[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/06/15/art.obama.oilresponse.jpg caption ="President Obama, Gov. Charlie Crist, and Adm. Thad Allen at a briefing with local officials in Pensacola, Florida Tuesday. A new poll indicates nearly half of the public disapproves of how Obama's handling the oil spill."]
Washington (CNN) - Nearly half of all Americans disapprove of the way President Barack Obama is handling the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, according to a new national poll released hours before the president gives a prime-time address from the Oval Office on the crisis.
An AP-GfK survey released Tuesday indicates that 48-percent of the public disapproves of how Obama's handling the oil spill, up 15 percentage points from a month ago. Thirty-nine percent approve of how the president's dealing with the crisis, down three points from May. According to the survey, 13- percent say they neither approve nor disapprove.
Other recent polls also indicate that a minority of Americans approve of the way Obama and his administration are handling the massive spill.
The president's overall job approval stands at 50-percent in the new AP-GfK survey, up one point from a month ago.
"Other recent polls have also shown that the oil spill has not affected the overall opinion of Obama's performance in office," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Many Americans may think his track record on the economy, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and other issues are more important than the situation in the Gulf. It's also possible that the oil spill has affected views of Obama personally but not his performance as president."
The president's prime-time address will come as he returns from a two-day tour of the region, Obama's fourth trip to the Gulf Coast since the environmental disaster began on April 20.
The AP-GfK poll was conducted June 9-14, with 1,002 adults questioned by telephone. The survey's overall sampling error is plus or minus 4.3 percentage points.
Why do Americans disaprove of the way Pres. Obama is handling the oil spill? He tells us that he has not met with Tony Hayward because Mr. Hayward would only tell him what he wants to hear. If that statement is true why would Pres. Obama agree to meet him.
The White House says Pres. Obama doesnt get angry because it does nothing to plug the hole. If that statement is true why did Pres. Obama get angry on the Today Show.
Why do Americans disaprove of the way Pres. Obama is handling the oil spill? Maybe its because it appears the White House is reactionary, as apposed to leading.
Because, like a typical shill for trial lawyers, his first and only interest is the dough. Not to address the problem, stop the flow, protect the shore, nothing...just get the dough.
The reparations mind-set – mo' money, mo' money.
The idiots of this country have spoken. They want a President that will not give any speeches, has a well capper in his garage that he can deploy at a moment's notice, who won't play golf or eat, who can force companies to create jobs without it seeming like govt intervention, and will be able to stop the sun from swallowing the Earth.
I just have to shake my head after reading these comments. If Bush was still President everyone on this blog would be crucifying him.
Do you really think that as the President he has no responsibility to supply every resource available to him to help clean this mess??
Most Americans are technically incompetent. They do not really understand what is going on. Even the experts are having problems with this unusual oil leak. So, the people do the only thing that they can do, trying to blame someone.
whats scarey is all the ones who voted for him... he was not qualified to begin with ,, but america just wanted anyone but bush,,,, oh for our votes back ..and hillary running this country,,, ugh ,,,
This is NOT like katrina, where you could actually FIX things, this is something that only pros can fix, to compare to katrina is like comparing night to day. THERE IS NONE! WHAT do you want Obama to do??? has a single person had an idea that he is ignoring?? NO! the haters hate, and the fearful fear, its human nature. The right are milking this. and its too bad, but this wlll be Obamas Katrina, no matter HOW undeserved.
Here we go again with that "more than half of the people" think the president is not doing a good job on this are or that. "The polls say.....". Once again, I SAY, I have never been polled and none of my family nor friends have been polled and we want to know just who and where are all these people because we getting sick and tired of poll percentages when we've never been asked what our opinion is.
Obama's presidency has been an utter disaster. I find myself reminiscing about the comparative glory days of Jimmy Carter's tenure.
One thing is certain: after Obama's term is complete, James Buchanan will no longer be ensconced at the bottom of the presidential rankings.
