NEW YORK, Sept. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- Although President Obama continues to focus on the economy, especially jobs, it may prove to be a little too late for many of his constituents. More than three in five Americans (62%) give the president negative ratings on the overall job he is doing while fewer (38%) give him positive ratings. This is slightly lower than August, when 40% of U.S. adults gave him positive ratings and 60% gave him negative ones, now marking the lowest ratings of his presidency.
PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JOB RATING - TREND | |
| 2010 | |
Jan | Mar | April | May | June | Aug | Sept | |
% | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
POSITIVE | 40 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 39 | 40 | 38 | |
Excellent | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 9 | |
Pretty good | 31 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 29 | |
NEGATIVE | 60 | 59 | 59 | 58 | 61 | 60 | 62 | |
Only fair | 30 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 28 | |
Poor | 30 | 31 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 34 | |
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These are some of the results of The Harris Poll of 2,620 adults surveyed online between September 14 and 20, 2010 by Harris Interactive.
Looking at President Obama's ratings from a political perspective, Republicans are the most likely to give him negative ratings (93%) followed by Conservatives (86%), while Liberals and Democrats are most likely to give him positive marks (69% and 67%, respectively). Independents, however, give him more negative than positive marks, as seven in ten of them (69%) give the President negative ratings on his job compared to 31% positive.
There are regional differences in the president's support, as well. Almost half of those living in the East (47%) give him positive marks, as do 42% of Westerners. However, almost seven in ten Southerners (68%) and two-thirds of Midwesterners (67%) give President Obama negative ratings. Interestingly, there is no evidence of a gender gap. Over three in five men (63%) and women (62%) give the president negative marks on his job performance.
Direction of country
Attitudes toward the country as a whole have improved slightly since early this summer. In June, just one-third (34%) of Americans thought the country was going in the right direction. In August, that number inched up to 35% and currently it stands at 36%.
RIGHT DIRECTION OR WRONG TRACK | |
| TREND | Right Direction | Wrong Track | |
% | % | |
2010 | September | 36 | 64 | |
| August | 35 | 65 | |
June | 34 | 66 | |
April | 39 | 61 | |
March | 33 | 67 | |
January | 37 | 63 | |
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Most important issue to address
However, concern over jobs and the economy has increased. In June, just over one-quarter of Americans said the most important issues to address were employment/jobs (28%) and the economy (28%). This has definitely not changed and even more Americans believe these issues need to be addressed. Now, over one-third (37%) of U.S. adults say employment or jobs is the most important issue and 34% say it is the economy.
MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR G OVERNMENT TO ADDRESS | |
| 2010 | 2010 | |
June | Sept | |
% | % | |
Employment/jobs | 28 | 37 | |
The economy (non-specific) | 28 | 34 | |
Healthcare (not Medicare) | 23 | 24 | |
Budget/Government spending | 10 | 11 | |
Immigration | 12 | 10 | |
Taxes | 4 | 7 | |
Budget deficit/National debt | 8 | 6 | |
Education | 6 | 6 | |
(The) war | 6 | 4 | |
Environment | 7 | 3 | |
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So What?
Not surprisingly, the mantra from the 1992 campaign continues to hold true – it is the economy. And until people feel better about jobs and the money they can save and spend, they are looking for a scapegoat. Right now, the focus is on one person – the president and they are looking to him for answers. Unfortunately, his numbers will continue to be low until those answers are provided.
