# Is Obama's Approval Rating Going to Plunge into the Toilet at Record Speed?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obamas-approval-rating-going-to-plunge-into-the-toilet-at-record-speed/485652>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [February 13, 2009, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obamas-approval-rating-going-to-plunge-into-the-toilet-at-record-speed/485652 "2009-02-13T04:12:37Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 11

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**Author:** ![EddyTeddyFreddy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eddyteddyfreddy/32/18796_2.png) [@EddyTeddyFreddy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EddyTeddyFreddy)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obamas-approval-rating-going-to-plunge-into-the-toilet-at-record-speed/485652/201 "2009-02-24T03:28:09Z")

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> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> [Poll Show Broad SUpport for Obama’s Leadership](http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/24/us/politics/24poll.html?_r=1&hp).
> 
> Boy, I bet your face is red, huh, **Shag**?
> 
> Daniel

Some quotes from that article should give the GOP pause:

> [@](#):
>
> A majority of people surveyed in both parties said Mr. Obama was striving to work in a bipartisan way, but most faulted Republicans for their response to the president, saying the party had objected to the $787 billion economic stimulus plan for political reasons. Most said Mr. Obama should pursue the priorities he campaigned on, the poll found, rather than seek middle ground with Republicans.
> 
> [snip]
> 
> Americans are under no illusions that the country’s problems will be resolved quickly, but the poll suggested that they will be patient when it comes to the economy, with most saying it would be years before significant improvement.
> 
> [snip]
> 
> Most Americans said the president was trying to make good on his promise to bridge the partisan divide. About three-quarters, including 6 in 10 Republicans, said Mr. Obama had been trying to work with Republicans. But only 3 in 10 Americans said Republicans were doing the same.
> 
> On the economic stimulus plan, 63 percent of poll respondents said Republicans opposed the legislation for political reasons, not policy ones. Seventy-nine percent said Republicans should now be working in a bipartisan manner rather than holding fast with their policies.

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**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 11:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obamas-approval-rating-going-to-plunge-into-the-toilet-at-record-speed/485652/202 "2009-02-24T11:56:33Z")

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> [@DSeid](#):
>
> [Gallup’s polling](http://www.gallup.com/poll/116026/Assessing-Obama-Job-Approval-One-Month-Mark.aspx) is interesting. Short version is that he’s about par for the course. But some stuff of note in the details.

I wonder whether a significant number of Republicans thought that working with them would entail adopting their ideas wholesale.

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**Author:** ![Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/8edcca/32.png) [@Hentor\_the\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hentor_the_Barbarian)\
**Post date:** [February 24, 2009, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-obamas-approval-rating-going-to-plunge-into-the-toilet-at-record-speed/485652/203 "2009-02-24T13:18:19Z")

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> [@Magiver](#):
>
> One survey is more accurate than the other.

You’re exactly right. For example, here’s a run-down of how they performed in predicting the 2008 presidential election results: [http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/grading\_the\_national\_polls\_ras.php](http://tpmelectioncentral.talkingpointsmemo.com/2008/11/grading_the_national_polls_ras.php)

Gallup was dead last - they predicted Obama would win by 11 points. Daily Kos’ (actually called Research 2000), predicted a 51-46 Obama win.

This of course only further illustrates the foolishness of describing trends by crossing over different polling company results.

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