WASHINGTON (CNN) - A majority of independent voters disapprove of how Barack Obama's handling his job as president, according to a new national poll.
Fifty-three percent of independents questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Tuesday say they disapprove of how Obama's handling his duties in the White House, with 43 percent in approval. That result marks the first time in a CNN poll that a majority of independents give the president's performance a thumbs-down.
Obama's overall approval rating of 53 percent is down 3 points from a month ago, and down 8 points from June. Forty-five percent of those questioned disapprove, up 5 points from a month ago and up 8 points from June.
According to the poll, nine in 10 Democrats approve of the job Obama's doing, up three points from a month ago, with 15 percent of Republicans approving, down 8 points.
"Obama won a majority of the vote among independents last year, and that helped put him in the White House," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Losing their support makes it more difficult for Obama to govern from the center."
Broken down by issues, the president still gets majority support on foreign affairs and terrorism, but a majority now disapprove of how he has handled health care, taxes, the economy and the budget deficit.
Is the fight over health care responsible for the downturn in Obama's numbers?
"Yes, in part, but his standing on some other issues has taken an even bigger tumble," adds Holland. "Among all Americans, his rating on health care has dropped 13 points since March. Compare that to his 16 point drop on the deficit and 17 point dip on taxes and it looks like there is growing discontent with Obama's overall domestic agenda - not just his health care policy."
According to the poll, Obama's approval rating on how he is handling the war in Afghanistan also fell 18 points since March.
The survey also indicates that 37 percent of Americans think the media has treated Obama fairly, down 18 points from February. One in four say the media has been too critical of the president, up seven points from February and 36 percent say the media has not been critical enough, up 10 points.
The CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll was conducted Friday through Monday, with 1,010 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus 3 percentage points.
Read: The full poll results
From CNN Politics
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Whatever CNN!
What a pathetic network!!
CNN, you're killin' me w/ these polls man. They're about nothing. And you come out with about 3 every week. Are we going to continue to poll this man's popularity on everything from the kind of beer he drinks to the kind of underwear he buys every 3 weeks?? Because that's going to get boringly tedious after a while. In fact, we might already be there. Please just stick to reporting the issues and let's vote "Most Popular" at the END of the school year.
As they say in the yearbooks: "Stay sweet & funny."
A poll every week of 1000 people is not going to impress anyone
Duh? Where were you last November 4th?
Independents are smart people and will not swing for a Republican who offers nothing.
Yes, but how many former "independents" are now Democrats. What are the numbers for "Independents Leaning Republican" "Independents Leaning Democrat" and pure Independents?
he needs to give SPECIFICS in what he wants in a health care bill and how he plans to get it. Everyone wants lower costs and more access to health care, but HOW and at WHAT COSTS?
Also, he needs to give specifics about an exit strategy from Afghanistan, dealing with the upcoming implosing of medicare, medicaid, and social security due to increase costs, the nine TRILLION dollar debt he's going to saddle us with, immigration reform, etc.
Enough of the generalizations and platitudes!
Stop with the polls. Can we see the complete poll rather than just the results? How were the questions phrased? How many people were polled? This is making my head spin!
Obama is a creation of DAVID AXELROD.
DAVID AXELROD is now setting the policy and the unoffficial president. he sends his puppet Obama
out to read AXELROD quotes from the teleprompter.
Obama is not to be taken seriously. he can't think without AXELROD telling him what to say. can anyone say affirmative action OBAMA?
And how many people were asked? I wasn't.
The only 'CENTER' in President Obama's left lopsided view,
might be the center of a doughnut.
Looks like America is waking up with a BAD hangover and asking, "What have I done?"
Huge majoritiy of people here on CNN are liberals, but they so would love to call themselves independents, like my many friends but vote democrats every election.
I wonder how CNN Polling Director Keating Holland got his job...did he respond to an ad on craigslist? How does Obama's plummeting support from Independents "make it more difficult for Obama to govern from the center."????? I would think that alone would make him start to govern from the center and would be a good justification for doing so. CNN, you are so pathetic....your blatant biased "reporting" is deplorable. I'm sure this wont be posted, but maybe the moderator that reads this will open his/her eyes and seek other employment.
It's funny to see how you Obambi supporters are in denial. Yeah, blame the poll for the Messiah's failing presidency.
These are not real Independents. I cannot find one thing that this President has done that should upset a 'true' Independent.
No wonder. Obama's waffling on important issues like health care reform. It's starting to look like Hillary Clinton was right when she shed tears in New Hampshire and said, "I just don't want to see us fall backward as a nation."
What was Obama talking about when he said "the fierce urgency of now" in the 2008 campaign? And why did we keep chanting "yes we can" if we send them there and they just can't.
Keep your promises, Mr. President!
1. I am an Independent, former (yuck) Republican, and I SUPPORT OBAMA!
2. These polls are flaky, since the majority of Obama supporters use cell phones and seldom have land-lines.
3. Considering that President Obama has been IN Office a bit over ........ EIGHT.......... MONTHS.......... its very premature to convict and condemn him.
4. Obama inherited an economic disaster; two wars........ and a BANKRUPTED NATION FROM BUSH!
GIVE OBAMA A BREAK ALREADY! And the GOP says racism is dead!
If he continues to court the uncompromising Republicans, he will lose more support. It is now obvious that the Republicans are determined to defeat even the watered down health care program.
Therefore, he and the Democrats must solve the health care program with public option without the Republicans, otherwise, the health program is doomed to fail.
a lot of people identify as independents when they, in fact, not. my father in law calls himself independent, but he's voted republican every single time.
