WASHINGTON (CNN) - Do Americans think President Barack Obama's got too many balls in the air? A new national survey indicates that for a majority, the answer is yes.
Fifty-five percent of people questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Wednesday say that since he's taken over in the White House, President Obama has tried to handle more issues than he should have. Forty-three percent say he hasn't bitten off more than he can chew.
"In his first weeks in office, Barack Obama did not focus exclusively on the economy but instead announced new policies and proposals on everything from education to health care to Afghanistan and Iraq," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "He gets high marks on most of those issues, but it seems that many Americans are worried that he might lose his focus on economic recovery."
President Obama Tuesday dismissed criticism he's trying to do too much. "What I say is that the challenges we face are too large to ignore," he said.
"To kick these problems down the road for another four years or another eight years to be to continue the same irresponsibility that led us to this point. That's not why I ran for this office. I didn't come here to pass on our problems to the next president or the next generation. I came here to solve them."
The poll suggests that a majority, 58 percent, feel that the president's programs strike the right political tone for the country. Thirty-six percent say Obama's proposals are too liberal, and 5 percent say they are not liberal enough.
On the issues: 59 percent say they approve of how the President's handling the economy, 57 percent like how Obama's dealing with health care, 63 percent approve of his energy policy and 65 percent back him on education reform.
Sixty-six percent like Obama's approach to foreign affairs, with 63 percent approving of how he handles Iraq, 67 percent agreeing with him on Afghanistan and 61 percent approving of his performance in the fight against terrorism."
Obama tends to get better numbers for his handling of international issue than on domestic problems," Holland says. "That's a typical pattern for many presidents, who can handle foreign policy concerns without always having to push something through Congress."
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll of 1,019 Americans was conducted by telephone Thursday through Sunday, and has a sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.
From CNN Politics
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he is proving the job limitations of a community organizer.
He's a multi-tasker. That's why he's the POTUS.
better too much than too little
Obama is DEFINTELY above his paygrade!
When one considers the number of promises Obama has broken, his inability to vet and nominate ETHICAL appointments, and utter disconnection from the struggles average Americans are dealing with (lost jobs, lost homes, etc... while He and Michelle party-down every week at the White House).....
.... his paygrade seems to be legitimately at "community organizer".
Maybe he is taking on too much, but what choice does he have? He's had more dumped on him than any President I've seen in my lifetime, and I was born when Eisenhower was in office.
Are you only calling Democrats? I don't even know many Dem's who support him. He has proven without a doubt to be a liar, and destroyer of our Republic. He is going to fail, and he is only a one term Pres. For the record we know Pelosi, Reid, Dodd, Frank etc. are actually pulling all the strings, God help us, Socialism destroys, and they are full steam ahead at fully destroying America, I hope you people are proud of your efforts.
I say – "If it was easy – anybody could do it!" The President has to be able to juggle a lot – that is the job! Is he going to drop one once in a while – sure – he isn't perfect, but the test will be how fast he can pick it up and get it back in the air.
and if he hadn't we would be reading a poll saying he hasn't done enough
The President is a leader not a follower... He have to take the lead in order to run this country. When Bush was running his program no one said a word including the Media. He did what he pleased and did not care who agreed with him or not, so who care if someone don't agree with the lead the President is taking they are free to dis-agree, that's what this country is all about... At least that's what George W. Bush said... We are free and that's why they hate us!!!!!! Go Obama!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
The bar is too low for our government. It should be able to MULTI-TASK and do it very good. In the real world, we are asked to juggle 3 to 4 priorities as jobs are being offshored, outsourced and co-workers laid off. If we can do it, the government can certainly do it too.
Balderdash! Folks who say that are just echoing some naysayer pundits.
Its a GOOD thing – not a bad thing – for our President to address all the issues. Lord knows, we have enough of them!
Barack is the Michael Jordon of politics. He would be doing fine if his teammates would stop fouling and if the other team would stop fouling him. He is driven by the challenge and complexity of the problems facing the nation. Once the momentum builds, look for a few slam dunks.
All this says is that the majority of Americans are still not paying attention.
America has a LOT of problems to solve in order to stay #1 in the world. If we don't solve these problems, then we will find ourselves serving China... Those people who say Obama is doing too much just don't get it.
The president is extremely capable of handle multiple tasks at a given time.
People must have gotten him mixed up with George W and his war criminal co-horts. They were the slow retarded bunch who flushed our economy down the toilet.
He's our President, he was left with an American DISASTER, he didn't take it on it was GIVEN to him by the LAST ADMINISTRATION, He's trying his best to clean up their mess, GOD HELP HIM.
The president is extremely capable of handle multiple tasks at a given time.
People must have gotten him mixed up with George W and his war criminal co-horts. They were the slow retarded bunch who flushed our economy down the toilet.
