# What are the chances of President Obama becoming a lame duck president? **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [March 24, 2014, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455 "2014-03-24T16:44:55Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/41 "2014-03-25T23:16:18Z")
If he can successfully negotiate a US-EU trade deal, or a US-Japan trade deal, that’s awesome. He’s not there yet, but he has time if he makes it a priority. Has US prestige improved in the world? Pew says not a whole lot, and it’s been slipping the longer the reality of Barack Obama’s foreign policy conflicts with the idea of Barack Obama: > **[America’s International Image Slipping](https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2013/07/26/americas-international-image-slipping/)** > > In the fifth year of the Obama presidency, the United States’ image remains strong around the world compared with the last years of the administration of President George W. Bush. Still, pro-America sentiment is slipping. \*\*In the fifth year of the Obama presidency, the United States’ image remains strong around the world compared with the last years of the administration of President George W. Bush. Still, pro-America sentiment is slipping. The decline is in no way comparable to the collapse of U.S. standing in the first decade of this century. But the “Obama bounce” in the global stature of the United States experienced in 2009 is clearly a thing of the past. And this gradual erosion of support is, in part, due to the diminishing popularity of U.S. President Barack Obama himself in some nations. In 28 of 38 nations, half or more of those surveyed express a favorable opinion of the U.S., according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center. This includes more than half those surveyed in seven of eight European countries, including three quarters in Italy, two thirds in Poland and 64 percent in France.\*\* ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/42 "2014-03-25T23:30:08Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > If he can successfully negotiate a US-EU trade deal, or a US-Japan trade deal, that’s awesome. He’s not there yet, but he has time if he makes it a priority. > > Has US prestige improved in the world? Pew says not a whole lot, and it’s been slipping the longer the reality of Barack Obama’s foreign policy conflicts with the idea of Barack Obama: > > [America’s International Image Slipping | Pew Research Center](http://www.pewglobal.org/2013/07/26/americas-international-image-slipping/) > > \*\*In the fifth year of the Obama presidency, the United States’ image remains strong around the world compared with the last years of the administration of President George W. Bush. Still, pro-America sentiment is slipping. > > The decline is in no way comparable to the collapse of U.S. standing in the first decade of this century. But the “Obama bounce” in the global stature of the United States experienced in 2009 is clearly a thing of the past. And this gradual erosion of support is, in part, due to the diminishing popularity of U.S. President Barack Obama himself in some nations. > > In 28 of 38 nations, half or more of those surveyed express a favorable opinion of the U.S., according to a new poll by the Pew Research Center. This includes more than half those surveyed in seven of eight European countries, including three quarters in Italy, two thirds in Poland and 64 percent in France.\*\* This is evidence of what, exactly? It seems like evidence that Obama has greatly increased the opinion of the world community for America, even if that great increase is not as big as it was at the beginning of his first term. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/43 "2014-03-25T23:33:35Z")
The bounce has mostly disappeared and things are still getting worse. Now if it’s because he’s doing things in our interest and doing them well, like the drone war, then all well and good. I never cared much about the world’s opinion, but liberals really do seem to care a lot about this, so I’m kinda surprised they regard Obama as successful in foreign policy when people aren’t liking us any better. Back when Bush was in office, our unpopularity was all liberals needed to cite to convince themselves that he was terrible at foreign policy. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/44 "2014-03-25T23:38:13Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The bounce has mostly disappeared and things are still getting worse. > > Now if it’s because he’s doing things in our interest and doing them well, like the drone war, then all well and good. I never cared much about the world’s opinion, but liberals really do seem to care a lot about this, so I’m kinda surprised they regard Obama as successful in foreign policy when people aren’t liking us any better. Back when Bush was in office, our unpopularity was all liberals needed to cite to convince themselves that he was terrible at foreign policy. Any evidence that the bounce has mostly disappeared? It still seems significantly better than under Bush. ---
