Cowbell: AP Finds 52% Now Disapprove of Obama's Handling on Health Care; 49% Disapprove Overall

And that's the AP, mind you, and it's a poll of adults to boot.

52% disapprove of Obama's handling of the economy, too. And...

A similar number disapprove of his handling of taxes, some of which may rise to help finance his health overhaul. And 56 percent dislike his handling of the budget deficit, which has skyrocketed under the costs of the financial bailouts and a recession that has caused sinking federal revenues.

Corrected! I had written:

Part of that spike of disapproval, though, represents angry lefties who want Obama to be the fightiest fighter the fighting-fighting-fighting nutroots always wanted, so that's not clearly helpful to us. Obama tends to take care of his left wing first.

And second. And third. And...

However, now that I see that 52% disapprove on taxes (if a "similar number" means 52%) and 56% disapprove on the deficit, the disapproval seems less likely to be an erosion of support among hard-core lefties and more likely to be coming from independents. Although there must be some lefties grousing there, too. But mostly the disapproval seems to track with the concerns of independents, who are obviously more bothered by taxes than lefties.

Topline! Here's the actual poll, again sent by AHFF Geoff. Lots of good eatin' here.

On the economy, for example, 58% had approved of Obama's handling back in April. That is now down to 44%.

A Cult of Personality Gives Way to a Cold Splash of Reality: 'Zactly:

I think it all comes down to trust – or lack of to be more precise. And also to the fact that the 2008 electorate was largely sold a unique media product in Obama – (this Politico piece couldn’t make that plainer) – a sort of human version of the 2006 Time Magazine Person of the Year award – designed to emit a reflection of the electorate’s own aspirations.

Obama was a promise of whatever you wanted him to be. Unfortunately for him, he is who he is. And the people now feel cheated. You don’t follow people who make you feel cheated, no matter which way your politics tilt.

Lots of links embedded there, but you'll have to click over for them, since I stole his writing.

First, Do No Harm:

60% IN FAVOR OF DOING NOTHING THIS YEAR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

What do you think the President and Congress should do when they come back to Washington this fall? Do you think they should…

Keep working to pass a health care plan by the end of
the year: 39%

Scrap the current negotiations and start over from
scratch: 42%

Leave the health care system as it is now: 18%

Don’t know: 1%

Again, Geoff.

Below, some cowbell, provided by Craig. Craig shot me a bunch of vids that were so thematically spot-on I thought he didn't realize that "cowbell" meant actual cowbell, and was just sending me songs with appropriate titles.

But he did; if you want some Gene Frenkel level cowbell, observe the guy in the Easter sweater at 0:36-0:38.

Thanks to AHFF Geoff.

posted by Ace at 01:05 PM

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