Canary in the coal mine? Obama's popularity

Steven Thomma reports for McClatchy News, Poll: Obama's losing support; Romney would beat him now 12/10/2010:

The poll was taken from Dec. 2 through Wednesday, as the president proposed a two-year freeze on federal civilian workers' pay and cut a deal with congressional Republicans to extend expiring tax cuts — even those for the wealthy, which he'd opposed.

Overall, just 42 percent of registered voters approve of how he's doing his job, while 50 percent disapprove.

Obama's standing among Democrats dropped from a month ago, with his approval rating falling to 74 percent from 83 percent, and his disapproval rating almost doubling, from 11 percent to 21 percent.

Among liberals, his approval rating dropped from 78 percent to 69 percent and his disapproval rating jumped from 14 percent to 22 percent.

His position among independents remained virtually the same, with 39 percent approving and 52 percent disapproving. A month ago, it was 38-54.

"Independents" can be a fuzzy category in these polls. But this is an indication that it's not just DFH bloggers who have been upset with him over the last couple of weeks as he reacts to the Republican victories in November be seemingly collapsing in front of them. According to these figures, his support among "liberals" dropped less than his support among Democrats generally.

When it starts to sink in more generally that Obama is supporting Social Security Phaseout, it's hard to predict what is likely to happen to his popularity. It may be much more of a shock than he and the other corporate Democrats are thinking it will.

Tags: barack obama

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