**Author:** ![adaher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dec6dc/32.png) [@adaher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/adaher)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/45 "2014-03-25T23:41:40Z")
That’s a very low bar. ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2014, 11:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/46 "2014-03-25T23:57:28Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s a very low bar. Then why did you say “the bounce has mostly disappeared”? You shouldn’t make factual statements like that unless they’re, you know, factual. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 12:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/47 "2014-03-26T00:02:19Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The bounce has mostly disappeared and things are still getting worse. > > Now if it’s because he’s doing things in our interest and doing them well, like the drone war, then all well and good. I never cared much about the world’s opinion, but liberals really do seem to care a lot about this, so I’m kinda surprised they regard Obama as successful in foreign policy when people aren’t liking us any better. Back when Bush was in office, our unpopularity was all liberals needed to cite to convince themselves that he was terrible at foreign policy. So lemme get this straight: US support/favorability in Europe and the world was at around 45% in 2008. After Obama took office that shot up to about 72%. Right now, that stands at 63%. You, somehow, think that losing 9-10% of a 30% gain justifies the statement that “the bounce has mostly disappeared”. :dubious: I can only surmise that, to you, the word “mostly” means something quite different than what it means to the rest of us. ---
**Author:** ![drewtwo99](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/d07c76/32.png) [@drewtwo99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/drewtwo99)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/48 "2014-03-26T00:13:02Z")
Forget it Bo, it’s adahertown. Those polls are probably skewed anyway, dontcha know? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/49 "2014-03-26T00:19:31Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > Back when Bush was in office, our unpopularity was all liberals needed to cite to convince themselves that he was terrible at foreign policy. That is, after all, a pretty good indicator. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 1:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/50 "2014-03-26T01:08:01Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The job of the President is clearly delineated in the Constitution. If he concentrates on that job, he’ll be a good President until the day he leaves office. But if he defines his success or failure by the legislation he wants passed, then he’ll find no one is listening. FDR would be remembered, with fondness and respect, for the legislation he passed even if he had not had to fight a war. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/51 "2014-03-26T01:11:27Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > The history of the Presidency involves managing foreign policy and **executing the laws of this country faithfully.** It always seems that regardless of other axes of ideology, partisans will support congressional supremacy in policymaking when the other party holds the WH and presidential supremacy when their own does. What was your view at the time of W’s lavish use of “signing statements” and John Yoo’s strong version of the “unitary executive” theory? I know a whole lot of Pubs/RWs were strongly supportive. And it all went way beyond anything Obama has done with executive orders. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/52 "2014-03-26T01:16:17Z")
> [@adaher](#): > > That’s a very low bar. We agree on something, then. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/53 "2014-03-26T01:30:57Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > So what you’re saying is that I can declare any term I want to have any meaning I want so that I can use that term in random political diatribes? Weellll . . . you may do so cromulently, but of course not infratrastically. ---
**Author:** ![ElvisL1ves](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/5daacb/32.png) [@ElvisL1ves](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElvisL1ves)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/54 "2014-03-26T13:59:55Z")
Now \*that \*was a craptacular post! ---
**Author:** ![42fish](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/4/b487fb/32.png) [@42fish](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/42fish)\ **Post date:** [March 26, 2014, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/55 "2014-03-26T17:39:53Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > So lemme get this straight: US support/favorability in Europe and the world was at around 45% in 2008. After Obama took office that shot up to about 72%. Right now, that stands at 63%. You, somehow, think that losing 9-10% of a 30% gain justifies the statement that “the bounce has mostly disappeared”. :dubious: > > I can only surmise that, to you, the word “mostly” means something quite different than what it means to the rest of us. Given that it’s **adaher** , it might well be “bounce” or “disappeared” that have different meanings for him. And I wouldn’t rule out “has” and “the,” while we’re at it. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/56 "2014-03-27T01:53:07Z")
Obama has two dads? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2014, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455/57 "2014-03-27T03:39:32Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Obama has two dads? Genetic dad and stepdad. Ain’t quite the same case as Heather’s. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-are-the-chances-of-president-obama-becoming-a-lame-duck-president/684455.md?page=2)