Not all independants are smart. The fear mongering and lies by the right are believed by the easily duped. Some of the easily influenced and duped are independants.
CNN is going Republican these days. Looks like FOX has some competition mow. A race for the lowest common denominator., Palin Stories and Health Care town-hall fanatics and GOP lies.
Notice how CNN reports the lies being told but does little or nothing to dispel the lies and report the truth.
I guess CNN wants their sagging ratings to be buoyed by the fear mongering by the right.
So glad I switched to watching other networks
This administration has been a disaster from the beginning. But Obama had no experience so I don't know what people expected? You vote in a community organizing as President and that is exactly what you're going to get.
Darn Obama and his socialist policys next thing you know we will have a government run military,public schools,police,fire departments,FBI,medicare,homeland security,wait aminute this sounds familiar.
Maybe if you take Lou Dobbs off the air. He has been against the President since he took office. He is still questioning his Birth certificate. Dobbs encourages viewers to become independents. According to Dobbs Obama hasn't done one good thing. The President has done alot of good and is trying to fix this enormous mess we have gotten into due to the previous administrations last 8 years. For all of you on the fence take a trip outside of the country and see how the news is reported and see how stupid the rest of the world thinks we are. its ridiculous. CNN please report the real news!! Based on the facts. Lou Dobbs should have been off the air as he won't get off the Birth certificate. You got rid of Glenn Beck didn't you?
It's amazing how quickly people's opinions change when govt is reaching into THEIR lives and pockets instead of others...
America just got it's reality check on Obama and dem leadership. Far left liberalism wasn't, isn't and never will be American.
Seems like the independents are finally getting smart. Obama you are finished. The Republican Party is the Smart Party, join and you will benefit greatly.
My fellow indepents made a huge mistake then. They should have gotten behind Barr or Baldwin. The two-party system is a scam.
Looks like the average IQ of the Obama supporter is falling faster than his ratings. Soon, only the loony left will still be in denial that this is an abysmal president and was a terrible choice to begin with.
3 million more unemployed since he took office.
$2 trillion budget deficit in his first year.
$10 trillion projected deficit.
Cash for clunkers that benefited Japanese automakers.
Bailout of banks that earned less than 3% if you ignore AIG.
2 World Apology tours that yielded 11 missle tests from N. Korea.
Ignored pro-democracy demonstrators in Iran and continues to ignore the show-trials there.
Czars for everything that haven't done anything.
Swine flu predicted to kill 90,000, yet no word on vaccinations.
Etc.
Etc.
Etc.
2010 and 2012 cannot come fast enough.
This statement by the Right leaning Independents should not surprise anyone. These Clowns back Big Business, Oil Companys, Insurance Companies, Banks and DEREGULATION of all of the above. GREED DRIVEN GOP POLITITIONS are harmful to the futher of our GREAT COUNTRY.
I will call this all independent stupid to give us 8 year of disaster of bush years.
Now they are judging Obama a compassionate democrat who is worried about average Americans.
and how do independents feel about the republicans? i'm guessing the party of no would take obama's numbers any day of the week.
He is not finished yet with his term and all his program are not implemented yet.
He did more than any president can do in six month.
I guess the question is are you better then you were 7 months ago? I know I am and not because of a president , but because i'm proactive, but yes I do support our current president!!!
This should be no surprise. You elect an amatuer you get an amatuer. Obozo is the weakest leader we've had since Jimma Carta. He is sinking fast. If he depends on leftist's he has 20% of the electorate. If has has 47% of the independents that's 19% more for a grand total of 39% of the electorate. Not even the 40% that are conservatives. I see trouble for the socialist movement in America and I couldn't be happier.
Since when is Obama governing from the center? Obama is not even governing from the center of his own party, but from the far left. He has lost my Democratic vote for 2012.
A lot of those Independents are former Republicans who are impatient and expecting the mess Obama inherited to be cleaned up quickly.
Take a deep breath, folks – this is going to take awhile. But it will happen.
Nine out of ten democrats approve??? It just goes to show what a crazy bunch of lunatics now make up the democrat party. But then again this is the party that thinks Fidel Castro is dandy and Saddam Hussein was just fine.
many of the independents are from the gay community that were hoping he would reach out...we're waiting Pres. Obama!
Why is it when CNN reports something "bad" about Obama, they are "Pathetic", "wrong", told "polls don't mean anything" (unless they are positive)?
All polls should be taken with a grain of salt, but are "generally" accurate.
If they weren't, they would never be used in the first place.
Stop being a bunch of closed minded robots and think for yourselves.
Seriously folks. Obama can be wrong... he is human.
Obama has only been on the job for a few months and all this constant negative spin? Didn't he just inherit the worst economic crisis since the Great Depression...yet the cynics expect INSTANT results?
This is a bunch of hype.
"The survey also indicates that 37 percent of Americans think the media has treated Obama fairly, down 18 points from February."
In other words this means the media has not been fair the way they treated him, as it was in February, so long as the points have decreased(going down)!
Is the writer of this article stupid, if nobamb had been governing from the middle his numbers would not be going into the tank. Come 2010 and 2012 we can have a "CHANGE YOU CAN BELIEVE IN" and a new "YES WE CAN' by throwing out the tax and spend liberals then nobama. Now that is change we can all live with.
Obama is at 42% approval in less than 8 months.
It took Bush two wars and three years to get to 50%.
Oblunder is going to be the new Jimmy Carter. Just hope we do not have a hostage crisis. Oblunder would want to talk over tea and cookies.
Is this a surprise. The only surprise is that this number is not higher. He has bankrupted this country and has made us a lot less safe. His approval ratings will be lower than Bush was at the end of his term. It is just a matter of time before everybody finds out what a complete fool this guy is. Even CNN is starting to move away from their own far left agenda.
