If President Obama's approval rating doesn't rise above 45 percent, can he be reelected?
FROM CNN's Jack Cafferty:
While America's fixating on numbers from President Obama in his speech tonight on the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, like how many troops are coming home and by when, the president and his re-election team are probably stuck on a very different set of figures.
[cnn-photo-caption image=http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2011/images/06/22/art.obama.jpg caption=""]
For example, 43 percent, the president's daily job approval rating according to Gallup. It's been moving down this week. And 49 percent, the percentage of Americans who disapprove of the job he is doing. They aren't very good numbers.
Here's another number that's probably going to keep the Obama reelection campaign awake at night: 30 percent. That's the very small percentage of Americans who say they are certain they would vote to re-elect President Obama come next November. And 36 percent, the percentage who say they definitely won't cast a vote for four more years of his presidency. These stats come from a new Bloomberg National Poll. Here's one more from the same poll, maybe the worst one of all: 66 percent of Americans think the country is on the wrong track.
It's a tight spot for President Obama to be in. So much of his sinking poll numbers has to do with the economy and the lack of real recovery we've seen during his term. But it also has to do with the four wars we are fighting and the nation's growing deficit too.
What it doesn't have much to do with is Obama's potential Republican opponents. No one in that lackluster field is really getting the voting population excited. And that might be the only thing that's keeping the president in the 2012 race at this point.
Interested to know which ones made it on air?
Jeff in Bishop, Georgia:
Mr. Cafferty, any person who is at 45% or less doesn't deserve to be reelected, and the current dismal approval rating is an indication that the electorate is dissatisfied with this administration's policies that are only effective in driving our country into a deeper hole.
Stephanie:
Depends on how many "undecided" are among those polled. Thus far the president is polling better than the Republicans who have declared.
Larry in Georgetown, Texas:
He can get re-elected if Bachman, Palin or Paul get the GOP nomination but other than that, the only way he'll serve another four years is to have Mrs. Clinton as his running mate. More than likely he's history.
Dave:
Only if he gets the same minority vote he received in last election and that is doubtful with minority unemployment around 30%.
James in Greenville, North Carolina:
Jack, I am about as right wing as you can get without tipping over. I do not see any scenario in which Obama can lose. His approval rating may be low but the Republicans are once again going to run someone who cannot win.
Joe in Ohio:
Only if he tweaks his "yes we can" sound bite to "yes, we HAVE TO". I believe most Americans know nothing is going to change unless everybody pays a part of the bill. We all have to help. Yes, we have to address entitlements. Yes, we have to address military spending. Yes, we all have to pay more taxes. Yes, we have to stop blaming each other for our problems and fix them. We are in a lot of trouble, Jack. We don't care who is to blame anymore.
Dave in Orlando, Florida:
Your question assumes that he will be running against a viable opponent, in which case the answer would be "no." However, if the Republicans can't find anyone other than what is in the sorry sack of losers that are running around the country saying all those idiotic things now, then he has a chance. Personally, I intend to vote for "none of the above," unless Hillary runs.
@jackcafferty on Twitter
President Obama can be elected no matter what if that is what the American people want. Anything could change before the 2012 elections.
God I hope he won't be elected again. He's as dumb as rocks, do I need to say more? This man is clueless on about everything. Our first Affirmative President, how's that sound. Elect him because of his skin color, not his character. MLK would be disappointed in all of us.
Mark
Hopefully not. I'm hoping enough people have had enough of the Bush/Obama policies – and they are so much alike – to end this nightmare that is our foreign policy, bail outs of failed institutions, and the trashing of our liberties.
The only real answer is something other than the current two party system: Ron Paul in 2012...
Oh I hope not. Four years of this incompetent man is quite enough. To those poor starry eyed Americans who think he is the answer to our problems I say please come to your senses and admit the man is in way over his head. Before it"s too late, let's hope his approval rating drops below 45% and stays there until he returns home to Chicago in 2013.
Jack: I believe President Obama can win with a 45% approval rating. I use to believe the person who got more votes would win the election, but the 2000 presidential election proved me wrong. I believe President Obama will have a more than 50% approval rating by 2012 election.
If President Obama's approval rating doesn't rise above 45 percent, can he be reelected?
Since it takes less than twenty percent of qualified voters to elect – it all depends of how many of those 45% and how many of the remaining 55% actually vote. In a nutshell, it doesn't mean a thing.
Yes...Most polls do not reflect "real" voters.
That all depends Jack on who ends up making it to the primaries on the republican side. Personally i am not real impressed with the lot of them. In America we only have a two party system. The bad and the worse then bad. That’s the way it is going to be as long as the electoral college remains in place. I think it is time for a shift in thinking. If we keep doing the same thing time and time again then all we have to look forward to is another bitter disappointment.
Certainly President Obama can be re-elected. All he has to do is sit back and watch the thrice-married, wacked-out creationist Republicans eat each other alive.
Absolutely. Have you looked at the Republican slate of candidates?
yes, if that moron GWBush can be reelected after destroying our economy, certainly Obama with a 160+ IQ can be reekected for working on fixing it.
Phoenix Area, AZ
Jack,
Yes, just think about the approval rating of most members of Congress, which is worse. Our problem and President Obama's problem is that our society is so polarized that no one can agree upon anything.
Including us, Jack, so I hope you have a nice day. Yankees are ahead in the bottom of the 6th inning in Cincinnati 4-2, so now we understand we have no more control over a baseball game or the electorate.
