Research Briefing

Obama’s Disapproval Rating

AMERICANS HAVE SOURED ON OBAMA ACROSS THE BOARD

WSJ/NBC Poll: “For The First Time, More People Disapprove Of Mr. Obama’s Job Performance Than Approve.” (Peter Wallsten and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning in Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

• “Americans are more pessimistic about the state of the country and less confident in President Barack Obama's leadership than at any point since Mr. Obama entered the White House …” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

MSNBC’s Mark Murray: “For the first time in the survey, more disapprove of his job performance than approve; for the first time in his presidency, more than 60 percent believe the country is on the wrong track …” (Mark Murray, “Poll: Spill Drags The President's Rating Down,” MSNBC, 6/23/10)

• Murray: “[O]bama’s scores on being able to handle a crisis and on being decisive have plummeted since last year.” (Mark Murray, “Poll: Spill Drags The President's Rating Down,” MSNBC, 6/23/10)

 “62% Sixty-two percent of adults in the survey feel the country is on the wrong track, the highest level since before the 2008 election.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

• “Just one-third think the economy will get better over the next year, a 7-point drop from a month ago and the low point of Mr. Obama's tenure.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)
• “Some 30% in the poll said they ‘do not really relate’ to Mr. Obama. Only 8% said that at the beginning of his presidency.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)
• “Fewer than half give him positive marks when asked if he is ‘honest and straightforward.’'' (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)
• “And 49% rate him positively when asked if he has ‘strong leadership qualities,’ down from 70% when Mr. Obama took office and a drop of 8 points since January.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall
  Street Journal, 6/23/10)
• “Just 40% rate him positively on his ‘ability to handle a crisis,’ an 11-point drop since January. Half disapprove of Mr. Obama's handling of the oil spill, including one in four Democrats.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)
• “[M]ore ominous for the president, some in his base also are souring, with 17% of Democrats disapproving of Mr. Obama's job performance, the highest level of his presidency.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

“‘As a Democrat and as a woman, I am disappointed in him,’ said poll respondent Melissa Riner, a 42-year-old law clerk from Mesa, Ariz. Referring to the oil spill, Ms. Riner added, ‘I don't think he's handling it. He doesn't seem to be doing anything. He just talks.’” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

• “James Ciarmataro, a 23-year-old stay-at-home dad from Macomb, Mich., said it was difficult to relate to Mr. Obama, because the president is "eating steak dinners at the White House and playing golf" while the country is suffering.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

MSNBC’s Willie Geist: “The one that really jumped off the page for us this morning 62% of Americans now believe the country is on the wrong track and only 29% say we’re headed in the right direction. That is a pretty devastating number.” (MSNBC, “Morning Joe,” 6/24/10)

AND THEY’RE READY TO SEND A MESSAGE IN NOVEMBER

“WSJ/NBC Poll: Voters Support GOP Takeover of Congress” (Susan Davis, “WSJ/NBC Poll: Voters Support GOP Takeover of Congress,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

• “There’s been a notable decline in support for a Democratic-controlled Congress in WSJ/NBC polls.” (Susan Davis, “WSJ/NBC Poll: Voters Support GOP Takeover of Congress,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)
• “In November 2008, the public preferred a Democratic Congress by a 12-point, 48%-36% margin. By January 2010, the parties tied at 41%. Now, the GOP is in the lead.” (Susan Davis, “WSJ/NBC Poll: Voters Support GOP Takeover of Congress,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

Pollster Peter Hart: “The voters, I think, are just looking for change, and that means bad news for incumbents and in particular for the Democrats.” (Peter Wallstein and Eliza Gray, “Confidence Waning In Obama, U.S. Outlook,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)

• Hart: “The Republican Party has a major advantage in the fall, and this poll just reconfirms that …” (Mark Murray, “Poll: Spill Drags The President's Rating Down,” MSNBC, 6/23/10)

New York Magazine’s Josh Duboff: “The president, as well as the Democratic party, is in for something of a rude awakening …” (Josh Duboff, “Americans Are Less Confident In Obama Than Ever Before, Poll Says,” New York Magazine “Daily Intel,” Blog, 6/23/10)

Murray: “32 percent say their vote this November will be a signal of opposition for Obama, versus 27 percent who say it will be a signal of support for him.” (Mark Murray, “Poll: Spill Drags The President's Rating Down,” MSNBC, 6/23/10)

• Murray: “That’s a reversal from January, when 37 percent said their vote would be in support for the president, while 27 percent said it would be in opposition.” (Mark Murray, “Poll: Spill Drags The President's Rating Down,” MSNBC, 6/23/10)
• Murray: “When it comes to the midterm elections, the Republican Party still appears to have the edge heading into November…” (Mark Murray, “Poll: Spill Drags The President's Rating Down,” MSNBC, 6/23/10)

MSNBC’s Chuck Todd: “This is what change election environment looks like.” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 6/23/10)

• Todd: “If you want to look at it this way, in 1994 and in 2006, the last two times that party control changed in Congress, you had a right direction/wrong track that was in this territory of what we’re seeing today…” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 6/23/10)
• Todd: “[Y]ou can have republicans talking about not just big gains but control of both House and Senate.” (MSNBC, “Morning Joe,” 6/24/10)
• Todd: “If You're A Republican Poll Consultant, You're Really Excited About These -- About These Splits.” (MSNBC’s “Hardball,” 6/23/10)

“Nearly one in three voters, 32%, said they would use their midterm vote as a way to send a message of opposition to President Barack Obama, while 27% said they would vote to send a message of support for the president.” (Susan Davis, “WSJ/NBC Poll: Voters Support GOP Takeover of Congress,” The Wall Street Journal, 6/23/10)