Although I voted no confidence against the Republicans and would repeat that vote I am disappointed in Obama. He is not a good manager and that IS the president. He has let the idiots on the far left ruin his plan. The overall concept has been fine. The plan are so leftist they stink and have turned many of us away.
Obama is not in the least responsible for the economic problems but Congress is fighting the fire with gasoline. This is not the time for an academic dreamer this is time for good management something we haven't had in at least 8 years Clinton and Reagan were both excellent managers. Obama doesn't get it, yet.
Barack Obama's Worry about Swine-Flue, is really about ho9w much is left in Obama's Piggy-Bank. Not much! It's just being swilled away..
Who defines what an "independent" is? The people who are being called? What a joke! Very few sentient humans would actually admit being a [R] after the recent butt-kicking the [R]s got during the elections, even though they identify with their empty policies and abject delusion. So what do you get when you ask affiliation in a poll? - a lot of embarrassed, confused neo-tards who want to call themselves 'independent'. Good luck believing that drivel CNN. With all the credible information out there, if someone is actually stupid enough to fall for the fearmongering by the rightwingers, then they are rightwingers themselves - dumb-as-grass [R]s.
Obama has broken too many promises for me.
And before anyone says "but, but, but, the Repubs are lying too"
Independents tend to want actual truth and results – that is why BOTH RNC and DNC stooges need to go.
Time for a new Party maybe devoted to honest simple government.
Can't go by polls. Some of those so called independents are downlow Republicans. Like O'Reilly and Dobbs. They claim they are independents, but every chance and oppurtunity, they are dogging out the Democrats. Never hear them dog out the Conservatives!! The media keeps political and racial tensions going among everybody as well!! I sure wished they would have kept a report card every day on Bush like they are doing Obama, and maybe we would not be in this mess!!
The election is over. Why are you doing polls every 5 minutes? Please find something useful to do.
Obama's job approval rating is going down because he is learning. Give him eight years to learn. A president without experience can only bring bad change......
Flash Paper .... is the material magicians use to create a burning mass that evaporates into thin air.
Obama is Flash Paper. Everyone got excited by his "eloquence", but 6-months has proved he is nothing more than a Chicago Politician bent on pushing through a far-left liberal agenda.
2010 will be the first nationwide rejection of Obama by swinging control AWAY from Democrats. 2012 – we will finish the job.
90% of Democrats approve of him. 10% of republicans approve of him and 40% of independents approve of him.
So the story might be about how a majority of independents don't approve of him, and it's no news that republicans don't approve of him. But when you factor in that 90% of the largest party DO approve of him, and he has support from factions from the OTHER parties, the math...plain and simple....a BIG Majority of america DOES approve of him.
Conclusion: He would win right now if he were running again. Facts are facts. Chew on that!
There was nothing said about why the independents disapprove more now. That's calculated to make everybody think that independents think Obama's policies are too liberal, when in fact, many of us consider that he has not shown enough backbone.
He's been too eager to include the Repugnants, when he should be wiping up the floor with them. He's backed off totally on real health care reform and let the Bush/Cheney era criminals off the hook. In short, he's been another typical Democrat.
After 8 years of Bush-it, most of the country wanted a house-cleaning, and we're getting a white-wash instead.
I know that we have freedom of speech but please, You GOP Bloggers have NO REAL CASE when it it comes to defending the last 8 years.
Only Liberals who do not care about the Financial health of our country and who want to turn our country into a Socialist type government continue to support the "Hope" that has been a disappointment to us all. America voted in President Obama with the "hope" he would rise above partisan politics and do what's best for America, not turn us into a Socialist country.
And to you Liberals out there, pick up a dictionary and look up "Socialist Government" (means Government owned / controlled Industry) as that is where we are heading and the VAST MAJORITY of America does not want to go there.
What a bunch of whiners. Fox news sucks because it reports on both sides good or bad. Now CNN (heavily biased towards left) reports something negative about Obama and they suck as well? The left always accuses the right of racism/hate. Seems all the hate is coming from the left.
Ok. Independents. Give the GOP the reigns again and you will be begging for another Obama in 4 years. You must be gluttons for punishment. I am sooooo glad that we elected President Obama, because now all of the ignorance and posturing and mean-spirited self-serving attitudes come to the forefront. You get what you ask for Independents. If you sink Pres. Obama just for the sake of it...you, no we will all pay dearly for it.
My schnauzer sneezed and out came another CNN poll.
So many polls...so little time...how can I choose?
Anybody remember all the polls towards the end of the Bush presidency? The dems are saying the same thing the repubs said:
"No one polled me". Now the shoe is on the other foot. Now the dems have to just deal with it! After all, "you won, we lost", right!. Now the liberals are blaming CNN! Be happy, liberals nobody polled me, 'cause the numbers would be worse!
That's because most independents are now Democrats...DUH.
The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 30% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -11.
I'm an independent thinker and I support Obama......... and this one is for the lemmings out there:
They didn't call me, waah, waah!!
Poll, shmoll. Three years AND another term to go!
Obama 2012!!
Obama is a political celebrity, not a leader.
He doesnt know how to lead because he's never done it before. This is the "on the job training" they talked about last fall. You dont gain administrative experience by reading Lincoln biographies.
I'm a moderate Democrat – Obama on the war, an F; Obama on health care reform, D-; Obama on the economy, incomplete.
We have a weak president in the White House. Sure makes one appreciate all the more what Bill Clinton got accomplished having to fight with crazy Newt.
