Quinnipiac Poll: Obama 'worst president' since World War II

[CF DolFan]

Prior to this article the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute has had a very good reputation. I'm guessing after it they will be labeled as cracks and selective samplers.

Considering Romney was correct about several of the major issues that have reared its ugly head in foreign affairs, I have to wonder how many people now wish that he was directing our financial crisis as well. I know the Republicans do but how about the moderates and liberals who are now saying "I condemned Romney but turns out he was right".

Well according to this poll many people think they messed up.  It's just a silly poll but I've seen many people recanting their support in my world.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/theoval/2014/07/02/obama-george-w-bush-quinnipiac-poll-reagan-clinton/11985837/

David Jackson, USA TODAY 10:47 a.m. EDT July 2, 2014

President Obama has topped predecessor George W. Bush in another poll, but not one he would like.

In a new Quinnipiac University Poll, 33% named Obama the worst president since World War II, and 28% put Bush at the bottom of post-war presidents.

"Over the span of 69 years of American history and 12 presidencies, President Barack Obama finds himself with President George W. Bush at the bottom of the popularity barrel," said Tim Malloy, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Poll.

Of course, Obama and Bush are the most recent presidents; historians will tell you that it takes decades to truly measure an individual president's performance.

Ronald Reagan topped the poll as the best president since World War II, with 35%. He is followed by presidents Bill Clinton (18%) and John F. Kennedy (15%).

Obama received only 8% in the best presidents poll.

The Quinnipiac poll also reports that 45% believe the nation would be better off had Mitt Romney defeated Obama in the 2012 presidential election; 38% say the country would be worse off with a Romney presidency.

[MaineDolFan]

I don't think Obama's presidency has come as advertised. 

This being said, he is also working in unprecedented times.  Unless I'm mistaken, never has a president before Obama been faced the bipartisanship impacting all matters across the board.

Of course, one could also say this is due to his inability to lead - however it feels as though no leader, be it Reagan, Clinton, or insert "amazing president here" would find much common ground through compromise in today's climate.  Each party is too dug in, with the ultimate goal of not achieving a mark, or a goal, but keeping the other FROM a goal or a mark.

So yes, the last 5-6 years (and 8 years prior to this) have been...rough. 

The next president will find it's not going to be much better.

[Brian Fein]

Of course, one could also say this is due to his inability to lead - however it feels as though no leader, be it Reagan, Clinton, or insert "amazing president here" would find much common ground through compromise in today's climate.  Each party is too dug in, with the ultimate goal of not achieving a mark, or a goal, but keeping the other FROM a goal or a mark.

I agree with this statement, but I feel like it is BECAUSE of Obama that this phenomena is occurring.  I hate politics, so just posting in this thread makes me want to punch myself in the face, but it feel like Obama had such a radically liberal stance when he was first elected, and was SO different from GWB, that he polarized everyone.  Either you love him or you hate him.  And those that hate him are determined to make him appear as a failure.

It appears to me the the Republicans in Congress have a single goal - to oppose everything Obama says.  Just because.  To make him look foolish.  Maybe this is why he can't get anything done.

Never before (in my memory) has a president been so radically active in trying to reform systems as major as healthcare.  Who else has taken that on?  And the resistance he met along the way has been monumental. 

I can't remember another president who has been more polarizing.

[Dave Gray]

I think this is due to the lockstep nature of the GOP.  They hate Obama and they love Reagan.  I'm guessing that's why those presidents were on the spectrum.  They are a lockstep type party.

For Dems, I bet their "best of list" is between Clinton, JFK, and Obama, more evenly distributed.

[CF DolFan]

I think this is due to the lockstep nature of the GOP.  They hate Obama and they love Reagan.  I'm guessing that's why those presidents were on the spectrum.  They are a lockstep type party.

For Dems, I bet their "best of list" is between Clinton, JFK, and Obama, more evenly distributed.

As far as the poll goes I don't disagree. I thought the same thing when I read it. It really isn't a secret on who Republicans think was the greatest and least.

With that said I think many people are viewing Obama less favorable than they originally had.  His foreign policy has failed over and over and it's even worse given he mocked Romney for predicting it.

[Fau Teixeira]

i think Obama gets it from both sides for the foreign policy .. there are some republicans that think he doesn't do enough .. and some that think we should pull out of all foreign lands yesterday .. the middle road will never appeal to those people

[Spider-Dan]

I think this will be an interesting question to revisit in 10 years.

When you look at the legacy of a President, what tends to stand out are the major events.  I think it's fair to say that when February 2017 rolls around, all GOP and media interest in ACORN and Solyndra and Operation Fast & Furious and IRS investigations (but not Benghazi, because Hillary) will be immediately forgotten.  What we will hear about for the foreseeable future is Obamacare, and even the GOP has admitted time and time again that they must repeal it before people get used to it, or it will become just as entrenched and popular as the then-reviled Social Security and Medicare have become.

So, whether you believe Obama will be historically regarded as one of the worst presidents should be contingent on whether you believe that Obamacare is something that will be unpopular and disliked in 10 years.  If Obamacare winds up being as popular as Medicare, that name alone will exclude Obama from any "worst" lists.  (And the other factor, which may not be entirely fair, is that as the first black president, he will undoubtedly receive a huge historical bump absent any Nixon-level scandal.)