Look what the Republicans have left him/us. Somebody has to try and do something. GO OBAMA!
I just think we aren't used to seeing a workaholic president. He has a huge staff and cabinet. Aren't they supposed to be tackling these issues aggressively?
I think it only "looks" like President Obama has taken on too much because ... George W. Bush "did" so little!
He knew the situation. He wanted the job. Now the golden boy can't get the job done because he has the wrong team in place and lacks real leadership skills himself. What a waist of America's hope for change.
I am proud of Barack for addressing so many issues at once. There is so much in our country that needs repair.
But I am worried that he is stretching himself, his staff, the budget , national and international obligations too thin. I want him to succeed in everything, but the nation's priorities may have to be chronologically ordered (including speed-ups and delays) to ensure thign sget done.
It is difficult, but realistic, to accept that not all things can be done at once.
Good luck, Barack. I'm working for ya, rooting for ya and prayin' for ya.
Edward Liddy, chief executive of bailed out insurer American International Group, will tell Congress Wednesday that he found the company's controversial bonuses "distasteful," but necessary because of legal obligations and competition, according to a written copy of his testimony.
My question is if they were necessary please explain how they earned the bonus? I need to know why they earned 6 million of taxpayers dollars. What did they do so extraordinary to earn that much money in the form of a bonus?
So goes the theory that he can walk and chew gum at the same time. I want him to stay focused on the economy. Without a strong economy, everything else won't matter. Businesses won't invest in health care plans and people can't pay for it. Also if the economy is lousy people will put off going to college and try to find a job.
So one thing at a time Mr. President. We will get there in time.
One thing can be said with certainty: THIS wouldn't have been an issue with W. Thank God we've moved on.
I think he is doing a splendid job no matter what the critics have to say. He was left with a lot so he has to juggle a lot. A lot of the issues he is facing is tied together one way or another. I give him a lot of credit for hitting the ground running and also finding time to be with his family. He is a president of the people which is why he is everywhere doing different things. The start was bumpy but I believe he will get a lot ironed out by his second year.
Obama is typical of today's younger generation comfortable in interfacing with the latest technologies. He can multi-task and focus on many issues at the same time without a loss of focus or efficency. The goals are attainable because of his leadership and competent staff.
Was there ever an option to not juggle all these things? The country has been so poorly led that we are severely hurting in so many areas... what choice does the President have?
After eight years of a president who couldn't walk and chew gum at the same time it's understandable to think Obama has taken on too much. But the guy is like a chess master. What may seem like a mistake today will be revealed to be a stroke of genius tomorrow.
Thank You President Obama.
After eight years of a duo that focussed only on enhancing our ability to torture people, you are willing to atleast try to make up for their lost time, while not torturing people.
I appreciate that.
And which of the many balls in the air would you like him to drop? Fulfilling campaign promises of closing Gitmo and stopping all forms of torture, plus reversing the Bush Administration stance on stem cell research? Providing leadership on a stimulus bill to get the economy moving?
He is being faced with more, and more serious, problems than any President in recent memory. We are lucky in that he is bright enough, has had the intelligence to bring on some pretty impressive people to help out. He can multitask, which is going to be critical...he's taken part of one weekend off with his family in the days since his inauguration because he knows there is too much to do to take time off, and he is trying to rebuild international relations which will also be critical to the overall economic recovery.
I think we need to be realistic: do we want another linear, one-thing-at-a-time President, or do we want one that can multitask? One of these days, I'd love to be on the other end of a national poll taker's call so that I can not only answer the poll question but comment on the inanity of most of them!
Heaven forbid we have a president who actually works more than he vacations! I, for one, find it refreshing that Pres. Obama is so active. And he's making maximum use of the first year "honeymoon" that every president encounters. He's done more in the first few months than Bush did in 8 years.
A competent, ambitious president really isn't such a bad thing...
There are lot s of things to do and we need to do them now. Every thing is connected to our economy. Healthcare effects the economy. Energy effects the economy. Lack of eduation effects the economy. Creating 3 million jobs will effect the economy. Making sure our financial system does not fail effects the economy. Doing to much at once. Nope. Need to get er done.
I know, I know...
All this discussion about Leno, cheesesteaks, and basketball is enough to make anyone's head spin.
Can someone please tell him, if he stops campaigning for the job he already has, it might not be so bad.
Yeah, we need a President who can't chew his gum and walk at the same time. Oh that's right, we had Bush. I guess the American public is use to it.
Sorry, but whoever was coming into office this year was going to have all these challenges to face. And I do not buythat it will be fixed. This is a course these people have taken and they are steering it the way they want to.
What a joke... Health care is part of the struggling ecnomy and education is part of the economy. America is not just for the folks on Wall Street who live off the froth of others hard work. It is also for the millions of Amercians who build companies and provide for their families.
