AP Analysis.
That was fast. The hope and optimism that washed over the country in the opening months of Barack Obama‘s presidency are giving way to harsh realities.
An Associated Press-GfK Poll shows that a majority of Americans are back to thinking that the country is headed in the wrong direction after a fleeting period in which more thought it was on the right track.
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The number of people who think Obama can improve the economy is down a sobering 19 percentage points from the euphoric days just before his inauguration. Ditto for expectations about creating jobs. Also down significantly: the share of people who think he can reduce the deficit, remove troops from Iraq and improve respect for the U.S. around the world, all slipping 15 points.
On overhauling health care, a signature issue for Obama, hopes for success are down a lesser 6 points.
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Kristofer Lorelli can be contacted at lorville@rogers.com, on Facebook and twitter/Kris_Lorelli.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Maybe there is hope for America.
But the surest sign that this turnaround was coming was all the obituaries that were being written for the Republican Party, just as they were being written for the Democrats…… in 2005.
July 21st, 2009 at 4:51 pm
This is simply history repeating itself. Flash back to the Early days of Jimmy Carter (for those us who were voters then).
As Carter gave us Reagan, Obama is giving us Romney. And so it will go again until enough time passes and the voters forget the past and re-elect a liberal. Look for another Rise of the Conservative.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:00 pm
“As Carter gave us Reagan, Obama is giving us Romney.”
You mean Pawlenty.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:07 pm
You must be a comedian, Pawlenty who? If I didn’t read this site,I wouldn’t know who he is. Name me the first Republican candidate who won the Nomination the first time out? (And GW Bush doesn’t count, because he was well known because of his father).
July 21st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Correction.
You must be a comedian, Pawlenty who? If I didn’t read this site,I wouldn’t know who he is. Name me the last Republican candidate who won the Nomination the first time out? (And GW Bush doesn’t count, because he was well known because of his father).
July 21st, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Exactly.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:09 pm
Romney/Pawlenty 2012!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:09 pm
I would be happy with either Pawlenty or Romney….anything but Obama.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:11 pm
I like the Romney/Pawlenty ticket, it makes the most sense IMHO.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:13 pm
#9 – NO IT DOES NOT!
I is not the generational change message and there is ZERO D.C. and.or Fp experience.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:13 pm
Maybe the American people aren’t as stupid as it appeared in 2008.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:14 pm
Romney, Pawlenty, Huckabee, Palin, Barbour, Daniels, any of them would be a far better President than the incompetent moron in the White House now.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:16 pm
Kris,
FP doesn’t really matter. John McCain was “Mr. Foreign Policy” and got his butt handed to him by a neophyte.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:17 pm
I’m undecided about the VP, but I continue to be impressed with Jim DeMint. I’m not sure Tim brings quite as much to the table geographically. I know DeMint is only a Senator, but he is impressive. I could be wrong about him, cause admittedly I don’t know enough yet, but right now, I’m leaning that way.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:20 pm
#13:
That’s because Foreign Policy seemed beside the point after the economy went down the toilet in September-October of 08. If 2008 had happened, say in 2004, McCain would have easily beaten an Obama-like candidate because Foreign Policy was the key issue in 04.
Running against an incumbent President is hard, and our nominee will need to be able to answer questions about Foreign Policy, the Economy, all the major issues if we want to defeat Obama.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:23 pm
There are few if any candidates who will have FP experience. Look at Reagan, he had known, and he was a great president. Not sure what DC is? If you mean Washington, then you got to be kidding.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:28 pm
#16:
Reagan had been talking about FP for years before running for President in 1980. He had been discussing FP for many years, and the public knew his views on foreign affairs. If our nominee doesn’t have actual experience with FP, than he/she should at least have an in-depth, well thought out view of the world and America’s place in it.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:29 pm
http://blog.newsweek.com/blogs/thegaggle/archive/2009/07/21/romney-on-obama-s-push-for-health-reform-slow-down.aspx
Mitt: new article on healthcare…
July 21st, 2009 at 5:31 pm
#13 said;
His VP had the experience. Please name one winning national ticket that did not have Fp experience?
July 21st, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Kris,
Biden’s “FP” credentials consist of being on a Senate committee since he was 29. He is hardly a General or anything.
FP experience is an overrated electoral consideration IMHO. Republican care more about it than Indy’s or Dems (of course.)
July 21st, 2009 at 5:48 pm
Let’s not write off Barry yet. I still think he deserves to be the fav but it’s something like this:
President elected in 2012:
Obama 50%
Romney 45%
Someone else 5%
July 21st, 2009 at 5:49 pm
Mitt has sounded very knowledgeable in every thing I’ve heard him say or write on the subject. He’s been in over 40 countries, and seems to have a better grasp on FP than most candidates. However, if its essential, he could bring on a VP with even greater insights….I guess that wouldn’t be DeMint in that case…we’ll see.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:54 pm
The results in 2012:
Obama 60%
Romney 36%
Others 4%
Every state but Utah goes to Barack.
July 21st, 2009 at 5:56 pm
#23, you sound like Boxer. “Only Mormons will vote for Mitt”
Get real!
July 21st, 2009 at 5:59 pm
#20 Mike,
Perception is reality. The perception is/was that Joe Biden is a Fp expert and understands Washington. Certainly I believe Biden is wrong on Fp, especially his failed program of dividing up Iraq into three federations.
I may be wrong, but I believe running with two outsiders is not a winning formula. Obama chose Biden, Bush chose Cheney, Clinton chose Gore, Reagan chose Bush, etc…
July 21st, 2009 at 6:06 pm
24, Utah had the third largest margin of victory for McCain. Only Wyoming and Oklahoma had higher. It’s not unreasonable that Utah would possibly be the only state won by Mitt.
http://spreadsheets.google.com/pub?key=phNtm3LmDZENE6fRkMYjlPA
July 21st, 2009 at 6:11 pm
#26 – Kevin LOL…
July 21st, 2009 at 6:12 pm
Well, Kevin, if you can come on and make idiotic statement like your above, I’ll state the obvious:
Mitt Romney will stomp your little weasel Socialist Obambi into little pieces.
Romney will win 40 states against this idiot that hates America.
July 21st, 2009 at 6:30 pm
typical white liberal.
July 21st, 2009 at 7:58 pm
In response to comment to “As Carter gave us Reagan, Obama is giving us Romney”, I would rephrase that with Carter came Reagan and with Obama will come Huckabee.
July 21st, 2009 at 10:37 pm
Why would anyone want to say something silly like that Benjamin?
July 21st, 2009 at 11:07 pm
#28, it’s possible. If things are bad enough, Romney might just win every state.
July 22nd, 2009 at 4:28 am
“#28, it’s possible. If things are bad enough, Romney might just win every state.” If things are that bad, the chances are pretty slim that Mr. Romney will be our nominee. People look for those with charisma when times are at their worst economically. How many people will be in the mood for a bland politician if the country is truly in a mess as opposed to just partly in a mess.
July 22nd, 2009 at 11:30 am
Bland is beautiful. No more drama, PLEASE. Romney is bland, all substance, and is a machine with just one simplistic button – do the work. I don’t care too much who fills the other half of the ticket, a few would send up a red flag. ROMNEY/WHOEVER 2012