Polls: Obama faces trouble with key voters

[peejay 327]

Polls: Obama faces trouble with key voters

By KEN THOMAS and JENNIFER AGIESTA, ASSOCIATED PRESS

Published 10:35 a.m., Saturday, August 27, 2011

WASHINGTON - Whites and women are a re-election problem for President Barack Obama. Younger voters and liberals, too, but to a lesser extent.

All are important Democratic constituencies that helped him win the White House in 2008 and whose support he'll need to keep it next year.

An analysis of Associated Press-GfK polls, including the latest survey released last week, shows that Obama has lost ground among all those groups since he took office. The review points to his vulnerabilities and probable leading targets of his campaign as he seeks to assemble a coalition diverse enough to help him win re-election in tough economic times.

In his victory over Arizona Sen. John McCain, Obama cobbled together a base of support from across the political spectrum by wooing Democratic loyalists as well as independents and first-time voters.

This time, Obama's team is working to build voter outreach organizations and reconnect with supporters in hopes of expanding his pool of voters.

It's no easy task.

The nation's high unemployment is weighing on Obama, dragging down his marks for handling the economy. His overall standing has slid, too, after a difficult summer marked by contentious negotiations over the country's borrowing limit, a downgrade of the nation's credit rating and concerns about the U.S. falling into another economic recession.

The poll shows that 46 percent now approve of how he's doing his job, down from 52 percent in June.

Obama will have to win over people such as Brian Arnold, 33, of Pickerington, Ohio. He's an independent who voted for Obama in 2008 because he liked the Democrat's outsider image.

Now, Arnold says he's undecided and down on Obama. "He got elected, it was a big party and after that he went back to being a politician. As soon as he got in office, he just did more of the same."

The AP analysis looked at the viewpoints of all adults, not just those who plan to vote in 2012. In no way does it predict how Obama will fare with influential demographic groups next fall.

It does, however, indicate which groups will need extra attention in this campaign as he tries to persuade voters to stick with him for another four years.

Among the findings:

-White independent voters, who divided their support evenly between Obama and McCain in 2008, may be the president's biggest challenge now. Just 3 in 10 white independents say Obama deserves to be re-elected and only 41 percent say he understands the problems of people like them.

Obama didn't win the largest share of white voters in 2008, when they made up 74 percent of the electorate. Still, his inroads were enough to beat McCain.

Fifty-six percent of all whites approved of how he was doing his job in the first three months of his presidency. But that support has fallen, with only 36 percent now liking how he's doing his job, while 59 say Obama deserves to be voted out of office.

In 2008, Obama won the backing of most whites in the Northeast and was competitive in the Midwest and West, outperforming the previous two Democratic nominees. Now, majorities of whites in every region but the Northeast say he deserves to lose in 2012 and that he is not a strong leader.

The outlook is negative for Obama among white voters in the Midwest and West, regions where so many electoral votes are at stake.

More than 6 in 10 white voters who did not graduate say the president deserves to be voted from office, while 53 percent of white college graduates say as much.

-Women no longer are a bright spot for Obama.

At the 100-day mark of his presidency, they gave him significantly higher approval ratings than did men, 68 percent to 60 percent. That's since fallen dramatically.

In the latest AP-GfK survey, less than half of all women and less than half of all men approve of the job Obama is doing. Just 50 percent of women said Obama deserves re-election.

Still, women are more likely than men to see Obama as empathetic or a strong leader, and they give him sharply higher positive ratings on his handling of the economy. Forty-three3 percent of women approve, compared with 29 percent of men.

-Younger voters and liberals are showing doubts about him, too.

Obama won younger voters in 2008 by a bigger margin than Democrat Bill Clinton in his victories in 1992 and 1996. But younger Democrats are no more apt to say the president deserves re-election than are older Democrats. Twenty-seven percent of Democrats under age 45 say Obama is not a strong leader, compared with 11 percent in June.

While a majority of liberals continue to say they view Obama as a strong leader, the strength of those opinions dropped sharply this summer. The share of liberals who say "strong leader" describes Obama "very well" has fallen from 53 percent to 29 percent in the aftermath of the debt-ceiling debate.

"Sometimes he needs to put his foot down and not be the nice guy," said Democrat Kathleen Salak, 44, of Omaha, Neb.

The most recent AP-GfK poll was conducted Aug. 18-22 by GfK Roper Public Affairs and Corporate Communications. It involved landline and cellphone interviews with 1,000 adults nationwide and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 4.1 percentage points.

http://www.chron.com/news/politics/article/Polls-Obama-faces-trouble-with-key-voters-2143977.php

[lostinblue 1,989]

Obama won because of the "vote against Bush" Hope and change did come to this country and we are worse off because of it. The american people have seen the race to the bottom because of this administration. Are you better off than 2 years ago.Maybe if you were a union supporter but that is about it.

[BishopM 114]

Bush, while not running for election in 2008, was unpopular for a couple reason, 1) Crappy wars 2) Crappy economy.

Those two factors haven't changed much under Obama. So, I suspect that he'll have a difficult time winning the election.

While I don't believe Obama is a socialist, or a muslim, or not an American citizen, I don't think he's been an effective president. Sure, the cards were stacked against him when he took the job, but hey...buck stops here.

And, from a personal standpoint, I could care less what states like Ohio and Michigan think/vote...they'll never change, always unionized...(where is that 'thumbs-down' emoticon?)

[scandal 951]

Bush, while not running for election in 2008, was unpopular for a couple reason, 1) Crappy wars 2) Crappy economy.

Those two factors haven't changed much under Obama. So, I suspect that he'll have a difficult time winning the election.

While I don't believe Obama is a socialist, or a muslim, or not an American citizen, I don't think he's been an effective president. Sure, the cards were stacked against him when he took the job, but hey...buck stops here.