Taking on too much, how can you take on what have been there all the time. He only trying to fix a bad situation before it get worse. Instead of talking about how much he is taking on why dont the ones who are running their mouth try and help out. There is a great crisis going on and if something is not done, than that will be the talk next. Some people you just cant please!!!!
He's a big boy
I think he's quite able to judge for himself what his limitations are or are not
Many people in America can't balance their checkbooks, so a poll of this type has no real value, for the people of this country have little idea what it is like to be him ...
I really think that people are used to a President that can hardly concentrate on ONE thing let alone several at once. Obama's correct when he says all these things are tied together. We all need to give him more time. There is no "delete button" to fix this mess that took years to develop.
The balls were already in the air. He inherited them that way. He really doesn't have a choice but to run with it. Not to mention, it's not like he's handling these things alone. He has people in place that he directs and he hears from regularly. He handling things fine.
Obama needs to take on Congress, specifically Nancy Pelosi.
Now Nancy is saying our immigration laws, saying this to illegal aliens, are un American. Are Democrats getting that concerned about the upcoming 2010 election that they are making sure they have all the Mexican American votes in their corner?
Well, gee which do you want him to ignore.. Let's see..
Economy.. ohhhh better not
Iraq... nope not that one
Afghanistan.... Bush did that.. see where it got us
Health Care...hmmm 48 million without insurance... yeah sure a few million more won't hurt.. yeah right...
So, which is it.. which one do you want him to ignore??
What a bunch of idiots that thinks he is doing too much.. It is all part of his job as President.
Honey, do you remember what was said when McCain dropped everything during campaigning when the bottom first fell out? He was trying to act like the knight on a white horse but really did nothing and we all said "what, he can't do more than one thing at once?". Well its the same thing, Obama CAN do more than one thing at once. He promised us he'd hit the ground running and thats exactly what he's doing.
I'm quite impressed with how well he's juggling it all. We expected this. Now he's delivering and people are whining?
The people are being childish and ridiculous. You are getting what you asked for. Now shut up and deal with it.
We are just used to someone who basically did NOTHING in the white house but ruin this country. Barack is brilliant, capable and trying to fix this country!
Of course President Obama has alot of "balls in the air". With the disaster (on every front) he took over from 8 years of Bush he HAS to try to right the ship on many fronts. For those who feel he is not focused enough on the economy, you must understand that health care reform, energy and education reform are key to fixing and growing our economy. They are all interrelated. If Bush had been inclined or capable (which is doubtful) to deal with even one of these issues during his 8 years we would be in a better place. Bush ignored domestic issues totally. While I agree the financial disaster is issue #1, Obama is doing everything possible to do the right thing by the American people.
I don't think he's taken on too much. A lot of those early announcements were promises kept that did not significantly take time or focus. The effort to build a new basis for the economy based on healthcare reform, energy independence and education are critical for economic recovery and sustainability. In fact, I hope that Pelosi and Company do no dissuade him from starting the independent commission to take on medicare and Social Security. These are all hard decisions that have been put off for a decade or more. The one area I would fault the administration is the lack of a team around Geithner and the slow pace of rolling out the bank solution. I know it's complicated and that I don't understand the half of it, but it needs to be done right and it needs to be done soon to maintain momentum and restore trust.
Barack of all trades, master of none.
President Obama tackles an all but impossible economic, diplomatic, and military messes left behind by the Bush Administration. Just un-screwing up President Bush's blunders is a full-time job! I'm not surprised to see some people doubt the President's ability to handle multiple tasks, since our former leader appeared challenged by his primary intellectual activities – jogging and cutting brush.
WHO WROTE THE AIG BAILOUTS BACK IN SEPTEMBER???
For all you think this is just a Bush issue are only seeing HALF of the problem.
Investigate ALL OF THEM
Right and Left.
It isn't just those on the right and when the American public OPENS THEIR EYES and sees this the anger in this country will hit new highs
To think that just one party is to blame now or then is naive and ignorant of how politics and the world work.
RIght and Left are different sides of the same coin.
The President is simply taking on the issues presented to him and if they are considered too much, then which issues should be delayed??? Any issue not addressed will be thrown in his face to hurt him politically. The economy is one issue with which he shouldn't be consumed yet it is the most pressing. I think if we had some financial system reform everyone would be less stressed and the economy freer to face the issues. Mr. Geithner, where are you with the details???
Truth be told, nothing this President does will satisfy everyone. If he had been solely focused on the economy, he would have been criticized for that and we all know it.
What's laughable and sad at the same time is how little focus there was on the last administration and the royal F ups they created.
WE need to chill out and give the President a chance to show us what he's capable of doing.