Obama controls Congress & can't get anything worth while done!
Well, the kids do get to travel a lot.
Somebody once said in his column trhat the independants are inclined to inch towards being fiscally conservative, but socially progressive. No single political party can offer either of those ideologies alone, but once a Dem, prez. is trying to effect a marriage between a melange of mentally retarted politicians and a pantheon of pathetic performers, his poll numbers ar likely to plummet. And that is a dear price to pay for the current prez.
Poll: The independent voters are the thinkers. They know gov't health care isnt "free". They also know the dangers of a debt mongering president.
Paid rethugs bloggers make me sick,just say anything negative we pay you $3.25hr just type until something happens or we will keep getting vote out of office,kick away the chair already
It is bad all round but Fort Myers, FL is the worse. I voted for Obama. and I knew that he could not work miracles off of the mess that Bush made but something has got to give. What about us folks at the bottom tier? I am a single mom with a Bachelor's degree and no help in sight and on the verge of losing shelter and transportation. What is being done about it nothing. The government really needs to try and stay focused on America first and worry about the other countries later because pretty soon the majority of us will be homeless.
Do any of the independents remember what the last eight years were like? Do you think that all the problems can be solved like a 30 minute sit-com? We have problems galore and the president and his cabinet and staff have another eight years in my book to get our country back on track. Be a little patient. It is not going over anytime soon. Just thank God that no Republican is in office. If we get another George Bush in office, our country will go down the tubes. Did all of you forget what the illegal war cost us? Where were your independent voices when our boys, girls and innocent Iraquis were being killed? Now, because everything isn't A-OK, you are going to say this president isn't doing his job? He is out there working, trying to get things done. He's not down in Crawford Tx chopping wood. Give me a break. Let's hear your independent voices in support. Think about it for 30 minutes.
Anyone that believes that Obama was intent on governing from the center is out of touch wqith reality. Elections have consequences. Next time we have an election, voters should examine the records of the candidates. If most had done that in the last election, they could have easily determined that Obama was a far, far left radical intent on forever changing this country to a facist state. So far he has accomplished the first task of bankrupting the economy. Next he needs to gain control of the lives of the electorate. That's what health care is all about.
Just as large bonus packages for executives in bailout companies don't sit well with the general public, neither does 2 weeks and more of vacation from our new national executive who authorized these bailouts. Not one member of the United States electorate wants to see him spending any time at all on the golf course. Why can't he understand this? I do not get a vacation this year and even if I could I would still be working in some capacity. This is the worst time in 50 years for a president to be taking so many breaks from work. He needs to be in the trenches every minute of the work day, six days a week. He wanted the job, now roll up your sleeves and get dirty and stay off of the elitist golf course. How important is the health bill to him if he is not pushing it with all the fervor that he can muster even in this break in Washington? There is too much going on to be spending time hitting a ball in a little hole. He's got bigger fish to fry and his public relations team needs to be fired for not having the proper temperature of the general public.
We wake up each day guessing what Obama will blame on Bush.
Suggest you wait until the 2010 elections to do these polls. That way you can better judge his work. Right now everything he is doing is still in process stage-healthcare, stimulus, foreign policy etc. Find something more meaningful to report on instead of Republican wishing points.
Why are we surprised. he promised everything to everyone. So now he can't possibly deliver. Heaven help us the day we miss Sarah Palin!
The independents are turning from Obama because during the campaign he convinced them he was a fisicaly responsible centerist.
But Obama has always been a far left liberal and is governing as such. Independents feel they were fooled.
Now that they believe Obama has decieved them, it will be 10 times as hard for him to win them back. Words won't due it. If Obama wants to convince them again he is a centerist, he will have to prove it by pushing policy that is centerist not liberal.
But I don't believe he will. He is a hard core liberal who tried to hide behind his gift of speech to take control and reshape America into his own far left liberal image. He needed to do this before voters could catch on, hence his push of legislation, including health care reform, so fast it made voters heads spin. I did not work. His real idea of hope and change was "I hope I can push through all this change before voters know what I am doing". Now he is exposed, there will be no comming back.
CNN,
I swear I do not know where do you come up with these numbers, hey the man inherited a gigantic mess what do you want do you think he has a Migic wand and will raise it and everything will be rosey again, CNN you should know this therefore you should not report this stupid polls, it has been only eight months, it took Buch and Company EIGHT YEARS to ruin this country, you expect Obama to fix it in 8 months, please have some common sense give the guy a break, you know he will fix this he will pass health care and when 2012 comes aroung he will win again with hands down, CNN this is something for you to chew on.
WE disapprove because O is a liar, corrupt, socialist, who will do anything to promote the far left.
Can we see a poll on how Independents view the Republican party cnn?
Independents don't want higher deficits and Government-Controlled car companies, banks, etc.
Independents don't want amnesty for illegal immigrants.
Independents don't approve of pork.
FACT IS – Obama had no chance of keeping the independent votes hence his RAMMING through a liberal agenda before Dems lose Congress.
Barrak Obama has two changes to win in 2012 Slim and None and slim is voting Republican.
I'm a Conservative Republican.
I think Obama is doing a GREAT job. I give him an A+ on everything.
ps: I know I am always on here pushing my opposite to my party liberal views, and bashing my fellow republicans. But I really am a republican. I would be retarded to fake that I'm a democrat bu actually be a republican. I mean Look at that Alf guy down there who is pretending to be a democrat, but all the moron ever posts is bashes on every democrat there is. He's not retarded, he is just REALLY confused and doesn't realize he's a republican.
