by Mark Silva
President Barack Obama's overall job-approval rating has registered somewhat higher than in other recent polls - 54 percent approval -- in a new Bloomberg News-sponsored poll released today.
The president receives particularly higher ratings for his handling of foreign policy in the poll - 59 percent approval.
And, most notably, 62 percent of those surveyed say they approve of the president's plans to deploy an additional 30,000 troops to Afghanistan in the survey conducted Dec. 3-7.
It's on the domestic front where the president is facing tougher criticism: On his handling of the economy, health care, the financial crisis and the federal budget deficit.
"The news is favorable that things have bottomed out, but I don't think peoples' lives have caught up. If they're not feeling it, they're not buying it," says J. Ann Selzer, president of Selzer & Co., a Des Moines, Iowa-based firm that conducted the survey for Bloomberg.
The poll contains warning signs for Obama's party heading into the 2010 congressional elections, with likely voters giving a slight edge to Republicans on a generic ballot question about the midterms.
The poll of 1,008 adults was conducted Dec. 3-7 and carries a possible margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. The poll included 714 likely voters in the 2010 general election, with the margin of error for that sample 3.7 percentage points.
The survey finds Americans critical of Obama's handling of the economy and particularly negative, with 57 percent disapproval, about his management of the federal budget deficit.
Likely voters surveyed hand Republicans a four-point lead in generic congressional voting next year. In September, Democrats had a 5-point edge on that question.
Still, 59 percent of those surveyed say the nation's economic problems are mostly the result of decisions that Obama inherited when he took office in January, with 32 percent calling the problems mostly the result of the new president's policies.
Comments
Mark, how about a poll on how well the right wing noise machine is handling being in the minority?
Last week, Fox and Friends showed a Rasmussen poll graphic revealing that a whopping 120 percent of the American public believes scientists may be falsifying research to support their own theories on global warming:
"Fox News’ graphics department added together the "very likely" and "somewhat likely" numbers to reach 59 percent, and called that new group "somewhat likely." Then, for some reason, they threw in the 35 percent "very likely" as their own group, even though they already added that number to the "somewhat likely" percentage. Then they mashed together the "not very likely" and "not likely at all" groups, and threw the 15 percent who were unsure into the waste bin. Voila — 120 percent."
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http://thinkprogress.org/2009/12/08/fox-poll-120/
Who needs reality when you can rewrite the facts to fit your view of the world? Fair and Balanced or FAIL and Balanced?
And 105% of the delusional right wing saps who believe what Fox News say shouldn't be allowed to drive, teach or operate machinery heavier than a pencil.
Apparently, the other half of the Drill Baby Drill plan is to Burn Baby Burn our environment to the ground, and while the oceans turn acidic we should twiddle our thumbs and debate the facts one more time.
Posted by: Former Republican | December 8, 2009 7:06 PM
It's funny how you Wingnutters are all of a sundden "concerned" about spending seeing as how they locksteped with the Bush Republicans while they DOUBLED our national debt in only eight years recently - a record.
The Repukelicans only pretend to care about spending when they're out of power. The spending that the Dems are doing now is DIRECTLY related to cleaning up the mess that the Bush Republicans left them with.
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http://nodilettante.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/budget_deficit_or_surplus.gif
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Posted by: B Mobbie | December 8, 2009 7:22 PM
President Obama has inherited a term of office in which monumental issues face this nation. Tough decisions need to be made, and he is making them. Only time will tell if these decisions are worthy of praise or scorn. Too many folks, however, are making snap judgments along strictly partisan lines before results of these tough calls can be fairly evaluated. For too many years, our leadership has failed to take a stand on the hard issues of health care and regulation of financial markets, and both of these issues have brought this nation to the brink of financial collapse. Mr. Obama is finally taking a stand on these issues by dealing with them headon. The entrenched politics of Washington and the media of both extremes are not making this process any easier. It is time for our leadership to stop being Liberals or Conservatives, and begin to engage in truly positive dialog to solve these problems in the best interests of AMERICANs.
Posted by: Phil B | December 8, 2009 7:25 PM
Obama's poll numbers are fine, they're about the same as Saint Ronny Rayguns were at this time in his presideny.
And no one is exactly jumping on the Republicans band wagon.
Posted by: Jack Johnson | December 8, 2009 7:27 PM
For those who think the Republicon moderate "cleansing" is a good thing, I say fine. Go ahead and knock your socks off - it's only going to guarantee continued Democratic and Independent leadership....and thank god for that.
In other words "Hasta La Bye-Bye" Republicon party !!!
This should be a clear message to the Democratic majority party
in Washington: healthcare reform with a strong public option and campaign and election reform targeting lobbyists for big business. And most importantly - get it done now!
The Party of No is already finished.
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http://upload.democraticunderground.com/store/2009-07/winners/party-of-no_larger.jpg
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Posted by: Andrew Carson | December 8, 2009 7:30 PM
Of course the public supports it.
After securing India's cooperation [see: PM Singh state dinner etc.], Obama can put pressure on Paki from the south.
Military presence in Afg serves to put pressure on Paki from north.
Do you really think the bad guys believe the line about leaving by 2011?
No way.
This is as much a containment policy aimed at Pakistan as it is a "surge" against Taliban/AQ.
And as long as Paki has nukes, I'd say the north/south vice will remain in place.
That means: a very long time.
Think: Okinawa type long time.
Posted by: ornery | December 8, 2009 8:31 PM
President Obama has inherited a term of office in which monumental issues face this nation. Tough decisions need to be made, and he is making them. Only time will tell if these decisions are worthy of praise or scorn. Too many folks, however, are making snap judgments along strictly partisan lines before results of these tough calls can be fairly evaluated. For too many years, our leadership has failed to take a stand on the hard issues of health care and regulation of financial markets, and both of these issues have brought this nation to the brink of financial collapse. Mr. Obama is finally taking a stand on these issues by dealing with them headon. The entrenched politics of Washington and the media of both extremes are not making this process any easier. It is time for our leadership to stop being Liberals or Conservatives, and begin to engage in truly positive dialog to solve these problems in the best interests of AMERICANs.
Posted by: Phil B | December 8, 2009 7:25 PM
THANK YOU PHIL!! Obama hasnt even been president for a full year yet and these loser wingnuts are calling him the ',Worst President Ever'' LOL!! Um Hello losers 3 more years to go, sit back and watch him turn everything around before your very eyes! You people are good at eating crow, get ready for more!
Posted by: Scot S. Blakeley | December 8, 2009 10:05 PM
Wow, many angry, defiant and bitter lefties.
How does it feel to know your president is turning into a lame duck after 1 year?
Tick tock, it appears to be midnight for Cinderella in the eyes of the American pollsters now. Jeb Bush 2012! LOL!
Posted by: wingnut master | December 9, 2009 10:21 AM
wingnut master - This country will never elect a Bush, Cheney, or Carter ever again. Jeb is at least a smart Bush compared to the last idiot.
Posted by: pd | December 9, 2009 12:36 PM
Tick tock indeed.
You need to go back and have that story read to you again, wingnut.
We know who the ugly stepsisters are , don't we?
Cheney, Bush, Gingrinch....
Posted by: ornery | December 9, 2009 2:17 PM