Thursday, Dec. 4, 2008
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POLL TRACK
Americans Back Obama's Economic Plan
Democrats & Republicans Tell Pollsters They're Optimistic About Obama's Agenda And Nominations So Far
Grim economic news keeps coming, but Americans seem optimistic that President-elect Barack Obama can turn things around, giving the incoming POTUS high marks for the Cabinet officials he has selected so far.
Nearly eight in 10 respondents to a recent USA Today/Gallup survey reported that they approve of the way Obama is handling the transition between administrations, including a 57 percent majority of Republicans. That's higher than either George W. Bush (61 percent) or Bill Clinton (68 percent) registered immediately before they took office. A Democracy Corps/Greenberg Quinlan Rosner (D) poll found Obama's support to be lower, at 53 percent approval, but with just 19 percent disapproval. Twenty-eight percent of respondents to that poll declined to express an opinion.
Those surveyed by USA Today/Gallup overwhelmingly approved of Obama's decision to retain Defense Secretary Robert Gates: Eighty percent approved, compared with just 14 percent who disagreed. Hillary Rodham Clinton also inspired confidence, as nearly seven in 10 approved of her selection as secretary of State. Similarly, a Lifetime Networks poll, conducted by WomanTrend and Lake Research Partners, found that 71 percent of women support Clinton's nomination -- but that two-thirds want Obama to make his Cabinet picks based solely on experience and qualifications rather than gender equity.
One of the biggest criticisms of Obama's personnel picks so far has been that many of his nominees worked in the Clinton administration. According to USA Today/Gallup, the public doesn't seem to mind. In fact, a 51 percent majority said that the selection of Clinton administration veterans would make the Obama team more effective. Just 14 percent expressed concern that bringing in former Clinton aides would hamper the new administration.
Two-thirds of respondents told GQR that they support the policies and goals of the Obama team based on what they've seen so far, with a 45 percent plurality professing strong support. That's substantially higher than the 53 percent of the popular vote Obama won last month, a difference attributable to the two-thirds of independents and 30 percent of John McCain voters who were willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt in this poll. By comparison, in 1993, the last time a Democratic president came into office, 72 percent of those polled by GQR said they supported Clinton's goals and policies, but just 17 percent voiced strong support.
Meanwhile, three-quarters of those surveyed by GQR said the country is currently on the wrong track, but 58 percent expressed confidence that Obama will lead the country back in the right direction and "change things for the better."
More specifically, 58 percent of USA Today/Gallup respondents said that they favor Obama's proposed economic stimulus package, with 33 percent opposed to such a measure. As a testament to the public's ill will toward the outgoing president, 65 percent of all surveyed said that they have more faith in Obama to handle the nation's economy, while just 20 percent favored Bush.