In contrast, GWB's legacy has been so toxic that Republicans still complain about the invocation of his name.  Based on the way Democrats have embraced Clinton (after he left office in "disgrace" after his impeachment by the House), do you seriously believe that Democrats will run from Obama the same way that the GOP has ran from GWB?

Long story short: GWB's legacy is not salvageable and he is still being attacked 6 years after leaving office.  All of the votes going to Obama for "worst president ever" will immediately be diverted to Hillary as soon as she takes office (just as the GOP was declaring Obama the worst president in history by the first midterm).

[Brian Fein]

the first black president

Sadly, to this day, I wonder how many of his detractors see this phrase and have already decided that he is horrible.  I don't know any personally, but I'm know they exist in places like northern Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, etc. - not surprisingly dominantly red states in the past 2 elections.

[Phishfan]

Sadly, to this day, I wonder how many of his detractors see this phrase and have already decided that he is horrible.  I don't know any personally, but I'm know they exist in places like northern Florida, Tennessee, Alabama, Kentucky, Arkansas, etc. - not surprisingly dominantly red states in the past 2 elections.

You don't even need to get to North Florida. You can find it by the time you reach Central Florida (and yes I have heard it straight out of people's mouths).

[Brian Fein]

^^ Right.  Some people use policy and issues to mask what they really feel.  Unfortunately, we live in a world where that's enough to make people dislike you.

[Spider-Dan]

One more thing:

This being said, he is also working in unprecedented times.  Unless I'm mistaken, never has a president before Obama been faced the bipartisanship impacting all matters across the board.

Of course, one could also say this is due to his inability to lead - however it feels as though no leader, be it Reagan, Clinton, or insert "amazing president here" would find much common ground through compromise in today's climate.  Each party is too dug in, with the ultimate goal of not achieving a mark, or a goal, but keeping the other FROM a goal or a mark.

So yes, the last 5-6 years (and 8 years prior to this) have been...rough.

It is accurate to say that no president has faced this kind of opposition; however, it is not accurate to say that "both sides do it" or that GWB faced similar opposition during his 8 years.  For example:





The GOP is far more obstinate than the Democrats and it is simply wrong to claim otherwise.

I agree with this statement, but I feel like it is BECAUSE of Obama that this phenomena is occurring.  I hate politics, so just posting in this thread makes me want to punch myself in the face, but it feel like Obama had such a radically liberal stance when he was first elected, and was SO different from GWB, that he polarized everyone.

Would you also categorize Hillary Clinton as "radically liberal"?
In what substantive ways was Obama different than Hillary during the 2008 campaign?

The idea that Obama is a "radical liberal" is only true from the point of view of today's rapidly-right-shifting GOP.  Their biggest bogeyman, Obamacare, is a conservative plan that was proposed by conservative groups in the '90s and passed by a Republican governor in MA.

VT Senator Bernie Sanders is a "radical liberal."
Campaign Obama was a moderate liberal, and President Obama is a corporatist centrist.

[pondwater]

Obama is garbage, he will be ranked in the area of Carter when all is said and done. Bush had his issues and problems and will be ranked somewhere down around both of them. However, I have learned that Bush was nowhere near as bad as the left makes him out to be and Obama is nowhere near as good as the left makes him out to be. The Obama presidency has been an utter failure, but lets just blame everyone else for his failures and incompetence. Yeah, sure it's all Bush's fault 6 years after he left office. "Fellow Americans. the republicans won't let me do anything". What happens if the republicans take the senate and hold the house? Who's he going to blame then? The voters? I wouldn't doubt it.

The left says, It's not Obama's fault, he inherited all of this mess. I don't think he inherited shit, he campaigned and begged for it with hope, change, and lies. He wanted the monumental task of fixing things and now that he's a failure and seat warmer president, he's complaining that "it's their fault" while pointing at everyone except himself. Well it doesn't work like that, HE is in the position of responsibility, therefore he alone is responsible for the outcome of his presidency that he begged the American people for. Everyone can try to dismiss his disapproval ratings to make themselves feel or look better, but the majority of America knows better.

[Spider-Dan]

pondwater, what do you believe the public will think about Obamacare 10 years from now?
Do you believe that, as many conservatives have publicly warned, once it is in place and entrenched no politician would dare repeal it (like Social Security and Medicare today)?

[pondwater]

pondwater, what do you believe the public will think about Obamacare 10 years from now?

I don't think Obamacare will be around 10 years from now in it's current form.

Do you believe that, as many conservatives have publicly warned, once it is in place and entrenched no politician would dare repeal it (like Social Security and Medicare today)?

No, I think that it will fail on it's own. It's a poorly implemented program that has many financial struggles and legal battles ahead. Many of which haven't even been thought of yet.

[EDGECRUSHER]

I also don't think Obamacare will be around 10 years from now. I do accounting work for a company of around 120 people and when the new insurance premiums came in, I almost had to lock myself in my office from the onslaught of rage, and that was just from 10 people. Can't wait until January when people see how much their definition of affordable differs from the President's.