Bloom is Off Obama's Rose Only One Week Into Administration

January 30, 2009 RSS Feed Print
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Pollster John Zogby joins the Washington Whispers team to regularly update our new Obamameter. Each week, Zogby will size up Barack Obama on a specific issue, his popularity, or job performance and, based on his polling results and expert analysis, come up with a rating of between 1 and 100. In this week's Obamameter, Zogby analyzes the new president's first full week in office and gives him an 87 out of 100.

John Zogby: "The bloom is off the rose only one week into the new administration. There is no question that the new President has the public behind him — our polling shows a two-to-one positive to negative ratio. However, it's looking like the brand-new president is going to fight a two-front war against his right and his left on his stimulus program. I still give him a solid B+. Ranking this week: 87."

Zogby is president and CEO of Zogby International, a public opinion, research, and business solutions firm with experience working in more than 70 countries around the globe. 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 is also the author of The Way Well Be: The Zogby Report on the Transformation of the American Dream (Random House).

Tags:
Inauguration,
Barack Obama

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I started to believe in your take of the new Obama Presidency and views of being "not closely tied to a party" but you lost me when you brought in Msnbc and CNN and that fox news was conservative, apparently haven't done your homework on the definition of impartial reporting.

I still do not feel that Obama is going to do anything regards to the economic crisis because of his beliefs that all deserve to own a home vs everyone should have a roof over their head. That Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are above the law and are not being held accountable. That its the people not the people in politics to lead. The belief that those who do less should get more and that those who have more should do more and get less.

Less pork works best if Washington would lead the way if they could begin the cut backs. Rather than initiating a Secretary of State whom is increasing her budget plan as I type.

I am proud that we have broken a racial barrier in hopes that this will bring unity and equality to the fore front. To show that gangs and violence has little if anything to do with racial bias and more to do with social problems within society.

I want President Obama to be a great president but I can't help to be skeptical because of his youth activities, his family's faith doctrine and acquaintances. Its hopefully that he was voted in because of the good and change he can bring and not because of his skin color and promises to those whom financed him. I think a large percentage of the population would all agree that that we need the government to get working for all the people not just the upper or not just the lower and definitely not for any personal agendas.

Susan Malavet of NY 5:30AM February 03, 2009

@stichathome - I think you're missing a large part of Obama's support: anti-Bush. A lot of people have been negatively effected by the policies implemented over the last 8 years. Much of the "middle vote" or "swing vote" went to Obama. Democrats are almost always going to vote for the Democrat. Republicans are almost always going to vote for the Republican. It's the 1/3 of Americans not closely tied to either party that sway elections, and they went for Obama in large numbers.

Most of us remember that the Conservatives have had held virtually absolute in government for much of the last eight years. They got lower taxes on the wealthy (trickle down theory), lower capital gains, lower corporate taxes; less regulation of energy, health care, financial sector, and on business in general. And after a few years of less oversight and low taxes we find ourselves in a catastrophic economic crises. I'm sure the Conservative base has plenty of usual suspects to blame (liberals, low income minorities, Barack Obama, etc), but moderates tend to see through that partisan lens. The sooner the GOP leadership can admit their mistakes and regroup, the better the country will be. Arrogance and dogma get us nowhere.

Yes, Conservatives are traditionally more likely to contact their representatives. Don't forget that Obama dismantled the Clinton machine with organizational tools that encouraged direct public feedback. His supporters are extremely organized and motivated to work.

Your last comment sounds subjective. If all you listen to is Rush, Coulter, Hannity, and O'Reilly, that's probably what you believe. But the other 70% of the country probably believes something different. Both parties have people in the extreme wings that hurl crap and insults but provide no real solutions to our problems. I suggest that you do some channel flipping once in a while to gain some different perspectives. It's eye opening to see how vastly different coverage of the same issues can be found between Fox, CNN, MSNBC, PBS, etc.

Yes, less pork and more voice. But it's critical for all of us that we question the solutions put forth by our respective parties. Let's look at what really works (as determined by history, OMB research, common sense, etc) and do more of that. Partisan giveaways are just pork to get a politician re-elected and do little for the country. We need to end that culture in Washington.

Jim Jones of CA 2:03PM February 02, 2009

His approval is psychic in nature only and is a residue of his recent win. His voters were Clintonites, non voters, first time voters, and those who chose to vote skin color. He's on his own now and the conservatives are action people. They are more likely to call their representatives to really get the sanity back in the procedure of bill writing. Less pork and more voice! Conservatives are also well mannered and less likely to hurl blood, feces, and insults while doing it.

stitchathome of VA 3:54PM January 30, 2009

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