TABLE 1 PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JOB RATING - TREND "How would you rate the overall job President Barack Obama is doing?" Base: All adults | |
| 2009 | 2010 | |
| Mar | April | May | June | Aug | Sept | Oct | Nov | Dec | Jan | Mar | April | May | June | Aug | Sept | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
POSITIVE | 55 | 58 | 59 | 54 | 51 | 49 | 45 | 43 | 41 | 40 | 41 | 41 | 42 | 39 | 40 | 38 | |
Excellent | 17 | 18 | 17 | 14 | 11 | 11 | 10 | 9 | 7 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 10 | 6 | 9 | 9 | |
Pretty good | 38 | 40 | 42 | 39 | 39 | 38 | 35 | 33 | 33 | 31 | 32 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 31 | 29 | |
NEGATIVE | 45 | 42 | 41 | 46 | 49 | 51 | 55 | 57 | 59 | 60 | 59 | 59 | 58 | 61 | 60 | 62 | |
Only fair | 27 | 26 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 27 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 28 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 26 | 28 | |
Poor | 18 | 15 | 16 | 21 | 24 | 26 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 30 | 31 | 33 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 34 | |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
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TABLE 2 PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JOB RATING – BY PARTY & IDEOLOGY "How would you rate the overall job President Barack Obama is doing?" Base: All adults | |
|
| Political party | Political Philosophy | |
| Total | Rep. | Dem. | Ind. | Cons. | Mod. | Lib. | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
POSITIVE | 38 | 7 | 67 | 31 | 14 | 39 | 69 | |
Excellent | 9 | 2 | 18 | 4 | 4 | 6 | 22 | |
Pretty good | 29 | 4 | 49 | 26 | 10 | 33 | 48 | |
NEGATIVE | 62 | 93 | 33 | 69 | 86 | 61 | 31 | |
Only fair | 28 | 28 | 24 | 32 | 21 | 36 | 22 | |
Poor | 34 | 66 | 9 | 37 | 65 | 25 | 9 | |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding; * indicates less than .5%
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TABLE 3 PRESIDENT OBAMA'S JOB RATING – BY REGION, EDUCATION & GENDER "How would you rate the overall job President Barack Obama is doing?" Base: All adults | |
|
| Region | Education | Gender | |
| Total | East | Midwest | South | West | H.S. or less | Some college | College grad | Post grad | Men | Women | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
POSITIVE | 38 | 47 | 33 | 32 | 42 | 35 | 38 | 37 | 50 | 37 | 38 | |
Excellent | 9 | 12 | 7 | 7 | 10 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 7 | |
Pretty good | 29 | 35 | 26 | 25 | 31 | 26 | 31 | 28 | 40 | 26 | 31 | |
NEGATIVE | 62 | 53 | 67 | 68 | 58 | 65 | 62 | 63 | 50 | 63 | 62 | |
Only fair | 28 | 27 | 33 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 29 | 28 | 24 | 26 | 30 | |
Poor | 34 | 26 | 34 | 41 | 31 | 36 | 33 | 35 | 26 | 36 | 32 | |
Note: Percentages may not add up to 100% due to rounding
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TABLE 4 RIGHT DIRECTION OR WRONG TRACK "Generally speaking, would you say things in the country are going in the right direction or have they pretty seriously gotten off on the wrong track?" Base: All adults | |
| TREND | Right Direction | Wrong Track | |
% | % | |
2010 | September | 36 | 64 | |
| August | 35 | 65 | |
June | 34 | 66 | |
April | 39 | 61 | |
March | 33 | 67 | |
January | 37 | 63 | |
2009 | December | 37 | 63 | |
| August | 46 | 54 | |
March | 32 | 68 | |
January | 19 | 72 | |
2008 | October | 11 | 83 | |
| February | 23 | 69 | |
2007 | December | 18 | 74 | |
| February | 29 | 62 | |
2006 | May | 24 | 69 | |
| February | 32 | 59 | |
2005 | November | 27 | 68 | |
| January | 46 | 48 | |
2004 | September | 38 | 57 | |
| June | 35 | 59 | |
2003 | December | 35 | 57 | |
| June | 44 | 51 | |
2002 | December | 36 | 57 | |
| June | 46 | 48 | |
2001 | December | 65 | 32 | |
| June | 43 | 52 | |
2000 | October | 50 | 41 | |
| June | 40 | 51 | |
1999 | June | 37 | 55 | |
| March | 47 | 45 | |
1998 | December | 43 | 51 | |
| June | 48 | 44 | |
1997 | December | 39 | 56 | |
| April | 36 | 55 | |
1996 | December | 38 | 50 | |
| June | 29 | 64 | |
1995 | December | 26 | 62 | |
| June | 24 | 65 | |
1994 | December | 29 | 63 | |
| June | 28 | 65 | |
1993 | June | 21 | 70 | |
| March | 39 | 50 | |
1992 | June | 12 | 81 | |
| January | 20 | 75 | |
1991 | December | 17 | 75 | |
| January | 58 | 32 | |
Note: Prior to March, 2009 this question was asked via telephone
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TABLE 5 MOST IMPORTANT ISSUES FOR GOVERNMENT TO ADDRESS "What do you think are the two most important issues for the government to address?" Spontaneous, unprompted replies Base: All adults | |
| '97 | '98 | '99 | '00 | '01 | '02 | '03 | '04 | '05 | '06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 09 | 10 | 10 | 10 | 10 | |
| May | Jan | Feb | Aug | Dec | Dec | June | Oct | Aug | June | Oct | Oct | Mar | Nov | Jan | Apr | June | Sept | |
| % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | % | |
Employment/jobs | 5 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 10 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 5 | 21 | 24 | 31 | 34 | 28 | 37 | |
The economy (non-specific) | 8 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 32 | 34 | 25 | 28 | 19 | 14 | 13 | 64 | 50 | 34 | 32 | 27 | 28 | 34 | |