Joe, Binghamton, NY
He can get re-elected if Bachman, Palin or Paul get the GOP nomination but other than that the only way he'll serve another 4 years is to have Mrs. Clinton as his running mate. More than likely he's history.
Jack,
If the money and the loose political favors don't improve a 45 percent approval rating by the 2012 elections. President Obama won't or should not get re elected. I would think that this low approval rating would be because the American people have had enough and the change would do them good. The best recipe for broken promises lack of true leadership and failed economic policies is to elect some one that can truly change the direction that we have been on since President Obama was elected. Why stick with huge debt, high unemployment and a poor foreign policy.
In a word no, I would say no democrat president should ever be elected again, but Obama is not a democrat he is a communist...
I think he can, especially if the Republicans nominate one of their fringe candidates. I believe a lot of (middle class) people, like myself, although not altogether thrilled with Obama, recognize that we are toast if any Republican gets elected. Obama is going to have rally the people to get out and vote though, if there is a low turnout he may be toast. I hope I am not being unrealistic when I say that in this election what is going to matter are jobs and the economy and that voters are not going to fall into that social issue trap.
No! and Obama is unlikely to stop the drop in his rating.
What is not in sight on the horizon is the U.S. solving its debt problems.
As emotionally difficult as it is to see the U.S. defaulting on its debt–it is even more difficult to see the U.S. paying off its debt.
First-there are only going to be one-term Presidents from here on out, and second-who wants the punishment of being President in these times?
yes I think he can, Jack because what will be the alternative?
the Republicans ideas for the economy all seem to be the "reverse Robin Hood" of stealing from seniors and the middle class to give tax cuts to multi-millionaires. they have also blocked every jobs bill that has come to the Senate. I doubt that will sit very well with most working class voters trying to make ends meet.
and is anyone really excited about the current crop of Republican "granola" candidates? they are a bunch of Flakes and Nuts.
Jack,,
I think with 51 percent of Americans on he dole, 60 percent dont know what is happening, and only 30 percent will ever vote, we have a great chance of seeing this nerd with no love of american values being reelected by our miss informed, poorly educated voter.
Boy Jack, I pray I am wrong!!
Jim, Citrus Springs, Fl
If George W Bush can get elected to a second term then President Obama should stand a good chance to get reelected. When you take a look at the lineup the republican party already has running for president, this should also put the odds in Obama's favor. The republicans stand there at debates and look like robots with their extreme right view. It looks like all of them are afraid to debate their opponents and get into where they have different views from the other candidates. I do not want to vote for someone who will spend all their time on trying to get Obama's healthcare plan appealed and stop a woman's right to choose. The next President time should be spent on the wars we are involved in, getting people back to work and the national debt. I am afraid that will not happen if a republican gets into office.
Sure, the President can be re-elected. Just do the math. Compare Mr. Obama's approval ratings with each of the current GOP challengers' approval ratings. Add to that the 2012 election may be one of the lowest voter turn outs because many, like myself, who voted for Mr. Obama, won't vote for him again but also won't vote for anyone hoping to be his GOP challenger. For the first time in decades, I'm going to sit out the election rather than vote for someone who delivered hype to Main Street, turned out to be George W the Third, and now has us in 5 wars. I no longer care. I'm just trying to survive the mess both parties have made of our economy. Wake me when it's 2016.
Sure he can, anything is possible....but that doesn't make it likely. I think this time his slogan will be "I think we can".
Absolutely. Polls often state the elect ability of someone against an unnamed opponent, rendering that poll irrelevant. Most Republicans in Congress were in office, and voted the party line, under Bush. I'm not the only person who does not want to experience Deja vu
Your question assumes that he will be running against a viable opponent, in which case the answer would be “no.” However, if the Republicans can’t find anyone other than what is in the sorry sack of losers that are running around the country saying all those idiotic things now, then he has a chance. Personally, I intend to vote for “None of the above,” unless Hillary runs.
Only if he tweaks his "yes we can" sound bite to "yes, we HAVE TO". I believe most Americans know nothing is going to change unless everybody pays a part of the bill. WE all have to help.
Yes, WE have to address entitlements. Yes, WE have to address military spending. Yes, WE ALL have to pay more taxes. Yes, we HAVE TO stop blaming each other for our problems and fix them.
WE are in alot of trouble, Jack. WE don't care who is to blame anymore. WE HAVE TO fix it. Lead, follow or WE HAVE TO vote you out on your collective ideologies.
This could be the first time Americans elect an incumbent that a majority doesn't approve of. After all Obama has a pretty face.
Republicans must find a fresh young candidate like Governor Walker for instance, someone recognisable who will actually act not all talk.
Without a decent Republican candidate watch out for another 4 years of Obama.
If the economy and unemployment continue to drift, probably not.
The existing dissatisfaction and frustration with these two issues would most likely dictate a change in leadership.
Gary in Scottsdale, Arizona
I think people vote for what they consider to be the best of the choices offered to them, even if neither choice is ideal.
If Obama goes up against a candidate who wants to eliminate Medicare, Social Security, the EPA, regulations on business, the SEC, public education, and so on, in order to pay for yet more tax cuts for the wealthy, then I think Obama wins as "the lesser of two evils."
And every announced Republican candidate fits the above description.
