In a new ABC/WaPo poll (data), the weakness of the opposition to Obama's reforms is highlighted in addition to the continuing personal strength of the President.
Expectations for President Obama's stimulus package have diminished, with barely half of Americans now confident the $787 billion measure will boost the economy, and the rapid rise in optimism that followed the 2008 election has abated, according to a new Washington Post-ABC News poll.
The tempered public outlook has not significantly affected Obama's overall standing, which at 65 percent approval in the new survey outpaces the ratings of former Presidents George W. Bush and Bill Clinton at similar points in their presidencies. But new questions about the stimulus package's effectiveness underscore the stakes for the Obama administration in the months ahead, as it pushes for big reforms in health care and energy on top of the singular issue of the nation's flagging economy.
Obama maintains leverage on these issues in part because of the continuing weakness of his opposition. The survey found the favorability ratings of congressional Republicans at their lowest point in polls dating back more than a decade. Obama also has significant advantages over Republican lawmakers in terms of public trust on dealing with the economy, health care, the deficit and the threat of terrorism, all despite broad-based GOP criticism of his early actions on these fronts.
This is the third straight media poll with record low ratings for the GOP. At this rate, someone might actually notice that GOP criticism does not have traction with the public.
On the important right/wrong track, there's improvement since the election but no further rise since the last poll:
Public confidence in the direction of the country remains well above its pre-election lows, but in the new survey, that indicator stopped rising for the first time since the election. In April, the percentage of Americans saying things were moving in a positive direction hit 50 percent for the first time in more than six years, and up from single digits before the November election. In the new survey, 47 percent said they believe the country is moving in the right direction and 50 percent said it is pretty seriously off on the wrong track.
Of interest on the foreign policy front:
But on specific questions of torture policy and the closing of the detention center at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, there is still broad public pushback to his announced policies. Under half, 45 percent, said they approve of shuttering the detention center, and when asked if they'd accept those terrorism suspects in their home states, support dropped further still, to 37 percent.
The country remains sharply divided on torture, with nearly half saying there are cases in which torture should be considered, a sharp contrast to the president's blanket prohibition of the practice.
Still, nothing happens in a vacuum:
The state of the Republican Party remains grim. Just 22 percent of those surveyed identified themselves as Republicans, near April's decades-long low point. Only 36 percent said they have a favorable impression of the GOP, with 56 percent saying they have an unfavorable impression. (Fifty-three percent said they have a favorable view of the Democratic Party.)
The bottom line Obama numbers (MoE +/- 3):
Obama approval disapproval
6/21/09 65 31
4/24/09 69 26
with no specific health care questions other than Obama's 53% approval on health care.
On the issues:
At some point, official media-dom will have to come to grips with how poorly the GOP is doing with the public. The GOP numbers:
It can't be hidden any more. No one likes the GOP and bipartisanship is not an ideal shared by the public. Bottom line: the economy gives folks the jitters, but opposition numbers are in the toilet. Don't bet against this President getting what he wants... once he decides what exactly that is, anyway
