by Mark Silva
At his inaugural address a little over one year ago, President Barack Obama appealed to a sense of commonality in the challenges facing Americans.
"What is required of us now is a new era of responsibility a recognition on the part of every American that we have duties to ourselves, our nation and the world; duties that we do not grudgingly accept, but rather seize gladly, firm in the knowledge that there is nothing so satisfying to the spirit, so defining of our character than giving our all to a difficult task,'' Obama said then. "This is the price and the promise of citizenship.''
One year later, the view of the president from street-level is more polarized, on average, than that of any president since the Gallup Poll started measuring such things in the 1950s.
The 65 percentage-point gap between Democrats who said they approved of Obama's performance during the first year (88 percent) and Republicans who said they approved (23 percent) is "the largest for any president in his first year in office,'' Gallup reports today.
Prior to Ronald Reagan's term, Gallup reports, this gap had never been wider than 40 percentage points. Since then, only the divide over George W. Bush has averaged less than 50 percent during the first term.
The public, overall, was evenly divided on the question of Obama's performance in the Gallup daily tracking polls from Jan. 20-22 - with 47 percent voicing approval for his performance, 47 disapproval, which equaled the low-point of his approval during his first term first reached in early December.
His average approval rating for his first year, 57 percent, included a yawning disparity between the views of Democrats and Republicans. During their first years, George W. Bush had divided the parties by 45 percentage points in their views of his performance. Bill Clinton's first-year divide ran at 52 percentage points.
Obama will address the nation again this week, in a nationally televised State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress. He will stand before a Congress that is equally divided: None of the House's Republicans voted for his economic stimulus plan, and only three Republican senators did. Only one of the House's Republicans voted for his health-care plan, and no Republican senators did.
The so-called "Party of No'' has become the Party of 41 in the Senate now, with the power to block any initiative of the Democratic leadership in the wake of the special election in Massachusetts. So Obama will face an even greater challenge than the one he faced on his first day in office: Rallying a divided public and Congress for an agenda that would appear to be stalled in a partisan mire.
"Now, there are some who question the scale of our ambitions, who suggest that our system cannot tolerate too many big plans,'' Obama said on Inauguration Day. "Their memories are short, for they have forgotten what this country has already done, what free men and women can achieve when imagination is joined to common purpose, and necessity to courage. What the cynics fail to understand is that the ground has shifted beneath them, that the stale political arguments that have consumed us for so long no longer apply.
"The question we ask today is not whether our government is too big or too small, but whether it works -- whether it helps families find jobs at a decent wage, care they can afford, a retirement that is dignified. Where the answer is yes, we intend to move forward. Where the answer is no, programs will end. ''
After one year in office, the state of the union appears to be sharply divided in its opinion of the president's performance, the dramatic divide between those saying yes and those saying no the widest in modern times. And it begs that inaugural question: Whether the government "works.''
Comments
Obama regroups after bruising week
http://www.breitbart.com/article.php?id=CNG.5ea1ea655f7bc23e07f902559e88ec3f.291&show_article=1
Democrats' agenda hits the wall YEAH THE WALL OF REALITY, THE WALL OF THE PEOPLE!!!
http://www.cnn.com/2010/POLITICS/01/22/democrats.agenda/index.html?hpt=Sbin
ALSO, THERE IS THIS:
Yesterday, Congressman Marion Berry (D-AR) became the first Democrat to announce his retirement in the wake of Scott Brown’s win in the Massachusetts special election. He will not be the last. Apparently, the BLUE paint job didn’t take in Arkansas.
Posted by: Bobby Mobbie | January 25, 2010 8:59 AM
I see there aren't any rocket scientists in the room. It must take one to understand that this presidency, PresidentObama's presidency, is unique. It is unlike any other in the history of our nation. He is our first, African-American President, elected and to put it mildly, some Americans weren't ready for his victory. As a matter of fact, they still resent the fact that he won. Take that fact and mix it with you know what: The Bush&Cheney disasters and what do we have, a severely divided America. Hardly an accident though, the royal opposition of the Republican-Libertarians has exploited it, lied about it, under-cut it and were undemocratic about it. What is unique given all of their unamerican behavior, President Obama's numbers are respectable and that, in spite of the Corporate onslaught that has been engaged against him, since he took office. He is doing remarkably well, if you don't mind my saying so. For that wasn't an accident either, President Obama can handle himself, as well. In spite of the fact, that I thought President Obama had made a serious mistake with his elevating Mr Emmanuel to his Chief-of-Staff. I still think he can do better, especially with some one like Senator Dorgan ( D-ND), an honest, hard-working American, that has too much savvy to be left out of Washington's political circles. That is only my opinion, and truth be told, my hope. Senator Dorgan knows his stuff and he would be a very valuable addition to President Obama's team.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 25, 2010 9:04 AM
Poor Don Fitz, you are 10 months away from a Democratic meltdown.
The Hope & Change era is already over
but you keep hanging on trying to convince the Swamp masses. Good luck with that.