Whenever the choice is between the lesser of two evils, anything can happen. But the Republicans can't win if choose an ideologue. The only Republican that can win is one that appeals to the moderate middle of our country, and I hope that one steps up, because another four years of President Obama would be an unsurpassed disaster.
Jack, polls are unreliable because of the wording of a question and the number of people polled or the area that the poll was taken. when poll takers start putting out numbers instead of percentages. these percentages can be rigged for any answer you want. so yes he can win. oh jack, I am 66 yrs. old and never polled.
You are not asked for an approval rating in the voting booth. You are given a list of candidates and asked to choose one. Since you asked, I think Obama has a higher rating than any of the current candidates. I guess that means he gets reelected at 45 percent.
Yes Jack, because Presidential ratings are so flexible and volatile. For example, the economy could improve and Obama would be re-elected or the Republicans could field a bunch of losers like they've got now, and Obama would win. It's a crapshoot!
That 45 approval rating is much higher than the approval rating for Congress so it's hard to tell. I think he's getting a lot of the blame that caused by a Congress that can't seem to do anything for the good of America for fear the other party will get all the credit.
It really depends on how far to the right the Rpublican nominee comes from and also far far to the right the Vice Presidential candidate is). That VP candidate mattered a lot in the 2008 election.
Some of his predecessors were re-elected with similar ratings. Remember Jack, President Obama has only been in office for less than two years. Ask this question closer to the 38th month of his presidency
Jack,
The American people have earned their PHD in electing Presidents. They realize the choices they have and when they go to cast their vote in November of 2012 they will give Obama 4 more years to finish what he tried to start in 2008, even though his approval rating is 45%. Can you imagine giving one of his opponents the chance to start from scratch. (SCARY)
Larry from Kansas
Mr. Caffety, any person who is at 45% or less doesn't deserve to be reelected, and the cuurent dismal approval rating is an indication that the electorate is dissatisfied with this administration's policies that are only effective in driving our republic into a deeper hole.
That's a non-issue. By attacking Medicare, Social Security, the right to unionize, and workers pensions, Republicans have started a stampede of voters to the Democrats in which they'll be trampled. Sacred cows, Jack. Sacred cows.
The President has taken national security & defense off the table as a fear category for the GOP to use against his party.
Furthermore, under this administration jobs are being created, albeit more slowly than we'd like, whereas they were not before he took office. All the GOP canidates offer is the failed economic fallacy of, "tax cuts for job-creators will boost the economy".
I don't think Americans will be distracted this time. Obama's opposition has to offer clear, concise solutions which connect the cause and effect dots. They can't do it.
Jack, I am about as right wing as you can get without tipping over. I do not see any scenario in which Obama can lose. His approval rating may be low but the Republicans are once again going to run someone who cannot win.
Yes, he just needs more votes than the other guy or some hanging chads. Approval ratings mean nothing. If his approval rating was 0% and he won by a landslide 52% of Americans would call it a miracle.
Jack,
I could care less about Obama's approval rating. What I care about is how good of a job he's done. In my opinion, he hasn't done a good job, so I will not be voting for him in Novemer 2012.
As long as the goofballs and oddballs of the Republican Party continue to come out of the woodwork to run, Obama will be a two-term president. Let's put it this way, if one of the current crop of Republican candidates beats Obama, America will get what it asks for, the elimination of the middle class and acceleration to being a second-rate economic and military power with a ruling rich elite
I hope not we need CHANGE!!
Paul
Ames Iowa
It will be tough, Jack. But the GOP voters are in a mood to swing to the right, very far to the right. History tells us that every time they do that, they lose. I don't think an extreme right wing candidate will attrack true independents (as opposed to those Tea Party so-called "independents.")
Jack, Hopefully he would lose only if there is someone who will do the job better. Rather than simply campaign against the status quo wouldn't it be refreshing to hear someone with a real program to aid America as a whole. Lately all we hear from GOP bosses that one candidate (Huntsman) cannot expect to be the GOP candidate since he accepted an Ambassador post from Obama. Surely the man did his patriotic duty? Maybe this proves that our problem is deeper than many think, that Party is more important than country? Where are the patriots in DC?
It also depends on who President Obama is running against. Like Newt said, Americans don't like right-wing social engineering either. I believe that independent voters would shy away from a nominee from the Bachman wing of the GOP.
Not if he stays the course in Afganistan & IRAQ. Let's suppose that the large number of boots on the ground succeeds beyond our wildes dreams. Say the governemts are stable and in conrol of most of the country. We are no where near this now so this would take what?," 5 years?, 10 years, 20 years? Then what have we achieved? We would have installed a corrupt, muslim oriented government that have no real intrest in human rights. This is worth nothing.. If Obama can'tsee this, he will be a one termer.
No he won't win with 45%. But then this his his economy and his 3 wars now. He really has come off as less than committed to creating jobs. He has helped those he thought needed it more and now has to live with it. We truely needed jobs before taking on health care. He is loosing support with voters in his own party. That is not a good sign.
Six months before the election of 2004, Bush's approval rating was 46%. Historically president's don't get elected with approval ratings that low in an election year, yet it happened. Guess we'll just have to wait until the election to gauge our mood, huh?
NO.
It’s the economy stupid.
He has already lost the Osama Bin Laden bounce. He will get a slight bounce by starting an aggressive withdraw of troops from Afghanistan, but it won’t make any difference.
High unemployment, numerous foreclosures, bigger government and more deficit spending will not be accepted by the American people.
