Poll: Most Want Obama Fired In 2012

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, rapped by the White House for pledging to make Barack Obama a one-term president, seems to have the support of a majority of Americans. A new poll provided to Whispers says that 56 percent of likely voters want the president fired.

According to pollster Doug Schoen, whose new poll shows vast support for the Tea Party movement among voters, the president is still liked by about half the nation. In fact, more like him personally than like his policies. Some 48 percent think he's a nice guy, while just 42 percent approve of his job performance.

[See photos of the Obamas behind the scenes.]

But that personal favorability doesn't translate into re-election support when voters are asked if Obama deserves a second term. Says Schoen: "Despite voters feelings toward Obama personally, 56 percent say he does not deserve to be re-elected, while 38 percent say he does deserve to be re-elected president." Worse, Schoen adds, "43 percent say that Barack Obama has been a better president than George W. Bush, while 48 percent say Bush was a better president than Obama has been."

[See a photo gallery of Bush's legacy.]

Still, the president has a shot at re-election, according to the poll of 1,000 likely voters taken October 18-24. Schoen found that a slight majority, 51 percent, favor a third party in American politics and if that were the Tea Party, then Obama would win in a three-way race in 2012. According to Schoen, if the race pitted Obama, Republican Mitt Romney and Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin in 2012, Obama would top the others with 40 percent; Romney gets 32 percent and Palin 17 percent. And, in a bit of bad news for Palin, if the Tea Party candidate were Mike Huckabee, he and Romney would split the non-Obama vote 24 percent-24 percent.

[See editorial cartoons about President Obama.]

Other highlights in Schoen's poll presentation:

-- 54 percent say the Tea Party has been a good thing for American politics.

-- Voters favor Republicans over Democrats on a generic ballot 48 percent to 39 percent.

-- The Democratic attack on special interest money helping Republicans isn't having much of an impact.

• Check out our editorial cartoons on the Tea Party.
• Check out our editorial cartoons on Sarah Palin.
• See which industries give the most to Congress.

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