Home
Obama’s Independent Problem
With his approval ratings continuing to decline, President Obama directed his speech last night at the independent voters that were crucial to his and democratic victories across the country in 2008.
Remember, Obama won independent voters 52%-44% in 2008. Now those same independent voters disapprove of the job he is doing as president 49%-41%, a drop of 21 points in job approval in less than a year.
More troubling for Obama is that independents are generally displeased with what he has done in his first year. Only 35% are pleased with the progress Obama has made, 25% are disappointed in the progress he has made and 35% think he is taking the country in the wrong direction. In short, as the campaign promises of “hope and change” become increasingly hollow, independents have soured on Obama.
Â
Last night President Obama took a page out of the old Bill Clinton playbook and tried to make it all about “the economy, stupid” and tried to “feel voters pain.” Will it work? Only time will tell. The President is known for his ability to make a good speech and according to a CNN survey of those who watched the speech 78% had a positive reaction to it. However, this is down from the 92% who had a positive reaction to his first address to Congress. Compared to other State of the Unions, Obama underperformed Bush’s speeches in 2001(92% positive), 2002(94% positive), 2003(84% positive), 2005(86% positive), and Bill Clinton’s speeches in 1998(84% positive), and 1999 (83% positive).
