FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
On the eve of his address to the nation about Afghanistan, President Obama could be at a crossroads for his presidency early in his first term. Politically - the stakes for both Afghanistan and health care couldn't be any higher.
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Politico suggests that the president's gift for controlling his image shows signs of faltering; and they point to several anti-Obama storylines gaining momentum.
Including things like:
- The president thinks he's playing with Monopoly money... the way he's been spending tax dollars to revive the economy
- That the West Wing is dominated by Chicago-style, brass-knuckled politicians like the public battle with Fox News - which isn't exactly the change Mr. Obama promised on the campaign trail
- That he's given House Speaker Nancy Pelosi too much power
- That the president is a pushover (i.e. setting a deadline for health care, which lawmakers in his own party missed)
- That he should appear prouder of America than he sometimes does when he's overseas
- And that he thinks too highly of himself
The White House argues that all of these storylines are inaccurate or unfair, sometimes pushed by Republicans or the press. But there is a problem somewhere. The president is losing considerable support among white Americans.
Gallup puts the president's approval among whites at 39 percent - down from 61 percent last February. And a CNN/Opinion Research Corporation Poll shows the president with a 50 percent approval rating among whites; but that's down from nearly 70 percent in the same poll last winter.
Here’s my question to you: What does a drop in approval rating of 20-percent among whites mean for President Obama?
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Jan from Etna Green, Indiana writes:
President Obama decided to keep the one campaign promise I'd hoped he'd break: this insanity in Afghanistan. Unless the president starts making good on his promises and puts an end to the continuation of many of the unpopular Bush policies he's kept in place, he can move back to Chicago in 3 years.
Rus from Minnesota writes:
I guess I would be one of those folks who has added to his approval drop; the fact that I'm white means nothing. We were promised a new type of leadership, a new transparent Washington – from someone intelligent enough to see through the partisan lines and willing to get the job done. If he wants my support back, he needs to live up to the hype he himself promised.
Ed writes:
These folks need to get over themselves. President Obama is doing the best he can under the horrible circumstances under which he came into office. Let him do his job with out all the backbiting rhetoric of which we already have too much form both camps. If he fails, we can elect a new president in 2012. People are too spoiled and want instant gratification and a quick fix for everything.
Danny from Grundy, Virginia writes:
Simply put, it means that as long as the GOP doesn't nominate Sarah Palin in 2012, no re-election of President Obama.
Dave writes:
Jack, It means nothing. Who else are thoughtful, intelligent people regardless of their race going to vote for? Sarah Palin? I don't think so.
Steve from Virginia writes:
It means that Independents are no longer drinking his Kool-Aid.
Brent from Japan writes:
It means there is more to being president than NOT being George Bush.