Seriously, what is an independent. Is it someone who cannot make up their mind? Or is it someone who isn't sure what they believe in? Maybe, it's someone who is going in all directions at the same time. I honestly don't know. If you aren't for whatever choices are in front of you, are you not just out of luck?Have you tried to come up with something you would like?I guess this just one of lifes imponderables.
Current liberal trend:
1. Be patience, it's only been 1 month
2. Be patience, it's only been 3months
3. Be patience, it's only been 6 months
4. Be patience, it's only been 9 months
What are we going to hear next year? In his 3rd year? In his 4th and final year? I imagine you all will STILL be begging for patience and STILL blaming Bush!
Polls this early in a presidency really mean nothing. Reagan struggled early and so did Clinton. The only times polls spike early on in presidencies is when there is a war (both Bush's saw spikes).
I'm an independent, and I can't believe how many fellow independents are buying the garbage about the conservative concerns over the deficit. When the conservatives took power in 2000 with Bush, they basically said the deficit doesn't matter and cut taxes while funding war. Just read writings from The Heritage Foundation from 2000-2002 if you don't believe me.
Now that they're out of power, they need something to cling to. I don't buy it. The party that is responsible for over 90% of our current deficit has no room to talk (Reagan took it from $1 trillion to $4 trillion; Bush Sr to $5 million; it was FLAT under Clinton; and Bush Jr added another $6 trillion).
It's always funny to see how Democrats react to a poll like this when they don't agree with it. The fact is, that many people find Obama to be doing a poor job. For example, he pushed through the stimulus bill and said it would keep unemployment below 8%. He was wrong. No matter how much you want to twist that, it's true and anyone who defends that is not being honest.
I will agree that part of this article makes no sense. With him having trouble with Independents, he HAS to move more to the middle. His sharp left politics are not helping him at all.
What was Bush's polls, eight months into his legacy LOL
I am not an independent, I am a democrat who voted for Obama and I must say I am terribly upset with his performance. He has a lot of actioin with little to no results. Also I am very worried about our national debt. We can not continue to spend, spend,spend!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well i do remember the last guys numbers... you can't please them all.
I would be happier though if Obama got off this "letting congress figure out healthcare" No we need to get this done NOW! Grab the phone tell the blue dogs there gonna be blue allright.
Then tell the republicans the numbers are still against them and it may get worse if they're not going to help out. (M Bachmann I'm talkin to you) We have a country in distress and it might not turn around.
Ten years years from now we will endure 1 trillion annually from retirees alone (80 million times how much will each get plus mdicare?) We need to reign in any cost cutting we can and nipping healthcare in the butt will help. I am not talk about less care but less profit, ya want profit invest elsewhere. Now let's not worry about the numbers and get this done NOW.
Good Grief, be patient with our President. It was impatience and instant gratification that got us in this mess. I am 60 years old and have never been polled. Who are these people that are polled?
If the election is over and they should stop the polls, then maybe Obama should stop campaigning so much. The guy has spent more time out rallying support for his Socialist agenda than he has working at the White House.
Interesting quote at the end: losing independents makes it harder for Obama to govern from the center.
Maybe it's BECAUSE he's governing so far left of center, that he is losing the independents in the first place.
The Independents are obviously in bed with the Rich.
David Axelrod appears to be another Carl Rove, sad to say.
I'd like to know how the question was asked. Bet it was framed to get that response . . .
Many of you conservatives here have no clue. For one, Republican presidents are responsible for most of our current debt ($3T from Reagan, $1T from Bush Sr, and $6T from Bush Jr - Clinton ran small surpluses). Also, Obama has more Republicans in his administration than any other President has had from the opposing party in recent history (Bernake, Gates, LaHood) and he just named the former Utah Governor Ambassador to China. This is clearly a centrist presidency. Even the Health Care proposals don't go NEARLY as far as Clinton tried.
Why the backlash? Ignorance to the facts. Period. This is a firmly centrist presidency, and republicans complaining about the debt is like the pot calling the kettle black. Don't fall for it fellow independents.
Well, I must agree with this poll 100%. The poll represents this Independents feeling toward Obama. The truth is killing the die hard Dems that worship this man and can not see what he has and is doing to our country. He will not be the end of the country but he is certainly putting in a difficult position that will take time to correct when a true leader is elected! Keep your heads in the sand Dems and the Repubs are going to take back all your gains....
Most right wingers are now brainwashed into representing themselves as "independents.or conservatives". Most have never had an independent thought in their lives, and are primarily motivated by bigotry compounded by ignorance and stupidity, "virtues" that are essential for the perfect Limbaugh/Beck/Hannity pawn. The CNN polsters know this, which makes them even more despicable. The vast majority of Americans that do have functioning brain cells need to remind themselves that they are the majority and need to continue to speak out, and show up at the polls. Only when the pandering rightwing politicinas are voted out will these morons crawl back into the holes they emerged from.
The country is slowly waking up from a miserable nightmare called Obama.
I love how people are already blaming the Big O for everything. Please remember or look back at your history books that 1. The real power lies within Congress. 2. He's been on the job for less then a year. 3. He inherited one of the worst financial declines in our history outside of the Great Depression. 4. It was a Republican idea for the Stimulus package whose biggest supporter was G.W. Bush.
Anyone who is Independent understands you have to walk a fine line between socially progressive and fiscally conservative. How many conservatives have actually lived up to the fiscal conservative mentality? Repubs are just as much to blame for Pork as Dems.
Those who really know politics, know that it is the independents that are the ones to watch when determining if a politician is likely to be successful. They are the ones who will reject Republicans when they oppose such things as stem cell research and keep their party in the dark ages. They are also just as likely to reject Obama when his Justice Department drops prosecution against Black Panthers who were blocking access to a voting site while having that same department begin prosecution of the CIA. The 20% on either side of the political spectrum will never take a critical look at their party.
bla blah blah....No president comes with experience. If it was experience, George bush was a governor of texas....Go figure!