It's all PR. He's in catch up mode to try and look concerned. Where was he on day 1 – or even day 20. He's not a natural leader, a take-charge guy. He'd rather lay back, and think, and plan his next speech. Better late than never, but he seems always to be in reactive mode. That's not the hallmark of a true leader (statesman).
Its about time. They sat on their hands for almost two months and his ratings are just now sinking. It just goes to show you the forgiveness of the American people because he leadership has been dreadful. We would be at at better point now if any of the other candidates who had actual executive level experience (more than Obama's 100 days) had won the election. Elections count and American lost.
He's been too buzy trying to get the international community to lift the ban on killing of whales !!!!
As usual, the haters are out in force. It doesn't matter what Obama does or doesn't do, he'll be wrong in the eyes of the epsilon-minuses, period.
First they claim there's too much government, then they say the government isn't doing enough. Amazing.
Obviously these folks are very confused. Ignore them.
Everyone is angry that the oil spill happened thanks to BP's negligence and everyone is angry that there is no real answer about how to stop it. Our President, as great as he is, is not superman and cannot create a way to stop the leak on his own. President Obama has met with the families of those killed, visited the affected areas several times, addressed the nation regarding this disaster and will be meeting with the CEO of BP. Our President has also come out very strongly saying that BP WILL pay for this mess it has created, not the American taxpayers. When the Exxon Valdez oil disaster happened, President Bush (the first) did NONE of these things - not one.
I think that Mr Obama is doing an outstanding job with this country. People are being unfairly critical about the president. That man has been nothing but good to this country. I challenge his critics out there including you Jack, what would you have done if you were the president? If any of you know the answer to this speak up, it is your country too. I understand that the environment is being destroyed and people have lost their livelihood, however,i think the president really cares and he is doing all that any human being can do! He is not God, he's a smart man but certainly not God.
Ann Arbor, MI
What exactly do we expect one man to do
Obama was not hired to fix this type of problem, yet he's in there doing his best
Anyone crying about Obama not doing enough should probably look in the mirror
Stop driving your car
Stop heating your house with oil
Stop flying in planes
Stop using plastic
Stop buying products made with or transported using oil products
STOP YOUR COMPLAINING ... !!!!!
RON~ you made that up as you went along! NOT ONE THING IN YOUR RANT IS TRUE! NOT ONE! Misinformed ignorant liars like you and faux "news" are the problem with this coutry! I DARE you to prove ONE thing you said, backed by facts! these have ALL been proven wrong and to be out right LIES! Even the military has come out against this vicious set of lies! they were furious! AHHH< you make me SICK!
The really astonishing figure is that 39% approve his handling of the crises. This while oil is still spewing after 54 days. Amazing.
Now that the shoe is on the other foot, I see the apologists all over the place. Was Bush expected to pull people off of roof tops after Katrina? Yet he was ripped apart! Nobody is expecting the President to suit up, he has point people but liberals sure expected Bush to! Obama carpools today to view the damage and we hear crickets. Bush flys over and liberal heads do a 360!
Obama needs to resign end of story!
Obama just needs to scream and yell more, and make more threats against peoples' buttocks. Yeah, that's the ticket.
this just in, we took a poll and found out 50% of the people are stupid.
It is so sad to watch a person who began his presidency with such hope and now seems to be on a steady downward progression. So many had their hopes in him and surely must feel as I do, betrayed.
Maybe the wingnuts would be happier with "Drill, Baby, Drill" Palin and her consort the old geezer from AZ.
If the republicans expended half the energy to seeking solutions as they do bitching about everything the President does, the US would be a better place. But Chinless Mitch and Palm Beach John rush to the mics every chance they get to complain and whine and moan about President Obama, but never offer anything positive.
I suppose that's better than the dreck that spews from Glenn Beck.
Lib Hunter you should be hunted down by the secret service and jailed because of your veiled threat to the President below. Ironically it's idiots like you that will stir up the nutbags that actually end up doing something violent. Or maybe it's really you. Disgusting.