Posted by: wingnut master | January 25, 2010 9:19 AM
NO ROCKET SCIENTISTS, THAT'S RICH COMING FROM DERANGED DONNIE-BOY!!!
==
Turning Point
Obama must change course, or he’s sunk.
http://article.nationalreview.com/?q=NmZhOTgxOGRjODI1YWNjZDJkZGRiODAzZjc5NDczODk=
The burning question after the Massachusetts Senate election is whether the administration will respond by making a course correction to survive politically, by jettisoning its policy core and cleaning up its methods, or by “doubling down,” as President Obama has implied, and escalating the ideological and guerrilla war for direction of public policy. This was a referendum on the Obama administration, including health care, but not just health care.
Big government
Stop!
The size and power of the state is growing, and discontent is on the rise
http://www.economist.com/opinion/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15330481
Long before AIG and Northern Rock ended up in state custody, government had been growing rapidly. That was especially true in Britain and America, the two countries in which “the end of big government” had been declared in the 1990s. George Bush pushed up spending more than any president since Lyndon Johnson. Britain’s initially frugal Labour government went on a splurge: the state’s share of GDP has risen from 37% in 2000 to 48% in 2008 to 52% now. In swathes of northern Britain the state now accounts for a bigger share of the economy than it did in communist countries in the old eastern bloc. The change has been less dramatic in continental Europe, but in most of those countries the state already made up around half of the economy.
Posted by: Bobby Mobbie | January 25, 2010 9:35 AM
President Obama missed a golden opportunity in his first year to to face the serious economic conditions confronting our nation with a united country behind him. Instead Obama let Nancy Pelosi and Harry Reid attempt to push Socialist Health Program and a so called stimulus package filled with political pork down the throats of the majority of the American public that did not want it. The President also went around the world apologizing for the United States to the World. The country looked to Obama with hope that he would take steps to led the country out of this economic mess. Instead the only success the President and the Democratic Leadership had was to divide the country. It has taken Obama and the Democratic Leadership a full year to finally realize that the most pressing issues facing the American public is jobs and the economy, not so-called health reform. As the economy continues to sputter along with some saying we are in a slow recovery and others having serious doubts jobs continue to be lost and unemployment goes up. The recent elections in Virginia, New Jersey and especially Massachusetts should be a big wake up call for the Powers to be in Washington, but they seem to not be listening.
Posted by: Depot- Jim | January 25, 2010 9:36 AM
DONNIE-BOY, KEITH BLOWBERMAN, AND THE REST OF YOU LOONY LEFTIES MIGHT WANT TO READ THIS ONE:
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Democrats' Bush-bashing strategy goes bust
=
http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0110/31932.html
=
After three consecutive losses in statewide races, some top Democrats are questioning a tactic aimed at boosting the party’s candidates in each of those contests: Bush-bashing.
“Voters are pretty tired of the blame game,” said longtime Democratic strategist Steve Hildebrand, a top aide on Obama’s presidential campaign. “What a stupid strategy that was.”
Another well-respected Democratic consultant put it simply: “Need a new game plan!”
Posted by: Bobby Mobbie | January 25, 2010 9:51 AM
Bobby Mobby who probably predicted the McCain win sets us straight. Of course we don't know for sure as he probably has changed his name many times. But lead the cheer and Bin Laden gives you a big "ata boy".
Posted by: bill r. | January 25, 2010 9:55 AM
As hard headed as you, Republican-Libertarians, insist on being, President Obama's Healthcare Reform is an integral connection to creating jobs and deficit reduction. I know you have your orders, but use your own thought processes for two minutes and you will see, President Obama's Healthcare Reform is a win-win situation, for the people of America and a lose-lose situation for all of the Corporations, that are leeching off, of our nation's health and well-being. Otherwise, hello, Third World, do mind if we join you !!? Our tired masses of yore, are now, our own !!
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 25, 2010 10:12 AM
"so called party of no" - still trying to sell that moniker eh?
I think the democrats using this slogan is a reminder of how childish and irresponsible most democrats are. I'll bet these same people looked at their parents the same way.
Heaven forbid that anyone say no to them. I would love a party of NO, the republicans certainly are not it!
NO to illegal immigration
NO to amnesty for them
NO to raising taxes
NO to wealth distribution
NO to welfare
NO to sanctuary cities
NO to goverment programs that will banrupt the country
NO to wasteful spending
NO to unions
NO to the CRA
NO to a tax cheat heading up the IRS
NO to appointing communists
NO to goverment takeover of private corporations
Posted by: worsethanbefore | January 25, 2010 10:59 AM
Obumble's State of the Union address will be the biggest display of deaf arrogance ever witnessed. He will trot out the green jobs garbage again, push his non-existant Healthcare Plan again, and basically tell America that we’re are too stupid to understand his brilliance.
Epic failure, but still a solid B+.
Posted by: Chris | January 25, 2010 11:01 AM
Good for him it is not often that somebody does that and fulfills their commitments. But, right now may not be a good time for him to run for his father's old seat. He seems smart enough to know to sit back and learn from what is happening out in the political landscape and how it is changing. He is the opposite of Obama whose commitment to the people of Illinois when he became our Sen. lasted a whole 150 days.