This does not mean that 53% disagree with his policies- I agree with what he wants to do, but do not approve of the way he is trying to do it. When reps declare they want him to fail, are looking for the "great white hope", etc., refuse to participate and then whine that he is not being bi partisan, he needs to pull the dems together, disregard the reps, and steam roll over them.
Who cares about the polls. Obama will be fine in his second term!
Obama is helping the weak and the poor. I thought all good Christians should help the weakling. If anyone does not want healthcare reform, they are free not to accept them.
Go Obama 2012.
Maybe the sould ask whether they would rather have had the alternative. I'm an independent and many things Obama has been doing I disapprove of, including health care reform.
But I'd much rather have him in office than McCain/Palin.
Don't believe a word of this folks............our friends at CNN are trying to make news. Just where are these alleged INDEPENDENTS coming from ???? I also think that the Republican Polls numbers are wrong..... CNN should do a poll on how Democrats and Republicans feel about their(CNN's) fair and impartial reporting. Remember that CNN represents Lou Dobbs as an "Independent" who seldom disagrees with RUSH.
As a gay man sitting and waiting and waiting and waiting on federal civil rights, I get very anxious when I see him wasting time on the golf course. He does not understand the urgency of my gay brothers and sisters. None of them ever do.
Obama doesn't need to govern from the center. He needs to govern in the best interest of the American People! He needs to stop trying to placate the America-hating right wing, who've already announced they have no intention of supporting one, and pass a good health care reform bill. Then when the majority of Americans find themselves a lot better off healthcare-wise, maybe his poll ratings will go up.
What's really happening here is those with special interests aren't seeing their interests catered to quick enough or to their liking. And polls are worthless. All that data can be skewed to either look positive or negative. Next story....
I am an independent. I voted for Obama. Count me as dissapointed.
I'm not an Independent nor a Democrat. I'm a republican that did not vote for Obama.
I think he's doing a pretty good job. This is standard numbers for all presidents when you compare them to a war condition. NEW wars always make a presidents ratings spike. Existing or no wars always see this curve. Go back and look it up, it's not made up folks, it's fact.
Polls don't matter, the facts remain that if Obama ran today, he would win again....period!
From the time President Obama took office I distinctly remember hearing him say that the economic situation could take more than his four year tenure to clean up (it is that bad). I am not a young person but thank god my memory is still in tact. And by the way, Willy Brown, President Obama to my knowledge has not bashed Bush since winning the election. Our fellow bloggers are influencing your thinking. Have a nice day!
Polls don't mean squat, WE WILL SEE YOU ON ELECTION DAY!!!
president Obama will overcome all the negativity constantly cranked put by the blind right. these people are so determined to see this president fail. they don't care who it hurts. they will just try to call it collateral damage.
You people and your stupid polls!
Those Independents are racists! Seems to me if you don't like what President Obama wants then you obviously don't like African Americans...
You have lost all credibility, you are turning down as a network
Jeez – it took years (since Ronnie was in office) to get this country in the mess its in (and we are all responsible for the mess – not just one party or one president), This guy has been in office for 9 months and polling 1000+ people is what we use as a yard stick – give me a break – most of these independents did not vote for him any way.
My wife and I are independents she voted for Obama and is very disappointed that she did and said that never would she do it again. I guess we have to vote for the best of the worst.
Obambi will NOT move to center. He's far too arrogant to do that.
Too late for Independents to have Buyers Remorse...the election is over and Obama can smile until 2011 since he has both the Senate and House too pass any Bill he wants passed. That's the way it works – the only way to stop him is to vote in 67 new Independent Senators to stop him.
Bush should be in Jail:
1. Lying about WMDs of Iraq.
2. Creating false intelligence report that Iraq has WMDs.
3. 4300 US Troops Died.
4. 25000 US Troops Permanently Disabled.
5. $800 Billion spent on Unjustified and Misleading war. – Still Al Quida is not eliminated.
6. No 9/11 terrorist from Iraq.
7. Unregulated Banking – Mortgage Crises – 2.5 million lost their homes.
8. No health care for 50 million. – Yet Iraq was Attacked.
9. No rescue relief for Katrina.
10. Bush misleading in 2008 "Our Economy is still strong".
11. Bush Stating "Mission Accomplished". Since then 2500 US Troops have died.
Farrell in Houston: Well, they sure won't swing for a democrat that offers destruction of America as we know it.
I approve of Obama. I think the extreme right's response to health care is largely based upon race. It is not socially acceptable to admit to prejudice; and I believe the rage about health care has become a vehicle for an undercurrent of prejudice. What a cultural step back. I'm ashamed of the behavior that has been exhibited at townhall meetings, and I'm frighten that those radicals will somehow come to a position of power.
Truth Hurts!!!!! Obama is NO leader!!!
CNN, are you going to take a poll every month? My goodness, I have never seen so many polls taken on this website since Obama became president. Another thing, anybody with any common sense knows most people are fickle and base their opinions on how they are feeling at that particular moment. If things aren’t going according to the way they believe it should (at that particular moment), they are quick to change their opinion. That’s why polls should never be a major factor in gauging one’s performance. My suggestion to CNN and people in general is to wait and see how his term ends. If we are worse off than we were by the end of his term, then we have a right to judge. But until then, polls are utterly ridiculous at this early stage of the game.
