Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Obama Poll Numbers Tumbling

From Joe Dwinell in the Boston Herald:
The honeymoon is over, a national poll will signal today as President Obama’s job approval stumbles to about 50 percent over the lack of improvement with the crippled economy.
The sobering numbers come as the president backpedals from
two prime-time gaffes - one comparing his bowling score to a Special Olympian and another awkwardly laughing about the economy, which prompted Steve Kroft of “60 Minutes” to ask “are you punch-drunk?”
Pollster John Zogby said his poll out today will show Americans split on the president’s performance. He said the score factors out to “about 50-50.”
Some polls show Obama coasting with a 65 percent job approval, but not in Zogby’s tally.
“The numbers are going down,” Zogby told the Herald. “It’s not because of the gaffes, but a combination of high expectations and that things aren’t moving fast enough with the economy.”
As for the president’s love of the limelight, it could backfire, according to a media watcher.
“I thought he overexposed himself weeks ago,” said Tobe Berkovitz, associate dean of Boston University’s College of Communication.
“I wonder when the public will say ‘Instead of being in front of the camera, be in front of a spreadsheet.’ ”
The president is scheduled to hold his second solo prime-time press conference tonight at 8.

1 comment:

Radu Gherman said...

Too bad it's a Zogby poll. I read about this earlier today; and may I be struck by lightning if I didn't sit back and think: "I'll bet any amount that this story, complete with bold type, makes it up on Dan's blog by 12."
Yes his numbers are slipping. Slightly. But Zogby is so far off of the averages.