Pollster John Zogby updates our weekly Obama Report Card with a grade on President Obama's performance. Zogby uses his polling, expert analysis, and interaction with major players to come up with a grade and some comments that capture how he sees the president's week ending.
John Zogby on Week 58:
President Obama has finally shown he can build some consensus on healthcare, but without the Republicans. Obama has put out a healthcare plan, and it appears his party may coalesce around it and pass a bill he will sign. The healthcare summit set the stage for Democrats to use budget reconciliation in the Senate, where a simple majority frame a final package that satisfies the House, Senate, and Obama. However, these are the Democrats, so there is still plenty of time to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. Congress also is poised to pass a modest jobs bill, this time with some GOP support. Conservatives, when meeting at last weekend's annual CPAC convention used the usual over-the-top rhetoric, reinforcing Obama's image as a voice of calm and reason.
Grade: B-
Last week: C+
John Zogby is president and CEO of Zogby International, a public opinion, research, and business solutions firm with experience in more than 70 countries. Founded and led by Zogby since 1984, Zogby International specializes in telephone, Internet, and face-to-face survey research and analysis for corporate, political, nonprofit, and governmental clients. The firm is headquartered in Utica, N.Y. John Zogby also is the author of The Way We'll Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream (Random House).
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Robert Lepp of MN 10:31PM February 27, 2010
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