My advice to all the whiny libs is to change the way polls are conducted if you don't like the results. That's what you do for everything else when you find out no one else agrees with you; you change the rules of the game. Or better yet, here's a quarter. It might not get you any cheese with your whine but you can still make phone call. Better hurry up, though, before Obama tries to take that from you, too.
Whiners!
The Community-Organizer calls average Americans, voicing their concerns, "astroturf" ....and then calls on HIS "grassroots" union thugs and Acorn members to organize counter-protests.
Apparently Obama thinks this is a shouting contest? And you people wonder WHY Independents are walking away from your political messiah???
LOL
I vote for both parties – the best man wins my vote. Not all democrats are bad, not all republicans are bad. My feeling is that Obamas fiscal policies, of which health care is one of them, are terrible for this country. All republicans and democrats that we send to Washington need to quit spending our money like its water!!! Bush was bad at increasing our debt, but Obama is at least 8 times worse. We cannot afford this people, whether it is done by the republicans or the democrats. We cannot afford to look at the government as our saviours. They need to quit passing legislation and provide the resources for our defense and upholding the laws and improving the institutions we already have.
ron You want us to give more time because he is learning on the job. This why I did not vote for him-– not enough experience!!!!!!!! You all deserve what you get!!!!!!!!!
WOW, From one thousand and eleven people on land phone lines.
There are about 165 MILLION Americans eligible to vote and you sample 1011 voters. ARE YOU CRAZY!!!!
There should be a poll of how many people think that polls are irrelevant and meaningless.
A bad approval rating for: Changing Policies to benefit the AVERAGE AMERICAN, Implimenting REGULATION in ALL important entities of our economy, and actually spending money HERE in AMERICA? Just doesn't make much sense to me.
The best 21 century US president, !! Gadhi "I have respect for everyone except journalists and photographers". American journalism plain sucks!!!
Hey speak for yourself! All Indies and Dems I know absolutely support Obama. Here in Oregon we're are seeing many many positive signs of the Federal Stimulus working and the recovery.org signs are all over. People have new jobs or got to keep their job, and city roads, bridges, highways and other transportation areas are getting fixed and built. Like "President" Starkey said "Things are getting better – Getting Better all the time". (What? Didn't you see the movie?)
Thank you President Obama! I knew you'd come thru for us – (all of us by the way).
Oh but those conservative christians, yea, they sure don't want universal health care for all – how utterly Conservative Christian of them.
stupid independents! we don't need them anyway.
Bush should be in Jail:
1. Lying about WMDs of Iraq.
2. Creating false intelligence report that Iraq has WMDs.
3. 4300 US Troops Died.
4. 25000 US Troops Permanently Disabled.
5. $800 Billion spent on Unjustified and Misleading war. – Still Al Quida is not eliminated.
6. No 9/11 terrorist from Iraq.
7. Unregulated Banking – Mortgage Crises – 2.5 million lost their homes.
8. No health care for 50 million. – Yet Iraq was Attacked.
9. No rescue relief for Katrina.
10. Bush misleading in 2008 "Our Economy is still strong".
11. Bush Stating "Mission Accomplished". Since then 2500 US Troops have died
I am an independent and I am sure not happy with him, pelosi or reid.
I will make this very simple, people will always disapprove when you are doing something right! Keep doing the right thing President Obama!!!
I'm an independent, and I give him decent marks. There's a few things he's done I'm not happy with, but overall he's doing pretty well, and it's a work in progress. Then again, anything would be better than a Republican right now. I'll never trust them again. They've become a theocratic party at this point. and I will *never* willingly entrust this country to theocrats. I see what that did for the Middle East, and I don't want that here. Republicans scream about "socialism," but they're pushing for governance-by-religion instead, and that's FAR worse! It's brought down every country it's been tried in.
This Independent doesn't disaprove of President Obama....
I don't recall all these stupid polls when Bush was in, what is with this???? Every time you turn around, another poll......
The man is going into his eighth month of office and still got to find something to put him down...why don't you start supporting him a litlle more....
For Democratics, polls only are relevant if they support their beliefs. CNN is usually the darling site of the left. Now they're attacked because the left doesn't like the poll results.
Some of the liberal posts on this article are just plain scary if that is how their authors truly think
Liberal excuses:
Blame Bush
Blame the poll
Blame CNN
Blame the Party of No
Blame Blue Dog Democrats
Blame the health insurance companies
That's right, blame everyone except the guy in charge and see what happens in the 2010 elections.
oh my god, the tingle is wearing off.
Let's see... All the Reps, more than half of the Indies, and even about a third of the Dems–the far-lefties–disapprove of Obama. The guy has got to be having a real sinking feeling just about now.
Deservedly so.
Well, this independent voter approves of the job he's done so far.
Sooo, Obama's been in offfice for 8 months and he is suppose to make corrections to the 8 years of mess the last administration got us into? WOW...
The disappointment with Obama seems to be that he isn't dictating what Congress does. Do we really want Obama to tell Congress what to do? All Obama is saying is let Congress have its say, then we can improve it from there. It takes time. Obama has an economy to worry about, he is focusing on that. Once Congress is done with their version of fixing the health insurance problem, Obama will then play his role.
And he was crucified anyway....
Who cares????? Guess what? He's still our President until 2012 and that's the only time a "poll" matters and that is called an election! If he's done such a bad job by that time he'll be voted out . . . until then shut up and let the man do the job we elected him to do!
No journalism in America. These people publish what is in their best interest. I don't care about every second polls!
There are people who talk about helping the poor and needy. They're called "Christians".
There are people who actually help the poor and needy. They're called "Socialists".
Doesn't government run Medicare work great for seniors?
Doesn't government run SSI provided help for disabled people?
