CNN Poll: President's approval on health care under 50 percent
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/07/22/art.obama0722.gi.jpg caption="A new CNN Poll of Polls indicates that 47 percent of Americans approve of how President Obama is dealing with health care reform."]WASHINGTON (CNN) - Hours before President Barack Obama holds a prime time news conference to push for health care reform, a new CNN Poll of Polls indicates that less than half the country approves of how he's handling the issue.
According to the CNN Poll of Polls, 47 percent approve of how the president's dealing with health care reform, with 44 percent disapproving.
The CNN Poll of Polls on health care was compiled and released on Wednesday. It's an average of the three most recent national surveys to ask about Obama's performance on health care: USA Today/Gallup (July 17-19); ABC/Washington Post (July 15-18) and CBS News (July 9-12).
The ABC News/Washington Post poll, which was released Monday, indicates Obama still has a large advantage over Republicans on the issue. Fifty-four percent of those questioned say they trust Obama to do a better job handling health care than Republicans in Congress, with 34 percent putting more faith in congressional Republicans than the president.
CNN Radio: Obama losing ground on health care
A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll taken in June showed that roughly half the country is confused by the major points in Obama's health care proposals, said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "That poll also showed that Americans who understand Obama's proposals support them, while a majority of Americans who are confused by the issue oppose Obama's plan," said Holland. "That may be one reason why Obama is making a prime-time push for his proposals, and doing so in a question-and-answer format."
A separate CNN Poll of Polls puts the president's overall approval rating at 56 percent, with 40 percent disapproving. In early June, Obama's average approval rating was 62 percent. It stood at 61 percent by mid-June, and stayed at that level through the rest of the month.
"Obama remains more popular than most of his policies, including health care," Holland says. "The question is whether he can turn some of that personal popularity into political capital in order to get what he wants out of Congress."
The CNN Poll of Polls on Obama's overall approval was also compiled and released on Wednesday. It's an average of the three most recent national surveys: AP/GfK (July 16-20); USA Today/Gallup (July 17-19); and ABC/Washington Post (July 15-18).
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Do not support ANY healthcare bills, reforms or changes of any kind that will be supported through our tax revenues until the American people – ALL OF THEM – get the same benefits and health care coverage that congressional leaders and their families get!! If that happens then TAX away Uncle Sam! If we are going to be fair then Congress needs to have the same benefits that the rest of the nation receive. Or the American people should receive the same benefits that congress gets!
Not surprised. Looks like I will be watching fox tonight since they are one of the few stations not running Obama's infomercial.
Why don't we talk about why the press conference time was changed: America's Got Talent is going to have Susan Boyle on and would not bump it for Obama. That says volumes about him and this country.
Watch them go even further down, on the other hand the real question is will the MESSIAH and the rest of the libtards be the first to sign up ?
I would not be surprised if this poll was paid for by the health care industry. They are buying everything else, including Congress.
To All Those Who Say State Provided Health Care is Socialism:
1. When State Provides Social Security, is it not Socialism?
2. When State Provides Free Education, is it not Socialism?
3. When State Provides Unemployment Benefits, is it not Socialism?
4. When State Provides Minimum Wage Laws, is it not Socialism?
In any case there is a difference between Socialism and Welfare States. Even Democratic Countries are Welfare States, like UK.
By the way Capitalism is not working in America. We need to have a Welfare State. Capitalism in America has become a Heaven for Scoundrels, Crooks, Rascals and Criminals. Bernard Madoff is the Scammer who Duped hundreds. Wall Street Swindled thousands and paid bonus to Executives out of Bailout Money. Bank of America Executives took Private Jet Rides out of Bail Out Money. Private Lenders Defrauded Subprime Borrowers into Adjustable Loan and made huge profits.
What' s wrong in this country that people don't accept the concept of "universal health care". something that other rich European countries have had for decades ?
this clown doesn't even know what is in his own bill. From his golden throne i believe he can see waterloo.
Nancy Pelosi said that federal government will not change.......unacceptable. They have Blue Cross Blue Sheild Federal. They should be the test for goverment healthcare. Change all federal employees to the new goverment healthcare first.
Why cant Obama at least give it as much thought as what he gave to picking out a "rescue dog".
Stop paying for illegal aliens medical expenses and deport them. Use that money for US citizens.
@John:
You make a reasonable, clear, and well-articulated point backed up by logic and facts. But I'm afraid that won't have any effect on an unhinged base for whom anti-intellectualism is a virtue. Try throwing in some "goshdarnits" and "youbetchas" in there; it's the only language they understand.
People are being spooked by the talking points given out by the insurance industry. I am not surprised by the numbers. However, you have to change the system.