Healthcare (not Medicare) | 10 | 11 | 12 | 15 | 5 | 10 | 14 | 18 | 11 | 12 | 25 | 22 | 25 | 47 | 45 | 34 | 23 | 24 | |
Budget/Government spending | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 5 | 6 | 2 | 6 | 11 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | |
Immigration | 2 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 20 | 12 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 10 | |
Taxes | 14 | 16 | 12 | 13 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 8 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 7 | 4 | 7 | |
Budget deficit/National debt | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 3 | X | X | 8 | 8 | 6 | |
Education | 15 | 14 | 21 | 25 | 12 | 11 | 13 | 7 | 8 | 7 | 6 | 6 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | |
(The) war | X | X | X | X | 12 | 18 | 8 | 35 | 41 | 27 | 24 | 14 | 9 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 6 | 4 | |
Environment | 3 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 7 | 3 | |
(Programs for) the poor/ poverty | 3 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | * | 4 | 4 | 4 | * | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Downsizing government | X | X | X | 1 | * | X | X | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Housing | X | X | X | X | X | 1 | 1 | * | * | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Social security | 6 | 6 | 24 | 16 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
Regulating banking/financial services | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | * | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 2 | 2 | |
Terrorism | X | X | X | X | 22 | 17 | 11 | 7 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 3 | 2 | |
Foreign policy (non-specific) | 3 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | |
Ethics in government | * | * | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
Afghanistan | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 2 | |
National security | X | X | 2 | 2 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 2 | |
Business accountability/bailouts | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 2 | |
Energy | X | X | X | X | X | X | 1 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 1 | |
Obama/president | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 1 | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Welfare | 14 | 8 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | * | 3 | 1 | 2 | * | * | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Military/defense | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Human/civil/women's rights | 2 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | * | * | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | |
Honesty/Integrity/Moral Values | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 2 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Religion (decline of) | * | 1 | * | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | * | * | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Homeland/domestic security/public safety | X | X | X | X | 8 | 9 | 3 | 6 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | |
Homelessness | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 3 | * | * | 1 | 1 | * | * | 1 | |
Gas and oil prices | X | X | X | X | X | X | 1 | 1 | 10 | 8 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | * | 1 | |
Crime/violence | 19 | 13 | 8 | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | |
Same sex rights | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 1 | 1 | 2 | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | * | |
Judicial/Legal Issues | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | * | 2 | 1 | 1 | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | |
Medicare | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 2 | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Iraq | * | * | 1 | X | X | 11 | 3 | 9 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 7 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 2 | * | |
Middle East peace process between Palestinians and Israel | X | X | X | X | 2 | 2 | 2 | * | 1 | * | * | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Abortion | 2 | 2 | 2 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | * | * | |
Family values (decline of) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | * | * | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | * | * | X | * | * | x | * | |
Inflation | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 1 | 2 | 3 | * | 1 | 1 | * | * | * | * | |
Domestic/social issues (non-specific) | 2 | 3 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | * | |
Peace/world peace/nuclear arms | 1 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 3 | * | 1 | 1 | 2 | * | * | * | * | 1 | * | * | |
Socialism agenda/country's socialism | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | * | 1 | * | * | * | |
Programs for the elderly (not Medicare/Social Security) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 3 | * | * | * | 1 | 1 | * | * | * | * | * | * | |
Drugs | 8 | 6 | 2 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 3 | * | 2 | 1 | 3 | * | 1 | * | * | 1 | * | * | |
Oil Spill in Gulf/BP oil spill | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | x | 20 | x | |
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