Short of a miracle or total ineptitude by the Republicans, he will be a one term president.
*********************************************
Depends on how many "undecided" are among those polled. Thus far the president is polling better than the Republicans who have declared.
As I recall, Bush II's ratings weren't thiat high either and he still managed to get re-elected. And in many people's minds it was the Mid-East wars that got him there, because so many felt that because he got us into it he'd be the best one to also get us out of it. And besides, unless a susrprise dark horse emerges, I don't believe the Repubs have a candidate strong enogh to unseat Obama. But after all he was a dark horse himself, so who knows. And, whether or not there is an NFL season this year, we all know that one football game WILL be played, and that is the political one. And no doubt the score will be zero-zsero because neither side is able to satisfy the public, and both sides get their share of blame for the mess we are in. Not only that, but there is less and less difference between the two sides.
Sure he can. All he has to do is yell real loud that George W. Bush got us into this mess. It will distract people from remembering that he promised to fix it.
Only if he gets the same minority vote he received in last electiion and that is doubtful with minority uneployment around 30%
Jack,
You're still not paying attention in your remedial arithmetic class. An incumbent can be elected with even a two percent approval rating. All it takes is an opponent with an approval rating 1 point lower.
My God, Jack. It's only June of 2011. No wonder America is going bankrupt. All your politicians are concerned about 17 MONTHS before the next election is getting re-elected. Nobody's minding the store. America is pushing the envelope on electoral idiocy!
President Obama's approval rating could be as low as 20%, and if the Republicans nominate a Tea Party favorite that does not appeal to the Independents, the President will be relected. Republicans need to realize that, if they want to be in The White House, they cannot allow the Tea Party to control the nominating process. Anybody to the right of a moderate Republican will loose to President Obama.
In Presidential election, sad to say, what really matters is personality, not issues. So, the answer is: yes, he is likely to get reelected. Thanks to Hillary for purifying his personality in 2008 primary.
Although the President has proven to be somewhat lacking in his overall leadership skills he'll be re-elected. Mainly because the GOP has a bunch of minor leaguers opposing him. But it's hard to fathom Jack why anyone wants that job – other then – the pay is pretty good and you can walk to the office.
Let's put it this way. He won the election and 47% of the people did not vote for him. Ergo 53% did. Therefore at 45% he has lost 8% of the people who did vote for him. Not a winning proposition.
The short answer is NO.
Yes,President Obama will get reelected. He'll revert back to his 2008 grass roots campaign style and raise record amounts of money and get all of his past supporters out to vote for him again. There really isn't any viable Republican challenger so we are stuck with Obama for four more years.
If President Obama isn't re-elected, based on the economy and his
low approval rating, he will no doubt blame Goerge W. Bush.
Approval of Congress rearely rises above 45 percent, but a majority of those crooks keep getting reelected, so why not the same for the President? Get a third party candidate in there to siphon off votes, and it is VERY possible.....
For the sake of our country, no. Hopefully not. Definitely not. We can survive two rounds of Obama's government.
Obama’s approval ratings are inconsequential at this time. Ask this again a year from now. With the Republican-Tea Party trying to find itself, so to speak, judging from their grand array of possibilities, it’s doubtful their search will be successful anyway. So far they are looking for candidates in state houses, nut houses and, sad to say, cat houses, in a case or two, and none have a chance of pleasing enough independents to pull it off.
I think he'll win in a landslide. His personal likeabliity is polling very high. The polling they do on his job performance reflects a dissatisfaction with the overall state of our country. But given the alternative of a republican agenda that openly voted to kill medicare while offering tax breaks to the top tier in this country, voters will find they have no where else to go.
That's entirely up to the GOP in my view......if they continue to press social / religious issues, above what's good for the country, and they persist in wanting tax cuts for themselves, they just might lose an otherwise easy election.
On the other hand, Huntsman is looking good, so far, so maybe that will be an option, that will be popular with the voters.
I don't know if ratings matter. Sometimes one wonders what the electorate wants, or do they themselves know.
Clinton and Gore had the country on an economic roll, and were doing some positive things with our debt, bur Gore couldn't get elected to keep the good times going.
Jack,
I sure hope NOT! We need a REAL leader, one with substance and character. One that will THINK about what he does before just jumping in headlong. I want a leader that will work harder than he plays!
Becky Marie, TX
Come 2012 people will vote their pocket books and I see lots of voters looking at empty pocketbooks and bank accounts and that is going to spell BIG trouble for Obama. This guys has fiddled while America burns and we are sick and tired of it!
Keep hoping that Obama has 45% approval.
Jack: Approval rating criteria is a single benchmark. Although an indicator, the "approval rating" is not necessarily Obama relevant. He remains popular as an individual. It's perceived that politicians and bureaucrats are the culprits not supporting Obamaism. Collectively, both republicans and democrats have much lower approval ratings. It remains unlikely a single opposition candidate for President will be able to overcome the popularity gap. Obama is re-electable with a 45% approval rating.
He can and he will. Because of Obama, Osama is dead and partying with his 72 sturgeons. Obama ended combat in Iraq and is working on getting the U.S. out of Afghanistan, which we should have done after Tora Bora. The only thing the Republicans can hold against him is the economy, which by Republican philiosophy, the government should have nothing to do with anyway.