And one other thing. He's not just a community organizer. He's a constitutional law professor, former State and US Senator, former President of the Harvard Law Review, etc., etc., etc. George Bush was a C student with a DUI conviction who's father happened to be a former President of the United States.
I'll take my chances with the mutli-tasking SMART GUY any day...
The best leaders know how to choose aides and delegate responsibility.
He has failed miserably on both fronts.
the president is not in a good situation at all. If he doesn't try to tackle all these issues then he will have people griping that he's not doing his job. Doing what he's doing now people are griping that he's trying to do too much too soon. Most of these gripes are coming from the right though and he may as well accept the fact that no matter what he does, short of resigning, that he's not going to please that bunch anyway.
that's how they have become republican, in the first place.
they don't see how all the big issues are interconnected.
they can't walk and chew gum at the same time,
let alone connecting the dots and imagining the solutions outside the absolutely bancrupt status quo.
People pretend like he went out to go FIND issues to tackle. It's not like he's concerning himself with the number of dog catchers on the streets of Tupelo, MO, or what kind of light bulbs should be in the street lamps in Sparks, NV. We are a nation that's dealing with multiple crises. I'd rather have him do too much and get 95% of everything done than take on two issues and let everything else just get worse.
He is the most capable guy ever in the White House. And yes he can handle it. Most of americans are sheep and listen to the garbage by new reporters. As a regular person dont we handle kids, school, work, play, relationships, business, illness and all the other crisis at once without a staff. Come on people if most of you think he is taking on too much then the Pres is right You people are really stupid and need to be better educated.
President Obama, you're doing a good job now but you need to slow down a little. Being a multi-tasker is a good thing for POTUS but be sure not to go overhead on too many issues at once. You'll get a Presidential 'burnout' if you do that . You Rock Obama!!!!
Geez, what a multitasker. He's succeeding in making a lot of things worse all at once. How does he find the time to fill out NCAA brackets, buy swingsets, trace his Irish ancestry, make appearances on late night TV, admire his wife's toned biceps, download the latest features to his blackberry, dye fountains, and monitor his thermostat to keep it above 72 degrees at all times?
Healthcare? Economy? Education? International relations? Dealing with congress? Addressing Americans regularly? Launching recovery.gov? Transparency? A new White House Council for Women and Girls? Climbing out of the dark ages regarding stem cell research? Raising the hopes of people WORLD WIDE??
Until now, I thought the president was just supposed to clear brush and give the occasional sinister giggle.
I suppose if you're a good community organizer, you learn a little bit about time management.
Keep it up, Mr. President!! The no-brain ditto thugs will complain, but their lives will improve too.
why do people not see that these are systemic problems that require systemic issues. maybe education reform should be at the top of the list, because it might allow for a more educated public that would be able to understand the concept of indirect affect.
Obama is doing a fabulous job.
I'll TAKE a multi-tasking, highly competent President who isn't afraid to LEAD or take on more than one crisis at a time despite all the HATERS in this blog. He has risen above all the "negativity" and stayed "focused" on the bigger picture. That's his job. He's NOT the President to please you "haters". Haters will never be happy no matter what he does, or how well he does it.
It's so EASY to criticize and claim to be the "expert" when YOU are not in President Obama's shoes.
I for one, SUPPORT my President and will continue to support his efforts in moving this country forward and changing how we do business.
YOU haters can continue to attack, attack, attack, if that's all you've got. So predictable.
As an Obama voter, I have become very disappointed in his actions. His Treasury Secretary is in bed with the wrong people He comes from Wall Street. The centrist Obama cabinet has similar view to that of conservatives when it comes to financial issues. I am a progressive. I decided to give Obama a chance. He is still 100 times better than Bush but is also on the way to failure. I should have voted for Ralph Nader again. He was so right about corporate greed in this country. Wall Street and the deregulatory right in this country ruined everything. I'm going back to my progressive and populist roots. Screw these phoney Democrats. They will be voted out again in 2010 and 2012. They hade a big opportunity and blew it.. Then, we will be stuck with Republicans again. Be afraid....be very afraid...
Government has always moved slowly, so they're not used to someone who actually do more than one thing at a time. I think he's doing exactly what he should be doing and he's doing a fine job! Thank you President Obama.
This is one President who refuses to sit around the Whitehouse with an afghan draped across his legs. He is aware that he won the election and is taking it to the streets......
I wish that I had been polled on this one because one of the things that I like most about the President is how many issues he is working on at one time. Like he said yesterday, we the people have to multi-task - work, run our homes, take care of our families, budget our money, take care of health care issues, etc. Why would we expect any less from our country's leader? I can imagine telling my boss - "I don't want to do too much so I better only do one or two things at a time." I wouldn't have a job!
Well you people voted this multi-tasker in so thats what you got.