Splicetoday

Politics & Media
Mar 16, 2009, 03:46PM

Obamamania—not just Democrats?

President Obama's approval ratings stay strong as Republicans grow more disenfranchised with their own party.

Here are the numbers:

 

The approval rating of GOP leaders among RepublicansRepublicans has plummeted 12 points in a monthplummeted 12 points in a month, down from 55% in February to a minority of 43% now. That’s striking.

Not only that, but approval of GOP leaders overall has dropped to 28% overall — the lowest rating for GOP leaders in 12 years of Pew polling.


Not only that, but approval of GOP leaders overall has dropped to 28% overall — the lowest rating for GOP leaders in 12 years of Pew polling.

In fact, approval of Republican congressional leaders has fallen from 34% in February to 28% currently, the lowest rating for GOP leaders in nearly 14 years of Pew Research surveys.

Why is this happening? Is it general lack of morale among Republicans? Is it that GOP voters are frustrated that their leaders haven’t succeeded in blocking Obama’s agenda? Or could it be that the Dem strategy of using Rush Limbaugh to drive a wedge between die-hard partisan Republicans and those who want to see Obama succeed is working? Something is turning Republicans against their own leadership — in big numbers.

Separately, the poll also finds that Obama’s approval rating has slipped a bit amid doubts about certain aspects of Obama’s agenda. But the big movement here appears to be about the GOP.

Update: A third poll is confirming this trend. The weekly poll commissioned from Research 2000 by Daily Kos 
In fact, approval of Republican congressional leaders has fallen from 34% in February to 28% currently, the lowest rating for GOP leaders in nearly 14 years of Pew Research surveys.

Why is this happening? Is it general lack of morale among Republicans? Is it that GOP voters are frustrated that their leaders haven’t succeeded in blocking Obama’s agenda? Or could it be that the Dem strategy of using Rush Limbaugh to drive a wedge between die-hard partisan Republicans and those who want to see Obama succeed is working? Something is turning Republicans against their own leadership — in big numbers.

Separately, the poll also finds that Obama’s approval rating has slipped a bit amid doubts about certain aspects of Obama’s agenda. But the big movement here appears to be about the GOP.

A third poll is confirming this trend. The weekly poll commissioned from Research 2000 by Daily Kos 
finds that minorities of Republicansfinds that minorities of Republicans view Boehner and McConnell favorably, with Boehner’s numbers falling particularly fast.

 

Discussion
  • This perceived division between parties is drastically exaggerated. Many people operate under the mindset that other parties have radically different views from their own. This is a myth born under the political spotlight, nurtured by the media, and then we, the masses perpetuate this belief. Aren't we all tired of these lines being drawn and forced to take sides?

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  • This isn't surprising since Obama's been in office less than two months and the GOP is still fighting among themselves. Let's see what the polling is like in November. When Bill Clinton started his term, the Republicans weren't very popular either, after 12 years of a Republican in the White House. And we know what happened in the midterm elections of '94.

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