He sure can...My republican vote will now go to President Obama, unless of course Mrs. Clinton runs. She would have gotten it last time if she had won the primary. I'm little more than tired of the Republican "good ole boys and girls " club.
In the 2012 presidential election, President Obama's "poll" ratings will not play a determining factor in his reelection. He will be reelected in 2012, with high ratings or low ratings. It is my guess, he will have much higher ratings in the coming months, anyway. There is no better candidate for 2012 in the Democratic, Republican or Independent Parties, nor in the supposed far right Tea party. My advice to any candidate, other than Obama, is save your money and appoint Obama president in 2012, forget the election and give the money saved to K-12 education. What?
Thom Richer
Negaunee, MI
I can't wait to hear how our wonderful president spins the war and economy on the campaign trail. There is no way in hell that he will be re-elected. It is my opinion we will have one term presidents for the next 20 years. Get the job done in 4 years or go back where you came from. Same goes for Congress.
Sure he can, but who wants to win by default. That's nothing to be proud of.
If President Obama gets re elected he has to know that the people who voted him back in must be intellectually challenged or from another planet.
Who really cares, none of these guys are out to fix the problems, only their retirement.
Yes he can with the field that the Republicans have Jack the Ripper could beat them. Also he needs to get our troops our of Iraq and Afghanistan. All the people in both of those countries are not worth the life of ONE American soldier, and on top of that those people are just one inch above a caveman
A scarier question would be : can a ding a ling from Alaska be "selected" POTUS.
YIKES!!
He's too Conservative. We need bold leadership to avoid a second Great Depression. We don't need a guy who gives grade A speeches and little else. Problem is, huge cuts in government spending (deflation), more tax cuts to the rich (ineffective stimulus), and little regulation (leads to depression)(Republicans)...the future looks real bleak. We have no bright leaders. At least we know University of Chicago economics is a joke. Bring on the gurus from UC-Berkley (Clinton).
I think the president can be reelected if he starts bringing our troops home, which in itself will start bringing down war costs, and if the American People finally wake up and realize that the President on his own cannot fix the economy.
That will be the hardest obstacle to overcome, because many people seem to think he can bring our jobs back from offshore, make the banks start lending again which would prompt businesses to start hiring and people to start spending.
I also think that if the media would report more heavily on the cost of the wars, as compared with the cost of entitlements, and the benefits of each, Obama would look a lot better.
But it's going to be tough. Even in my house we are divided on this issue. My husband is angry that Obama has not donemore, while i maintain that he has done a lot and the problems we face are NOT of his making nor are they problems he can wave a magic wand and fix.
Unfortunately for Obama, I think that a lot of the American People in general, and my husband in particular, just cannot see the forrest for the trees!
Yes with the electoral process they can put in anyone they want. Sad isn't it.
Who cares? Obama and the merry dancing clown republicans dance to whatever tune their corporate masters play. A more appropriate question would be do we have anyone running that will truly change Washington in the manner of FDR?
Jack you should know better than to ask this question so soon. Polls go up and down on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. Wait at least a year and ask again. By then we'll know who the GOP candidate is, and a lot of things can change in a year. By next summer the economy could be obviously on the mend in which case Obama's ratings will be much higher or we could be in the middle of another depression. In that event – kiss Obama goodbye.
Sure he can. If the other 65% stays home because the alternative is worse.
Yes, Jack he can be re elected and likely will be as the American people realize that even when things are not going well Obama is trying to fix things and the Republican party has had no plan other than obstructionism since January 2009.
Do people really believe that any of the GOP contenders would do any better than Obama has done? Do people really believe that we would have been in much better if McCain/Palin had been elected in 2008? Do people really believe .... Well, yeah, I guess they do.
Of course he can. Remember, in America we don't vote for candidates. We vote against who we don't want. That's the way elections work in this country.
oops. i meant 55%. yes I really did graduate college. 😀
One thing we know for sure about Obama is that he is a master campaigner. If his bid for re-election in 2012 is even half of what it was in 2008, he's sure to win.
I believe he can be. It's no secret that independents are hard to sway one way or the other until very close to the day of the election. I personally don't think the things that Americans disapprove of, in regards to the economy, are really the president's fault. I believe that our economic recovery would be going much more smoothly, if there wasn't so much opposition toward what the Democrats are trying to do from the other side. Republicans are even rejecting plans that many of them once approved of to fix our economy.
Obama was a great salesman but had no product. He sold us a bill of goods but never delivered. I for one feel cheated. As the old saying goes, Screw me once, shame once shame on you. Screw me twice, shame on me. I won't be giving him the second chance.
Jack,
I believe he not going to be re-elected for many reasons. Our economy and the involvement in the wars are of concern to the people. We need to rebuild our country. The economy is in shambles.
Demos
Toronto, Canada
Jack, Obama is the first America-hating President. Look at his policies – discourage oil production despite high oil prices, increase regulations on business so businesses hire less people and print money like crazy! I hope he gets defeated in a landslide.
– Minesh Baxi, Troy, MI
Until Americans look deep at the huge mess that Obama had to clean up then they will think twice about blaming him for the deficit. He inherited two wars and a messy economy. Yes, the economy is not where it should be but if Americans think that the Republican contenders will do a better president to fix the slow recovering economy – I have a questions for them, who dragged Americans into this mess? Americans, how quickly we forget.