Posted by: Crooks_In_DC | January 25, 2010 11:38 AM
Advance look at State of Union speech: 1. Blame Bush; 2. Mention 130 million jobs "saved;" 3. Blame Bush; 4. Do not mention "middle class tax cuts" promised in campaign; 5. Blame Bush; 6. Do not mention Karl Marx; 7. Blame Bush; 8. Make lame joke about rubes who drive trucks; 9. Blame Bush; 10. Read all terrorists Miranda rights; 11. Blame TelePrompter.
Posted by: Harding | January 25, 2010 11:48 AM
Hey, " Crooks" keep it down with your confusion. Your in the wrong article. Don't worry, though, I, for one, have done it, often. Just having a " little " fun with you. Take it easy and keep your bearings.
SUPPORT OUR TROOPS, BRING THEM HOME, ALIVE AND WHOLE. NOW.
Posted by: Don Fitzgerald, IL | January 25, 2010 12:02 PM
Don Fitzgerald I know that was not the post that I meant for here. I do not even know how this post ended up with this article. I do believe Obama is smart enough to know that he cannot govern from the far left. And I know the majority of the people do want real healthcare reform. But at this time the economy and job creation are more important and must be dealt with first. This week the president gets his State of the Union address and we shall see what course he plans on following. But the address is only words and action is what will determine what happens this coming November. I know everybody on the left keeps talking about the inherited debt and deficit but, this administration has added quite a lot of their own to our national debt. The politicians in Congress now need to come together on the problems facing this country and in an open discussion start to solve them. They cannot like they have this past year not listen to the people. The people know what needs to be done and will hold the politicians no matter their party affiliation accountable for their actions. And we as a people must come together and stop all the hate filled BS. We must stop calling people teabagger's, Nazis, and racist just because they have a different point of view. If you are a liberal say it, same goes for conservatives and independents. Because in the end most people do not vote party but instead vote ideologies and lifestyles. Take for instance global warming. We do not need a grand plan just a common sense approach. An approach that will not cost trillions of dollars and millions of jobs. For instance a program to have small urban vertical axis wind turbines installed on all homes where feasible. Replacing old water heaters with new highly efficient tankless water heaters. Larger tax credits for improving your homes heating and cooling, doors and windows, and electrical system. These programs would cost a few hundred billion dollars but, how many jobs would they create, how many power plants would not need to be built, how many tons of of coal would not be burned each year, how many cubic feet of natural gas would be saved each year, and how much tax revenue would be generated. When it comes to tax generation you have to look at the jobs that would be created and the payroll taxes. Right now in southern Illinois they are building a plant that will build the small urban wind turbines that will be the third plant here in America. Coming in more we need to be built to supply the turbines and the maintenance parts for them. Right now I believe there is only one factory building the new water heaters in this country due to the low demand. But how many would need to be built to supply the demand if my suggestions were put into action. We installed the new water heater four years ago at that time we were on a budget plan of $255 a month for our natural gas now we pay $50 a month. At the time with material and professional installment a cost $2500 for the year but now I see heaters at half what I paid. It is the common sense that will solve our problems. As far as the wars that we are involved in now we should not plan on staying. In Iraq we are now standing down and the people there understand that we are not there to stay and take their resources or their land. We are not a country that believes in conquest like so many countries in Europe once did. Afghanistan is a country that has in its past destroyed other countries just by them trying to conquest it, if only we can do and show the people of Afghanistan that we are not there to stay. Obama has a plan and been a veteran plans take time to take effect and develop into people here need to give that plan time. And for all who are looking for work as I am good luck and God bless America.
Posted by: Crooks_In_DC | January 25, 2010 1:36 PM
Most
Divisive
President
Ever
Posted by: Change--for the Worse | January 25, 2010 3:37 PM
The "forget Bush, he's no longer in office...." theme is actually being put out there by the Bush Dynasty itself. They want one particular Bush to fade into oblivion, so it will be easier for Jebidiah or for P when they make their move.
No question George II was the Worst President Ever. At least Herbert Hoover had some brains and had accomplished something prior to 1929.
Anyway, the Party of No is also, and preeminently, the party of the Wedge Issue. The party of Division.
When someone uses that line, "It's not about the money....."--- Yeah, it's about the money.
When Replicans warn about "class warfare", it's what the shrinks call "Projection".
They are all about Class Warfare, and dumping all the obligations of government onto the middle class and the working poor.
Replicans?
You won't see any of their kids in the military.
They are all about lowering their "effective tax rate" and lowering the capital gains tax...
Look back over the years at some of their slogans and you'll see the litany of divisiveness and the wedge issue to split the democratic majority.
Welfare queens.
"Block voting"
Look at all the canards they concocted against Obama:
Birfers
his "moslem faith"
he "inability to speak without a TeleprompTer"
and various other racist codes.
and on and on.
Replicans are the party of Division.
Posted by: ornery | January 25, 2010 5:47 PM
Un-presidented in 2012.
Posted by: Free to Watch What I Want | January 25, 2010 8:47 PM