Obama has no real plans, he his winging it, his team is running on naive arrogance and the whole things is a mess spiraling out of control
2010 cannot get here fast enough.
How much is the shoddy coverage of CNN contrbuting to the confusion? A key role is to EDUCATE the public not take sides or fan controversy.
Even a freshman in college knows that no poll should be published without the question and the demographics available...once again CNN proves it has little to do with journalism and everything to do with profit at any cost.
Stop with the polls every 15 minutes already!!!
Polls are meaningless.
After Sarah the Baraccuda aka Pitbull with lipstick gave her roaring speach, written by Karl Rove at the RNC convention, the President's poll numbers dipped.
After Joe the dumb Plumber asked his infamous question, the polls dipped.
After Rev. Wright showed his behind the polls dipped.
Foxnews had McCain winning all the way to election night.
After all these dipped polls: ITS "PRESIDENT OBAMA!"
OBAMA 2012
Yea....2012 can't get here fast enough yet. I can't wait to see more Refiblicans lose seats. They're liars who only care about Insurance companies, Banks, and Wall Street Hedge fund managers selling fradulent CDO accounts.
bottomline, that poll stuff doesn't mattter, we need healthcare reform, we need ideas, and positive thinking, and jobs. What we don't need is negative criticism from republicans about healthcare, racist remarks from the GOP such as Sessions and Gingrich, chants of socialism, no birthers that lame/drunk rednecks from some small town with names such as billy joe, sue bob, or jim bob. This is the year 2000, so please bury yourself out of the 1950's. Be patriotic and support your president and America.
I favor President Obama, but i don't think he is doing a good job on this issue, it's the lack of communication whats buggin me, the President doesn't have a real message, doesn't take the lead, only sets nervously making deadlines. He should know being a senator before, that if u want to be a great President, it's not only getting a grip on your own party, but trying to get the other party (parties) involved as well. This will be something that will have a major influence on every american, so it's important to get every american senator and congressman behind u. (At least those who want to cooperate). So far it's total chaos on this issue, on Capitol hill, and the White House. Now is the time for the President to show leadership, Get a grip on his White House, and the Congress.
CNN is a Democratic Network, so their polls or opions are hard too believe. i am a Canadian, I know what universal health care is like, and you better be careful what you wish for,any country that wants too let babies be aborted , their seniors talked into death by the government is pretty sick. Think about it, do you really think you want them controling your health care.
There is an addage that goes, "It you want it bad, you get it bad!". I applaud our representatives in Congress from both parties for taking its time on the health care reform issue. We have very recent legislative history to see that the addage stated above is true. You only need to look at the TARP law to see that portraying an issue as a crisis leads to enacting bad laws that become poor policy.
Congress is keeping faith with the Constitution's checks and balances by not caving to President Obama's pressure to have a law in place by Congress' August recess. This is extremely important legislation that will have far reaching effects on all Americans. Debate must continue. President Obama's domestic policy legacy will rest heavily on this issue. I don't think he should push so hard to have a law in place just for the sake of having a law in place. He should strive to have the best law enacted.
This one person's opinion of him would go up if he would not push so hard.
@ rachel July 22nd, 2009 12:31 pm ET
Not surprised. Looks like I will be watching fox tonight since they are one of the few stations not running Obama's infomercial.
Great . . . and you will remain one of the uninformed who has no business voicing your opinion about what goes on in this country then! Idiot!!!
Have any of you supporters of Obama's healthcare bill thought about where the money will come from. It won't be just from the richest. I will be from all of us. As he prints money to pay for healthcare, along with all of his other spending; inflation will skyrocket. For example, that loaf of bread you bought yesterday for $2.00 will cost you $10.00 in just a few years. The rich, middle income, and poor will all be paying the same amount for that loaf of bread.
No one has addressed one basic problem with our health care system. It is not competitive.
Ask the basic question, "How much does THAT treatment cost?"
Think about it.
Every time you go to the doctors or hospital, you have no idea how much you will be charged for the prescribed treatments or procedures So, we do not know whether those charges are fair and competitive.
I believe changing that would go a long way to reduce the cost of health care.
Governments role would be to organize the sharing of the databases that we could use to compare one doctor or hospitals price.
Instead of the current system which allows the cost control up to the medical systems and insurance companies.
If we start making the prices transparent, competition will drive down the costs.
"47 percent approve of how the president's dealing with health care reform" compared to 44 percent who disapprove. So, why didn't you lead the story with "Majority approves of the way Obama is handling health care"? The way you state it above, it sounds like under a majority support it. Heading the way of Fox news are you? By the way, my 82-year-old father (a WWII vet) refuses to watch CNN any more, because he thinks they are getting too right wing.