Jack, lets face it, he's failed to live up to his campaign retoric of 208 . He cannot pitch his lofty goals and aspirations this time around. The Republicans will force him to run on his record and that has been dismal
Of course he can be re-elected. Never underestimate the ingenuity of our idiot voters.
Politics in this country may as well be run by the mob. Numbers mean nothing on election day
Well, I and certainly a majority of other Americans would rather vote for him than someone on the Republican side, like Michelle Bachmann. So in a nutshell, yes.
Obama could be re-elected if a) no other Democratic candidate decides to run and 2) whoever wins the GOP primary can't convince the public that he/she won't sell this country down the river.
The most important factor in his re-election will be the most important factor in his election... it will come down to how much fairness and honesty the media reports on the person who runs against him verses how much the media decides to select Obama as "their" candidate.
I certainly hope not. Especially since it seems that his emphasis is on what he can do in other countries. Emphasis and focus of the US economy appears to be just an afterthought. I wonder if he would think the same way if his daughters were serving in Afganistan while their families were home worrying about a job or how to put food on the table and gas in the car.
If President Obama is NOT re-elected, we might as well kiss this country goodbye. If the Republicans get total control, the rich will only keep getting richer and the middle class and the poor will only keep getting poorer. The tired old Republican mantra that funneling all the money to the top will result in economic benefits "trickling down" on the rest of us is a bunch of hog-wash. Anyone with any sense knows that if you want to get this economy going, you have to get money in the hands of people who will spend it - meaning the poor and the middle class. WAKE UP America!!!!! Probably the absolute worst thing that could have happened is that the Republicans took control of the Hosue of Representatives in 2010. They, after all, control the purse strings. Not the Senate, and not the President.
I seriously wish we had another Democrat candidate that could beat Obama and be elected. I have Obama fears at this point. He seems to walk in Bush footsteps, Not sure on the Republican candidates, I don't think most of them could get the election, which means it's Obama's.
Of course he can be re-elected . If Sarah Palin ran against him. All he would have to say is that he can see better days from his front porch.
It depends on who runs against him. An air-head, a crazy woman, two singing Mormons, another grumpy old man or a Texan – oh OK – yes he can win!
Given the fact that the voting public in this country is not very bright, Obama can be re-elected. No one looks at the issues and the performance. Democrats vote democratic and republicans vote for the republican. I voted for Obama once. He has sold me out on every issue. I won't vote for him again. I am encouraged by the intelligence and cooperative air of Jon Huntsman.
Absolutely, he's unbeatable. Democrats can just stay home on election day.
With our electoral college system President Obama can me reelected. He is sure to carry NY, Ca, and ILL and probably PA which will make him hard to defeat. He may not get a majority of votes but can get the electoral
college votes needed to win.
Yes he can...Why have you been polling President Obama every single day for one thing or the other since he has been in office? Why is that? I have never known you to do this before to other Presidents.
Obama is better as a person, lawyer , husband , father and Senator but no longer is a great President . I no longer care to re elect Barack Obama in 2012 and sadly there maybe a possibility he could be gaining another term with current poll ratings, but I sure hope not.
My crystal ball is sort of of cloudy, but after listening to some of the Republican candidates–I can tell you where my vote is going for–Barack Obama. However if some other candidate arises who is pro-choice and pro-environment, I might change my mind. My vote is for the cause and not for the person.
The question is not will Obama be reelected but should be if not Obama who? I don't know about you, but I don't see anybody..............do you?
Wants the difficult questions will have to be answered the field will become much, much smaller, and I predict 4 more years of Obama!
The President is focused on all the right stuff.
Chugging a beer in Ireland, a special trip to Peuto Rico, sending Michelle and the kids to Africa.
It doesn't get much better than this.
Why we lossing jobs and stuggling to make ends meet, President Obama is campaigning and having fun.
Ohh wait ... I feel another Hawaii vacation coming.
No problem ... he will be re-elected. But NOT by Me.
Sure Jack, if the Republicans run a candidate that will not offer a positive change to the current administration, President Obama can definately win. Most Americans don't follow politics nor watch news channels, they don't care. President Obama ran on a message of "change you can believe in", an idea with no truth or reality, and we are in worse shape than we were before he was elected.
He can be re-elected with a low approval rating because many people 'like' him. What a ridiculous reason to elect a president! I do not like him and would not vote for him even if I did. He has bankrupted the country with his horrible medical plan, incessant spending, and overall disrespect for the middle class. Give me a president that does something positive for the country and I'll vote for him even if I don't 'like' him.
Malvern,PA.
Given the alternatives with the GOP trying to trash Social Security and Medicare, not to mention ultimately destroying the middle class, is there really any other option? I thought of placing myself on the ballot, but in doing so, that would only give the GOP an extra vote; therefore, I may not be delighted with Obama, however, my vote will still be for him.
Pres. Obama had allot of positive things that would help him if the election was four or eight years ago..but the people really just want the economy to get better, and they want the defecit to get under control and I think it's way to early to begin predicting the chances of obamas election ALLOT can still happen.
Who's he going to lose to? The current batch of right-wing-nuts? I certainly hope not. All they can do is complain, with no solid ideas to fix anything. If we have 4 more years of do nothing, spend everything government, we're all in trouble.
Yes he can, Bush got re- elected and he is the one that got us in this mess in the first place. All of you only talk about how better president Obama should be doing or put emphasis on how bad his administration is doing, and only one question comes to mind, if you know a better way of running the country why don't you try to run it and run for president. If you are not part of the solution is it better to be part of the problem?