Hasn't government run CHIP helped millions of uninsured children?
Don't you rely on your government run SS check each month?
When you reject government run care programs you reject all the above as well. Why wouldn't a universal health care program, run by the government work just as well?
Because the Insurance companies don't want to stop ripping us off everytime we need medical care?
Because the GOP want Obama to fail? These aren't good reasons people.
Some of you people just don't make any sense – but you know what?
The American people aren't so easily fooled these days – we see thru your "Great White Hope" ideology and reject it.
OK, ok so we're all in this predicament because a bunch of blind, easily led ignoramuses got in a few more votes than the sane-rational crowd. I have to say I wasn't happy with McCain as a choice but Palin seems infinitely more intelligent than Biden which isn't saying much. Choosing thebest or worst of two bozos wasn't easy because the thin line was blurred one way or the other for many valid reasons on one "side" or the other. We're all in this lot together now with some who still blindly "believe" and some trying to fix the mess in one way or the other. It's amazing and entertaining to read posts from the "we won" crowd who expect the rest of us to sit down and shut up. Talk about misguided loyalty. Camelot is dead, welcome to Spamalot. Change is coming folks but it isn't what you were misled to believe. No definition of "change" was ever offered so they're making it up as it suits them and we all get to eat it. You may as well sit back and shut up too. Nothing you're writing here has any bearing beyond pure entertainment.
who needs a poll? Just ask anyone that works for a living, pays taxes, and generally supports themselves without the "Nanny," stepping in....OBama's the worst president ever...! What an achievement for less than a year!
"can anyone say affirmative action OBAMA?"
Good to see all the racists are alive and well on this site.
I vote for OBAMA 2012
It would be a different story if anything...anything at all...actually worked as promised. Eventually it becomes hard to defend without actual results. And no..getting legislation passed doesn't count as results. Democrats are the majority in the House and Senate and they apparently don't mind passing legislation with no minority support.
Results would be more like if the legislation actually worked. Jobs, etc....things like that. Not happening.
Gee Whiz – all these people disapproving of what President Obama is doing. He must be doing something right to cause such a reaction. Folks, let the guy do his job. Tell your Senator and Representative to govern from the center so that a fair deal is struck for all. If everyone moved to the center, we'd all benefit. It took a long time to get the economy is such a fix – and we can't blame that all on Bush – it's going to take time to fix it. So, let's see what the man can accomplish in these next few years and hope that with Congress taking their heads out of their collective buts and working together (and I mean both parties), we build something great again.
I think he should stay on the golf course for the next 3 years. Maybe he can improve there.
Not news, CNN. I am hearing from all quarters about the "buyer's remorse." Lots of people I talk to voted for Obama and say they won't do so again.
Independents already have cars, jobs and helthcare...Obamessiah will get around to pandering for what they want when the 2012 election starts getting closer.
It is mostly old people who disapprove of Obama. These are people over 65. We middle age people are fine with Obama, and in less than 9 years or so we will be the old people and we vote democrat. These so called independents are idiots. What the poll doesn't say is that most of these independents want Obama to go to the left and when he starts doing that his numbers will go back up. A good many independents are left of the left. Not all independents are in the middle.
WIth the media lying on his behalf, telling Americans that anything less than 100% support of his socialist policies makes you a nazi racist, and the constant with-holding of all information and facts that are in any way negative about Obama and Democrats, it makes decent people proud of our great nation that Americans are still finding out the truth about the Obama administration.
Next up, the constant lying about Republicans not offering ideas for health care reform. Fact is there are quite a few great ideas coming from republican Congressmen and other right voices. Democrats want to have a debate of ideas? Ha, check out what happened to the CEO of Whole foods when he just tried to offer solutions, the Democrat are boycotting him. Democrats have shown it is not about health care, it is about turning our nation socialist.
Just another reason why Hillary Clinton should have won instead of Obama. I am sure that Hillary Clinton would have done a better job and gotten more done in the same amount of time.
I hope that Hillary Clinton will run in 2012, and we the supporters will make sure this time that she wins!
I used to be a Republican and voted for President Obama (would do it again in a heartbeat). I support our president 100%.
While I appreciate the president's bipartisan approach, the deplorable backstabbing he has received from this ungrateful xGOP makes me think he should forget these immoral obstructionists and do what's right for the American people by pressing forward with much-needed energy and health-care legislation.
President Obama may not get much support from the Party of No (shocking), but he could likely continue to maintain the support of the majority and even have greater potential for more approval going forward.
It will be a surprise if he is able to be reelected in 4 years. The only advantage that he has for being reelected is that the Republican does not have anyone half way decent to run against him.
Don't worry MR.PRESIDENT, We Average Americans with common sense have your back because WE ARE IN THE MAJORITY.
I do not believe any Polls that CNN puts out.
hey thanks to you CNN
for your bias reporting during the elections
and indirectly pushing Obama...without really
vetting him....just to make History
now what?????????????????
Lots of people who did not vote for Obama can't have buyer's remorse, because he is elected. I, for one, will fully support his health care reform, if it includes the Public Option.
You are absolutely pathetic CNN. You have no credibility left, so your so-called 'polls' only mean anything to the weak minded that you prey upon...
Zoby poll on august 31, Obambi's approval rating is 42%, on Rasmussen dated September1. Obambi's approval rating is 45%. Democraps are the reason Obambi's approval rating is falling especially from 18-29 age group; they're abandoning him, they do not believe him anymore. Here's another kicker for Obambi while he's slip and sliding away, CODE PINK joined TEA PARTY. Four more months and 2009 would be over, 2010 would be a bad year for Democraps.