Tweet
The biggest Achilles heel for President Obama is the still extremely poor shape of the economy. According to a new CBS News/NYT poll, the economy/jobs still remains by far the most important issue for voters. In the poll, 48% ranked it the number one problem facing the country, by comparison no other issue is above 5%. The concern for the Obama campaign is that on this one issue voters care most about, Mitt Romney holds a slight edge in most polling.
The CBS News/NYT poll found slightly more Americans have some confidence in Romney to make the right decisions for the country than they do for Obama. 55% have some confidence in Romney on the economy while just 51% have some confidence in Obama.
The Washington Post/ABC News poll from last week found Romney with the edge on the issue of handling the economy, 47% said Romney would do better while 43% said Obama would do better.
Similarly, a new national Quinnipiac poll found Romney with a slight edge on Obama when it comes to a whole host of economic issues. Romney is seen as being slightly better at creating jobs, 45%-42%, much better on the issues of gas prices 44%-31%, and better on the economy in general. The poll found 47% think Romney would do a better job on the economy and only 43% think Obama would do a better job. Romney and Obama are, though, tied on the issue of taxes which is an impress accomplishment for the Obama team.
While Romney is much less likable, less inspiring, and seen as less able to understand economic problems of regular people; he holds this small edge over Obama when it comes to economic competence and that is what voters really care about right now.
16 Comments
Voting Republican because of the economy is like smoking a cig when you have lung cancer from 20 years of smoking.
It’s suicidal.
Romney must be thrilled with these results. For a guy who destroys jobs, abuses animals, and generates fear and loathing in women and Latinos to be running so close would seem to show how vulnerable Obama is. Maybe he will have to drive the “Professional Left” to the polls after all.
Calling Tanbark.
Sorry to be crude, but the Democrats’ inability to make the case on economic issues brings to mind Governor John Rhodes’s comment about Willard Romney’s father: “He couldn’t sell pussy on a troopship.”
Poor Obama. He has no option but to negotiate for and sign whatever the Republicans want. If only he’d have taken some Democratic actions when he had the House, the Senate and the public. Yet then, all he wanted to do was to ensure that the Republicans had a chair at his decision making table.
Gosh, do you think Obama might be a trojan-horse Republican. If the 1% own both brands, then it really doesn’t matter who is elected.
Voting Democrat over Republican is like quitting smoking when you have lung cancer from 20 years of smoking.
It won’t make a difference.
Less likeable than Obysmal? Really? Given Mr. O’s drone war relish, I think the ‘nice guy’ thing is moot…….. along with everything else.
Never underestimate the ignorance of the American public. Of course they are nothing more than lumps of clay that the corporate media can so easily mold and manipulate. Real deep thinkers, not.
The American public have been played for dunces. They actually think they have a “choice” in the upcoming “election.” It’s really quite laughable, from a distance.
This has got to be one of the worst Presidential election cycles ever for me. We get to choose between two right wing, flip-flopping, impostors. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bill-moyers/how-liberal-is-president_b_1438349.html
Where are people getting the impression that Romney would be better for the population on the issue of economics? He is a heartless plutocrat in bed with discredited economists and their discredited economic policies.
Yep. What you said. He could have extended medicare to all Americans.
He could have demanded some inquiries into the prior administrations illegal fuckery on the wars.
He could have demanded an accounting of the financial collapse, and insisted on some prosecutions for fraud.
He could have taken marijuana off of schedule 1.
He could have a New, New Deal.
He could have assembled a cabinet that wasn’t a full retread of centrists.
He could have allowed the Bush Tax Cuts to expire, and then offered targeted tax cuts.
He could have put on his comfy shoes and walked with labor in Wisconsin and other states seeking roll-backs on labor.
He could have been so beloved by a waiting, needing Nation and guaranteed re-election without a need to do anything other than run on his record of acheivement.
But he chose to not do what he could have done. Because he just isn’t that into us – We, the People.
And that’s why, I cannot support his re-election, and for the very first time, I will be voting Green. Dr, Jill Stein has allowed me to vote for someone other than my previous choice, a write for FDR.
Every single point is correct. Obama has done so little for the average working person when he could have done so much — or at least he could have tried.
So, yes, while I agree it’s just silly that anyone would support Romney at this point, the greater failure lies with Obama.
These polls are absolute horseshit.
Designed to create an illusion of a “horse race” when there really isn’t one.
America will look at the last 4 years and conclude either A) They weren’t that bad or B) they could have been much worse but weren’t.
They will certainly smell a wolf in the GOP: as Coriolanus reminds us “nature teaches beasts to know their friends”. Romney can scarcely hide his contempt for the masses.
Obama 291
Romney 247
Obama 48%
Romney 44%
Third Party 6%
Touché
Yes, I agree, a plurality president. Which will enable him to throw himself into the arms of Congressional Republicans.
But, but … President Hoover is better than President Coolidge. Why do all you sanctimonious purists yearn for some actual liberal like FDR?
http://www.jillstein.org/