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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Even the pollsters took the bagmoney from big Pharma etc.
I'm sure if this Heath Care passes Obama and his family sure won't be using it. It's good for the little people, but sure isn't good for those folks up there in Washington.
John in WV July 22nd, 2009 12:23 pm ET
At least Obama has a heath care plan to poll. Poll a republican plan if there is one and see how favorable it is.
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Exactly!!!
WHERE IS THE REPUBLICAN ALTERNATIVE?
@David: Come on, CNN. Don't you know that your polls only matter when they favor the Democrats!
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This poll DOES favor Obama and the Democrats. It says 44% approve of Obama's plan and ONLY 34% agree with the Republicans. That means yet again the Republicans are at the bottom- way at the bottom. Learn how to read, honey.
Hear that loud thump? That's the now dead health care reform bill.
Want health care reform? Focus on the two biggest cost of our current health care system, Limits on Medical malpractice awards and access to hospital emergency room visits for non-emergencies. These are the two largest costs of our current system, which are passed on to everyone in the system, whether you have insurance, medicare or medicade. Any legislation to reform health care without addressing these two items is a waste of time.
Finally we have a President that cares about average citizens and is not in the pocket of big cooperations. polls or no polls reform will happen. no one wants to continue to be robbed by the insurance industry.
If the plan was that great – Obama wouldn't be shoving it down our throats! There would be a much more detailed explanation of who exactly would receive this coverage, how many illegals would be receiving the health care coverage, who would be paying for this health plan and how much it would really cost, plus many, many, many more questions. And they are not being answered. It is being shoved down our throats which leaves me to believe this is not a great plan.
And to CNN and your polling – I have never been polled along with many other people I know and, believe me, no one wants this plan. We do not believe in paying for illegal people who do not belong in this country. We're tired of it and, WE the American people, are tired of being treated like second class citizens in our own country! CNN: Take a poll on that one!
Let's just ask Obama the basic question, and get a straight answer: "Who and how will this get paid for"?? NOBODY has gotten an answer yet, and nobody will get an answer tonight. Ask him if taxes are going up, yes or no? How simple can you make it for him? Problem is, no one will ask him nor will they press him for a direct up or down answer.
There in lies the problem
And what precisely is meant by "handling of healthcare reform"? That he's doing it at all? That it hasn't already been passed? What?
I suspect that some anti-healthcare coalition or wingnut organization is funding your stupid, meaningless and misleading polls. Why don't you go find "news" to report? You haven't told us what's up with Britney lately, and didn't you know that Tony Romo dumped Jessica Simpson? Puh-lease.
"It's over, kids. The Obama presidency is now sunk. What a record… hitting "lame duck" status only six months into the FIRST YEAR."
I've been hearing some variation of this every week since Jan 21st. First it was the stock market is failing so Obama has failed, then it was the pirate crisis, and well, pretty much everything Obama does the GOP base (by parroting Rush, O'Reilly, Hannity, etc.) portrays it as an epic catastrophic failure. But what do you expect from a group of people stuck in a Glenn Beck-fueled stupor?
The healthcare issues are simple to fix (1) All policies should revert back to the 'major medical' basics of yesteryear. Insurance was never intended to be used for snotty noses and illegal criminals (2) Every federal/state/county/city employee/administrator must use the same health care as the rest of the population. (3) Get rid of HMOs/PPOs, etc. as health care is a private matter between patient and doctor/doctor's panel. Everything else will take care of itself.
Would that be the 47% who voted him in office? This President only won the election by 52%....that is not a huge landslide as everyone continues to suggest. Remember that 50% of the people are at the income level of not paying taxes so that should be no surprise that that he has their support....after all their still waiting for their checks in the mail and the rest of you ignorant souls who changed parties to vote this ego maniac in office deserve what you get. Its the rest of us that pay for these entitlement programs that are the scapegoats.
As for the rest of us...I hope you all wake up vote all incumbents out of office and REALLY CHANGE THE SYSTEM.
If Congress, Senate and the President himself will not want this health plan for their own families...THESE ARE CLUES.
Remember he said we should all have healthcare like he does in his election promises...but he promised a lot that he has lied about...Surprise Surprise.
The Huffington report still has him at 60! Come on CNN.., why are you guys using all these conservative polls??
Was there any doubt this would lose steam?
@ John,
Your points are all valid. But there's an even bigger one you are missing. Health insurance, and any insurance for that matter, IS socialism. It functions on insurance claims being covered by the premiums of other insured individuals. That is spreading the wealth. And by the Repubilican definition that IS socialism.
No one understands this though.
"I will not raise your taxes, not one penny."
"The stimulous bill will keep unemployment below 8%."
"Healthcare reform will not raise federal spending."
The only difference between Obama and Bill Clinton is the wagging finger.
The Insurance companies are afraid that they will no longer be able to double those premiums and "reap windfall profits from a broken system". You heard the President, "Health care Insurance cost increase 3 times faster than wages."
Which means that my employers cannot afford to increase my salary, because they must pay more each year toward my Health care premium.
Think about this for a moment... Is it really health care reform if it actually costs more than the current system and it will run in the red for decades to come?
I thought the purpose of the health care reform was to reduce the cost of the system not increase it.
Anything is better than what we have now. DO SOMETHING, YOU BRAINLESS REPRESENTATIVES! DO ANYTHING!
NO>>>There are more important things to discuss.
Who cares. Is anyone concerned about people drinking alcohol in this country. Young and old are being effected by this addiction. DWI, death on the roads, violence in this country has a lot to do with the drugs and alcohol in this country.
Why don't we tax alcohol as much as we tax cigarettes. That would help out the budgets across the nation.
Lets find something else to worry about. This is getting old.
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
is this a surprise to anyone? When people start to real understand what is actually in the legislation coming out of Congress, as opposed to the promises President Obama keeps harping on during his endless campaign speeches, then this legislation will drastically change or not be passed.
For our country's sake, just start over and try actually working together to do what's right for the American public. Just once, PLEASE
Dear CNN, When polls are not in favor of the liberals, they whine and hate it. When polls are not in favor of republicans, the libs love them! Vice versa. In short, I don't always like the polls either but, if the libs keep reacting like this, I say PLEASE CONTINUE!
One of the most common questions: "Do you want a government bureaucrat deciding your health care"?
Rather than a insurance company bureaucrat who gets paid to DENY coverage?
One of the most common fallacies: "America has one of the best health care systems in the world".
FACT: It may be one of the best if you can afford to pay for your own care. We are abysmal if you look at the statistics worldwide. Our infant mortality rate is sky high. Aren't we below Cuba in quality of care?
"If we get universal health care we'll have to wait several months for surgeries and elective care".
I have Rheumatoid Arthritis and had to wait 3 months to get an appointment to see a Rheumatologist. I couldn't get out of bed without help. Where is the difference?
The majority of bankruptcies in this country are because of health care costs. Let's get it done.
I just read a quote: "[o]ne Republican senator says if the party can stop Obama on health care, it will break him." Is this really what our Congressmen and Republicans are hoping? I thought this was about doing what is right, needed and for the people. Once again it shows the thought process of some of our elected officials and why we must all vote to ensure those who do not have the country's best interests at heart not be elected again.