Oh yes he can Jack!
Once the American people sit down and really think about who is responsible for causing the financial meltdown they will come to their senses. Don't blame the fireman for the fire!
Of course! He already has the black vote and as long as he keeps our boarder open to Mexico he will keep the hispanic vote too. Remember, just be hopey changey and everything will be fine!
Absolutely President Obama can get re-elected in 2012, regardless of polling below 45%. He is outwardly smart, strong, and has successes to tout.
And the more the Republicans speak , the more it becomes clear that President Obama is the adult in a room full of children.
I am a Democrat official in West Houston. At this point I DO NOT plan to actively campaign for Obama. I am fed up with his administration and his team of Clinton Retreads.
Obama has spent the last 2 years helping out people who probably didn't vote for him and would never vote for any Democrat i.e. car dealers, bankers, etc. Since he has continually abandoned any of the groups who elected him and hasn't put any of those unemployed back to work, I am not going to get out voters for him. He has abandoned the middle-class Democrats and millions of them are going to abandon him.
Jack, who else is idealistic enough to want the job? This is not a walk in the partk. He is trying.
President Obama is still highly electable. As Americans we unfortunately want a quick solution to complicated problems. There is no quick fix for the economy and it requires more than the President to do the heavy lifting and much more than many Republicans quoting Ronald Reagan. We need both sides pulling their weight and not pointing fingers. The real problem is that there are many legislators who are not interested in working together for the good of the nation because their top priorities are to their party and lobbyists. The American voter needs to understand that their are many moving parts to the economy and the Government. The election is not going to come down to one single issue like the economy. There are many improvements that have been made to the United States, and many more that need to be accomplished. Considering that the Republican Candidates are not bringing anything to the table other than complaints, President Obama does not face any real challenge other than the economy.
Hope for change! Yes we can! with some transparency
Question should be-why would he want to be re-elected President of the United States of America?
Tucson, AZ – The only poll that actually counts will be taken on election day. A President whose approval is below 45% on election day will probably not get reelected. We will not have a good idea until September of 2012 what Mr Obama's popularity will be on that day next November. Numbers have changed a lot, sometimes in his favor, sometimes the other way, in response to current events over the last three or four months. There are any number of plausible scenarios we can discuss now, but there is no way of knowing now what conditions will be like then, no matter what the economists, politicians, and pundits say now. Plausible victory in Asia, plausible improvement in the economy, and disgust with the wild fiction of the Right are all possible before then. My real concern is that the President will take the blame for the actions and inactions of this Congress, which are in fact beyond his control. A President without 218 in the House and 60 in the Senate is NOT in charge!
I am a 50 something southern born white female whom voted Republican every national election since 1976...but I can and will vote to re-elect President Obama. Am I disappointed? Yes with the congress and senate... But not in my President as I still feel President Obama is a man with true integrity. In this corrupt world, that is saying something. Does he play their games? You bet he does. No President would have a snowball's chance in hell if he didn't. So I will still rally around this president. He wants to be re-elected. And for that, I am grateful.
thank you,
Denise from Spearsville,Louisiana
Obama's poll numbers won't matter in a re-election if Republicans don't show Americans why they should be elected because most young voters know nothing about Reagan but they do know about Bush.
Of course, he can be re-elected, Jack. YOU could be elected against anyone who's running for the Republican ticket.
Well Jack, I wasn't included in the poll of 30% of voters who
are definitely going to vote for Pres Obama, so
I wonder how many more of us the pollsrers missed.
After the miserable 8 yrs we endured with Bush,
we can't do any worse, in fact I think he is doing
a very good job in the 21/2 yrs in office. Someone
has to clean up the Bush mess.
Rosemarie – Pa
If Obama's poll numbers do not go above 45% that means he will only have Democrat support and some Independents. If he wants too win enough Independent votes too have a chance at winning he needs more Jobs, He needs too abandon his Health Care Mandate stance, He needs too stop actually tend to Medicade/Medicare and address the budget. However Obama has shown he is the poster boy of Partisan Politics so I see no change on anything important. Obama is toast in 2012.
Edgewood, NM
President Obama needs to do a self-assessment of what he promised in the campaign of 2008 to see how he's doing. He might find he has come up short on many issues. The public knows he has fallen short on providing affordable healthcare for all, bringing our soldiers home, and line item vetoing the budget to get it in line. Maybe he got star struck and has done too many working vacations to get the job done.
Absolutely, Jack. With the current field of Republican candidates Obama would have to completely destroy the country not to get re- elected. If that fool Bush could get re-elected, anythings possible.
Am I happy with Obama? No. Do I want to return to Bush's party of free rides for the rich and the middle class carrying even more of the load? No. I think Obama will win as the lesser of two evils.
As long as the right continues with their lies and misinformation he will have problems. Look how Republican lies got them back into the House last election. What have they done there? Republicans are pulling the wool over the American eyes. Democrats need to get louder with Obamas success's . If Americans fall for this right wing take over of our country we are all in trouble. Senator DeMint, where was your spending pledge back in 2000 when the budget was balanced? Republicans where in charge of everything back then. People need to know the truth.
