Nice Guy But We're Not Sure of His Policies

Michael Barone analyzes the latest poll results and sees some problem areas for Obama:

For all the favorable coverage he’s gotten on mainstream media, Barack Obama seems to be having a hard time selling the American public on his policies. That’s the message that comes through loud and clear from the NBC/Wall Street Journal and CBS/New York Times polls made public today. Obama’s job approval is still high, though it’s down 5% from previous levels in both these polls. And on some policies he’s got majority or near-majority support.

But consider these findings from the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll:

● 69% say they have a great deal or quite a bit of concern about government ownership of General Motors and a 56%-35% majority opposes government aid to General Motors in return for a share of its stock

● 58% say the president and Congress should concentrate on keeping the budget deficit down, even if it takes longer for the economy to recover

● when presented with arguments for and against a government health insurance plan, it was favored by only a 47%-42% margin

● when asked the most important economic issue facing the country, 24% chose the budget deficit and only 11% chose health care

● a 52%-39% majority opposes closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay


Or consider these findings from the CBS/New York Times poll:

● when asked to volunteer the most important problem facing the country, 38% said the economy, 19% said jobs and 7% said health care

● only 44% approve Obama’s handling of health care, while 34% disapprove

● only 41% approve his handling of the problems facing the auto industry, while 46% disapprove

● by a 52%-41% margin they prefer reducing the budget deficit to stimulating the economy

● only 30% think Obama has developed a clear plan for dealing with the budget deficit, while 60% believe he hasn’t

I haven’t included some of the results that are more positive for Obama, and overall the polls are by no means devastating. But I do agree with the conclusion of my former boss, Democratic pollster Peter Hart, who with Republican Bill McInturff supervises the NBC/Wall Street Journal poll: “The public is moving from evaluating him as a charismatic and charming leader to his specific handling of the challenges facing the country.” He adds that Obama and Democrats “are going to have to navigate in pretty choppy waters.”

Michael's analysis is usually right on. You can read the rest of it here.