GayPatriot

The Internet home for American gay conservatives.

Probably Not a Good Idea to Run Against W in ’10

by

Seeing how well it worked out for them to run against then-President George W. Bush in ’06 and ’08, Democrats are hoping to repeat that strategy this fall.

Well, now Public Policy Polling, a Democratic polling firm, has found that in a matchup with his successor, W. is within in the margin of error:

Americans are now pretty evenly divided about whether they would rather have Barack Obama or George W. Bush in the White House. 48% prefer Obama while 46% say they would rather have the old President back.

Pretty astounding numbers given W’s unfavorables when he left office.  Pollster Tom Jensen concludes, “Figuring out a way to make voters change their minds about the current President would be a much more effective strategy for Democrats than continuing to try to score points off the former one.”

I’d been wondering when W. would catch up with Obama in polling.  It’s happening sooner than a lot of people expected.

(H/t:  Jim Geraghty.)

(In a matchup with Ron Paul, Obama leads by a similarly slim margin.)

Comments

  1. I think part of the media strategy for electing Barack Obama was to get the American people wearied by constant attacks on President Bush, and contrast that sharply with the warm praise they heaped on Obama.

    After eight years of having their president savaged every day in the press, Americans were suffering a sort Stockholm Syndrome. “All right, we’ll do whatever you want, just stop bashing the president.” The media, in this sense, were holding Americans hostage. And their bargain was, “Elect Republicans, and endure more years of this abuse… or elect our guy, and get to listen to respect and praise for him every day.” And it helped put their guy in the White House.

    Americans have much more quickly grown weary of a president who constantly receives “Alleluias” he doesn’t deserve.

  3. The real news on the polling front today is that Rasmussen – yes, Rasmussen has Obama with a net positive job approval – 50-49.

    Just before Obamacare passed, Obama was at a negative 13 net approval. Thats a 14 point swing – or 7% of the population.

    Think about it – even according to the highly biased rightwing pollster, more Americans support Obama than oppose him.

    And of course we saw the CNN poll from yesterday that pitted Obama against the four leading Republican prospects for 2012 – and Obama beat all of them by a LARGER margin than he beat McCain by in 08.

    You understand the meaning of that? With all the oceans of hate and bile y’all have thrown at him – with all the namecalling, the obstruction, the fear mongering – with all of that, you and your party have actually moved backwards since Election day.

  4. LoL What Tano fails to mention in Rasmussen’s latest proclamations is that Obama just barely squeaks a win out against… Ron Paul!

    “Notobama” is doing pretty well so early in Obama’s term.

  5. The real news on the polling front today is that Rasmussen – yes, Rasmussen has Obama with a net positive job approval – 50-49.

    Wrong.

    The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 32% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -8.

    You just cannot under any circumstances stop yourself from lying, can you, Tano?

  6. The amusing thing is that Rasmussen – yes Rasmussen has Paul in a 19% lead over Il Douche amongst unaffiliated voters. Among all likely voters, Il Douche only beats him by 1%.

    If you can’t do better than that against Ron Paul, you pretty much suck balls.

  10. So, Tano, now you’re citing Rasmussen? Guess that pollster becomes credible when it suits your fancy.

    Always amusing to read your commentary, accusing our side of doing what your side does everyday, throwing hate and bile our way. Amazing, simply amazing, the amount of projection you do.

    Oh and so interesting to see you chiming in only now when some polls show Obama gaining a bit of traction. You were silent so long when polls showed the Democrat moving in the opposite direction. And the polls still haven’t done as you promised us they would–showed a swing in favor of Obamacare since it passed. If anything, the movement has been in the opposite direction.

  11. I don’t think its too surprising if you look at the issues that made Bush so unpopular. Iraq has turned around and the belief that we have made progress and will be leaving soon is taking hold, he looks to be vindicated in the long run by the success of the war.

    Republicans lost control of spending in office but Bush’s spending is definitely paling in comparison to Obama, most conservatives and independents would rather have Bush era spending levels than Obama.

  17. NDT: “You just cannot under any circumstances stop yourself from lying, can you, Tano?”

    B. Daniel Blatt: “…when some polls show Obama gaining a bit of traction.” You must cannot under any circumstances stop yourself from lying, can you, B. Daniel Blatt?

  18. One thing is certain, there will be a third party candidate in 2012. Obama won’t be able to win with a majority, 2008 was the only time that will happen. Clinton never got a majority. If there is no third party candidate, Obama will be a One Term Blunder.

  19. You must cannot under any circumstances stop yourself from lying, can you, B. Daniel Blatt?

    Actually, arturo, that’s a mirror, not a window.

    You are a congenital liar; we all knew that. What we didn’t realize is that you were patently stupid enough to make that foolish of a comparison as well.

    Dumb and lying is no way to go through life, son. Maybe one of these days when you grow up and get off the drugs, you can make something of yourself.