Obama's biggest asset for re-election is not his popularity, but who he will be running against. Nearly the entire Republican field is trying to make it through to the general election by pandering to social conservatives, and by doing so will alienate themselves from the moderates and Independents needed to beat Obama. If the Republicans even hope to win in 2012 they should really take a look at the '08 election and borrow a page from the Obama playbook. "Hope" and "Change" may be a bit overplayed, but "Reason" and "Progress" might strike a cord.
Jack,
It appears that none of those currently in office in DC get it. We the people want to stop all the senseless expenditures on wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Lybia and use the hundreds of billions of dollars to pay down the debt , educate our kids, rebuild our infratsructure, provide health care, secure our borders or just about any other liberal or conservative cause you can name that would actually benefit our own country.
The politicians who grasp this and have the courage to make it their platform will garner a surprising amount of support in a very short time. That would be true for Obama or anyone else who wants to be elected. We are tired of watching our wealth squandered on other countries problems while we go down the tubes individually and as a nation.
Bob
South Carolina
I'm so tired of hearing that President Obama can't be re-elected based on polls. Who cares what polls think at this point?!? At this early juncture who can say if he has a chance to win or not. .
Have you ever heard of a guy named Harry Truman? His popularity and poll numbers were so bad the Media (not unlike today) declared him a sure loser way ahead of time. Do yourself proud by waiting until the election is over to declare the next winner.
I suppose a lot depends on who he is running against.
If President Obama's approval rating falls below 45, we better hope that he is re-elected. If the opposition gets back in, we will have another 10 yrs. in these wars along with the other negative things that existed before he took office.
Jack, it looks to me that the wheels are falling of the wagon. You got it right. The economy looks bad and full of risk, and it does not look like the President or his team (and I use that term loosely) understands how to improve it. They certainly do not inspire the confidence in the people. And, slogs, we are becoming the 911 for the world, and we continue to dig ourselves into a deeper financial hole.To me, this has "a change in Leadership" written all over it.
Obama's only chance for re-election is if another real progressive Democrat does NOT decide to run against him in the primaries i.e. Al Gore or Howard Dean.
Obama has abandoned his base and even taken action for people who would never vote for him i.e. Chinese workers, Indian workers, Korean workers, Republicans such as Wall Street bankers (is he so ego driven he thinks he can get bankers to vote for a Democrat), the military elite, defense contractors.
I voted for him in 2008 but I can tell you I will not vote for him in 2012.
He has my vote screw the polls he is coming back
President Obama should and can be reelected. Considering the hand he was dealt he has done a great job. I grenge at the thought of another Republican Whitehouse. If Obama was a total white man, we wouldn't be having this conversation.
The President currently cannot be reelected because he has failed to tap into the American Spirit. Very few Presidents have been able to use this extraordinary energy more than Franklin Roosevelt, John F. Kennedy, Lyndon Johnson and Ronald Reagan. The next President must be one that embraces the true American Middle-class and give real hope to the poor and disenfranchised. Basic wage jobs with some reasonable benefits must be created for these classes. As long as the President and Congress continue to ignor this problem, our nation will not improve economically and the American Spirit will not thrive. Cutting the budget and/or raising taxes is not the solution. Corporate cooperation, private enterprise, and a real commitment to rebuild our infrastructures are the only ways to re-start the American Spirit.
The republicans have no candidate, as yet, that excites me. Obama's halo has tarnished, as far as I'm concerned. So the actual choice is do I vote for Tweedledee or Tweedledum. Talk about a coin flip election!
Reelected? Ha!
"CHARITY BEGINS AT HOME," and we here at "home" are supposed to keep 75,000+ troops over there building schools, teaching children and rebuilding THEIR infrastructure AFTER they drawdown the superfluous 30,000 troops that Obama sent "temporarily" since his election??? FORGET IT! He'll need votes to get that, and they won't be coming!
Yes he can.When you look at a republican field that ranges from a hippocrate- Romney, to a fear monger- Bachmann, Obama looks good. At the end of the day, while alone in the voting booth, I will go for the lesser evil.Clearly, that's Obama.
Arafat, Centreville, Va.
Probably not. I think people are too angry to re-elect him. He has not done enough for the citizens of the US. His focus (lately) has been on foreign affairs. He is like no democratic president of the past – and not really for the people. The people here, that is.
What 4 more years of Obama. No job , no money . Jack could you send me information on the federal food stamp program .
Sure he could – polling and voting are not exactly the same; and even if folks really dislike him, they could still dislike the other candidate even more. Lots of us vote for the "lesser of two evils."
Yes obama can be re-elected even though he has turned out to be a lying, war monger, corporotist. Obama still has 95% of the blacks with him even though unemployment is over 20% in the inner cities, and he continues to pander to hispanics which will put him over the top.
If President Obama's approval rating doesn't rise above 45 percent, can he be reelected?
Why not? Look at who the GOP "hopefuls" are. I'd say he has an EXCELLENT chance at re-election. Not only that I see the GOP losing the House again. They failed to create jobs that they promised.
Jenna
Roseville CA
Well if President Obama lets the American public know that the Republicans BLOCKED a jobs bill put up for a vote by Democrats yesterday. This is a jobs bill that could create 1 MILLION JOBS in the USA. If the President did this, and also highlighted that the Repuiblicans have done NOTHING to try to create jobs, since winning the House Of Representatives in 2010 – then Yes President Obama can easily be re-elected.
And by he way Cafferty, President Obama is going to be one of the few Presidents to actually put in place a plan to REDUCE the National Debt, while in office. President Bush DID NOT DO THAT!