I agree with that. I voted for Obama and in all likelihood will again. But I give his Presidency thus far about a B-. A passing grade but nothing to brag about.

I agree that in a normal election cycle he would have a very difficult time winning next year with his current record. The one thing that could make things different this time around is that his opposition seems determined to nominate an unelectable national candidate. The tea party seems determined to overtake the GOP from within and prevent it from winning an otherwise winnable election for a candidate who has broad centrist appeal. Go figure.

[Karee 4,191]

I agree with that. I voted for Obama and in all likelihood will again. But I give his Presidency thus far about a B-. A passing grade but nothing to brag about.

I agree that in a normal election cycle he would have a very difficult time winning next year with his current record. The one thing that could make things different this time around is that his opposition seems determined to nominate an unelectable national candidate. The tea party seems determined to overtake the GOP from within and prevent it from winning an otherwise winnable election for a candidate who has broad centrist appeal. Go figure.

OT: you getting ready for ROC?

[luckytxn 2,265]

Obama the Socialist will always get the hardcore Socialist/leftist/liberal votes because they are bought and paid for. They will vote for Hitler or Stalin or Mao. The Independent voters are the ones he has to get to win the next election. He got them last time by promising Health care reform and soaking the rich to pay for it to buy their votes. He failed at that big time. He even had both house and failed at getting that. He gave away the biggest giveaway in history by forcing the Independents to pay with huge increases their premiums to pay for the bums. He will go out there and try to buy the votes again but doubt they are that friggin stupid to fall for it again. Some will be but not near enough.

We do have idiots that actually think this Socialist president doesn't spend a lot of money and they are deserving of ridicule but luckily they are in the minority. This moron that the idiots vote in has almost destroyed the country and doubt he will get another chance to finish. Luckily some sheep have woken up.

[Trompe le Monde 1,107]

The question for Republicans is: can they capture these voters with candidates like Perry and Bachmann? I really don't think so.

[scandal 951]

Obama the Socialist will always get the hardcore Socialist/leftist/liberal votes because they are bought and paid for. They will vote for Hitler or Stalin or Mao. The Independent voters are the ones he has to get to win the next election. He got them last time by promising Health care reform and soaking the rich to pay for it to buy their votes. He failed at that big time. He even had both house and failed at getting that. He gave away the biggest giveaway in history by forcing the Independents to pay with huge increases their premiums to pay for the bums. He will go out there and try to buy the votes again but doubt they are that friggin stupid to fall for it again. Some will be but not near enough.

We do have idiots that actually think this Socialist president doesn't spend a lot of money and they are deserving of ridicule but luckily they are in the minority. This moron that the idiots vote in has almost destroyed the country and doubt he will get another chance to finish. Luckily some sheep have woken up.

Wow, that's pretty good.

I'd sit and chat with you for a while, but you know me. Being one of those Socialist leftist idiot morons that you're talking about, I've got to go out now and cast a few votes for the Hitler/Mao ticket. I'd vote for Stalin too, but he's not on the ballot in my precinct

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

The question for Republicans is: can they capture these voters with candidates like Perry and Bachmann? I really don't think so.

What if they use handcuffs?

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Wow, that's pretty good.

I'd sit and chat with you for a while, but you know me. Being one of those Socialist leftist idiot morons that you're talking about, I've got to go out now and cast a few votes for the Hitler/Mao ticket. I'd vote for Stalin too, but he's not on the ballot in my precinct

Tom Landry was a big proponent of the Flex Formation which clearly indicates that he was a known Socialist Commie who was taking orders directly from Chairman Mao and Stalin, especially in the red zone.

Wow, that's pretty good.

I'd sit and chat with you for a while, but you know me. Being one of those Socialist leftist idiot morons that you're talking about, I've got to go out now and cast a few votes for the Hitler/Mao ticket. I'd vote for Stalin too, but he's not on the ballot in my precinct

You didn't tell me that Obama was big with the National Socialists, from now on, you tell me everything.

BTW, the sheep have woken up, you and Spooks are going to have work on your technique or get more Viagra.

Edited August 28, 2011 by IR5FORMUMSIE

[scandal 951]

Tom Landry was a big proponent of the Flex Formation which clearly indicates that he was a known Socialist Commie who was taking orders directly from Chairman Mao and Stalin, especially in the red zone.

Which proves that the NFL is just another Socialist conspiracy. "RED ZONE"????

You didn't tell me that Obama was big with the National Socialists, from now on, you tell me everything.

No can do. I'm an inept idiot moron sheep, so I can't tell you everything.

But check with Luckytxn. He knows all. I'm sure he can fill you in.

[luckytxn 2,265]

The question for Republicans is: can they capture these voters with candidates like Perry and Bachmann? I really don't think so.

Almost anyone against an idiot like Obama and it is an easy choice.

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Which proves that the NFL is just another Socialist conspiracy. "RED ZONE"????

No can do. I'm an inept idiot moron sheep, so I can't tell you everything.

But check with Luckytxn. He knows all. I'm sure he can fill you in.

I KNEW IT!!!!

[Pooky 3,850]

The question for Republicans is: can they capture these voters with candidates like Perry and Bachmann? I really don't think so.

Or, at the other end of the scale, what if the current administration continues to perform badly and loses popular support to an extent that one of the GOP contenders begins to look like a viable candidate?

[IR5FORMUMSIE 850]

Almost anyone against an idiot like Obama and it is an easy choice.

Welcome to the White House, I hope you'll enjoy your second term, President Obama. :whistle:

Or, at the other end of the scale, what if the current administration continues to perform badly and loses popular support to an extent that one of the GOP contenders begins to look like a viable candidate?

:rofl: :rofl: :rofl: