards and his ability to manage the government than they were before he took office. A majority say they are "more confident" in both regards.''
"The public may be largely taking these Cabinet controversies in stride because it tends to view them as nothing out of the ordinary, according to a poll for USA Today that Gallup conducted. It found that 58 percent of those surveyed consider the controversies as "a normal part of the process of filling high-level government positions in any new administration." Only half that number - 29 percent - say they reflect poorly on the Obama administration, saying the administration "appears to be having more problems filling high government positions than is typical for new administrations."
It's mostly Republicans who say they are less confident in the new president now than they were before - and many "did not have a great deal of confidence in Obama to begin with.''
The 65 percent job-approval rating for Obama in the Feb. 2-4 run of Gallup Poll daily tracking is "essentially the same as it has been throughout his brief time in office.''
It started at 68 and 69 percent in the first measures after Obama's inauguration and has run between 64 and 67 percent since then - the margin of error in this tracking is plus or minus 3 percent.
Comments
Mark, make sure to keep censoring mention of the latest Rasmussen Poll, which shows the American public opposes the Obungle/Democrat porkulus bill.
Posted by: Bruce | February 6, 2009 2:26 PM
This poll is a joke. It's more apparent every day that Obama hasn't a clue as to how to be an executive. I can't find anyone who has confidence in him knowing how to turn on the lights, let alone run the economy. His lack of experience in ever running anything has come to rest on the backs of the taxpaying public. He let Pelosi and Reid draft the Pork "stimulus" bill and now he doesn't even know what's in it.
Posted by: Derrick | February 6, 2009 3:14 PM
The people that voted for Obama are forgiving the missteps for now.
But missteps can turn into blind staggering overnight in American politics.
Pres. Obama;
1. Concentrate.
2. Don't go on vacation.
3. Don't try to crack wise.
4. Respond to the Republican attacks.
5. They are Swiftboating you,,,successfully.
6. They want you to fail.
7. In your office put up pictures of Ann Richards, Gore, Kerry, Cleland.
8. Think about those pictures.
Posted by: C.Morris✈ | February 6, 2009 9:52 PM
The people that voted for Obama are forgiving the missteps for now.
But missteps can turn into blind staggering overnight in American politics.
Pres. Obama;
1. Concentrate.
2. Don't go on vacation.
3. Don't try to crack wise.
4. Respond to the Republican attacks.
5. They are Swiftboating you,,,successfully.
6. They want you to fail.
7. In your office put up pictures of Ann Richards, Gore, Kerry, Cleland.
8. Think about those pictures.
Posted by: C.Morris✈ | February 6, 2009 9:54 PM