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Poll: Obama worst president since WWII


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2014 Jul 2, 1:35am   32,420 views  79 comments

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http://www.politico.com/story/2014/07/poll-obama-worst-president-since-wwii-108507.html

A plurality of voters think Barack Obama is the worst president since World War II, a new poll says.

According to a Quinnipiac University poll released Wednesday, 33 percent of voters think the current president is the worst since 1945.

Obama’s predecessor, former President George W. Bush, came in at second-worst with 28 percent, and Richard Nixon was in third place with 13 percent of the vote. After Jimmy Carter, who 8 percent of voters said was the worst president in the time period, no other president received more than 3 percent.

Thirty-five percent of voters said Ronald Reagan was the best president since World War II, receiving nearly twice as many votes as any other former president. Bill Clinton came in second place at 18 percent, while John F. Kennedy came in third with 15 percent of the vote and Obama came in fourth with 8 percent saying he was the best.

All other remaining presidents received 5 percent or less. Five percent of voters said Dwight D. Eisenhower was the best president since 1945, while 4 percent said Harry Truman. Lyndon Johnson and George H.W. Bush each received 3 percent. George W. Bush came in at 1 percent.

Forty-five percent of voters said the U.S. would be better off with Mitt Romney serving in the White House, compared to 38 percent who said the country would be in worse shape.

The survey comes as Obama in recent weeks has found his popularity at the lowest levels of his presidency.

The Quinnipiac poll reported more bad news about the president’s approval and competency ratings. Forty percent of voters approve of the job Obama is doing, compared with 53 percent who disapprove. Fifty-four percent of voters say the Obama administration is not competent at running the government.

The survey was conducted June 24-30 with 1,446 registered voters on land lines and cellphones. The margin for error is plus or minus 2.6 percentage points.

#politics

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1   lakermania   2014 Jul 2, 3:18am  

Ronald Reagan being far and away the best president since WW2 doesn't surprise me, but how does Carter only get 8% of the vote for the worst? He was just as bad, or worse, than Obama and Bush.

2   mmmarvel   2014 Jul 2, 3:32am  

I knew he was/is the worst president from the moment he was elected. Guess I'm just a fortune teller, but yeah, no surprise here, the man is the worst of the worst.

And lakermania - Obama is Carter version 2.0, new, not-improved, and horrible. ALMOST (please note almost) makes one wish it was Carter again and not Obama. But I lived through Carter and it was horrible then too - just a bit worse now.

3   zzyzzx   2014 Jul 2, 3:37am  

lakermania says

how does Carter only get 8% of the vote for the worst

It's all Obama's fault!!! Obama is so much worse, plus how many people voting in the poll were old enough to remember Carter?

4   indigenous   2014 Jul 2, 3:58am  

Sounds about right although I would say O is FDR 2.0

I would vote for Eisenhower and Coolidge as best in recent times. Not Reagan.

Worst:

Wilson
FDR
LBJ
Obama
Lincoln

5   BoomAndBustCycle   2014 Jul 2, 4:10am  

Its kind of hilarious all the arm-chair presidents bashing Obama. Everything these morons want to do is lower taxes, end welfare , make abortion illegal, and make everyone pray again in schools. Then, magically, everything will be better!

Obama is doing fine with the hand he was dealt... Only so much you can do with a pair of deuces and a closet full of shit problems piled a high.

6   Bellingham Bill   2014 Jul 2, 4:16am  

mmmarvel says

Obama is Carter version 2.0

I wish.

http://research.stlouisfed.org/fred2/graph/?g=EHe

shows how employment rose 10M 1977-80, and would have risen further if the Volcker Fed hadn't declared war on the economy at the end of his first term.

Carter was a helluva president. He was a centrist like Obama, but he got more liberal once out of office.

Carter if course had (D) Congresses, something Obama lost in 2010, well 2009 since the (R)s were filibustering everything then.

7   HydroCabron   2014 Jul 2, 4:17am  

BoomAndBustCycle says

make abortion illegal

And IUDs cause abortion! And you're more likely to purchase an IUD on a weekday! And weekdays are when women are most likely to work!

Therefore, letting women work causes abortion!

Maybe we shouldn't let the same people who think 97% of scientists are wrong about climate change decide what sorts of birth control constitute abortion...

8   HydroCabron   2014 Jul 2, 4:36am  

zzyzzx says

while John F. Kennedy came in third

Moral: get shot at the right time.

That presidency could have gone any which way, but the Vietnam War was his creation, and he should have lived so that he would have had to answer for it.

Finally, a message of brotherhood and outreach to all who believe Kennedy was about to leave Vietnam: You are all total morons.

9   HydroCabron   2014 Jul 2, 4:37am  

New Renter says

When a person maxes out the family credit cards its irresponsible and leads to financial ruin. When a Republican president does it it's considered the gold standard for sound economic policy.

But we stood tall in Beirut - and Grenada!

10   Ceffer   2014 Jul 2, 4:51am  

Since the "Something for Nothings" re-elected him, they get to watch Obama become the worst president since himself.

11   Ceffer   2014 Jul 2, 5:04am  

A Keynesian on steroids is nothing compared to Kenyan on steroids.

12   edvard2   2014 Jul 2, 5:36am  

indigenous says

Worst:

Wilson

FDR

LBJ

Obama

Lincoln

Gee wizz... I would have never guessed that your list was almost entirely Democrats. I assume your "Best" list would include Bush, Reagan, and all the other crappy GOP presidents we had before.

13   edvard2   2014 Jul 2, 5:40am  

I knew that our resident right-winger bloggers would almost wet their pants over this the second I saw it on the news this morning.

Doesn't mean much given that Bush was a hell of a lot worse than Obama ever could be. I mean- seriously... most of Obama's presidency has been cleaning up the horrific mess the Bush Admin left behind and there's still a lot further to go.

14   lostand confused   2014 Jul 2, 6:16am  

This is what you get when you elect Justin Beiber president.

15   Tenpoundbass   2014 Jul 2, 7:23am  

BoomAndBustCycle says

Obama is doing fine with the hand he was dealt... Only so much you can do with a pair of deuces and a closet full of shit problems piled a high.

Sure there IS, you don't run for President when the "Situation" is your excuse not to do anything.

16   carrieon   2014 Jul 2, 7:38am  

The poll indicates most people don't know anything about history before they were born. Aside from that, it's true the 80's and 90's were the best of times, and from 2000 and beyond, we've had nothing but shit.
It's also interesting to note, each of the two periods of time had a democrat and a republican in charge?
1980-2000, Reagan and Clinton
2000-present, Bush and Obama

17   edvard2   2014 Jul 2, 8:16am  

indigenous says

One of the reasons we've had so much difficulty this time is Republicans REFUSE to allow Obama the same remedy as Reagan:

Nope. Incorrect interpretation. The reason things aren't getting done is because about 1.2 nanoseconds after Obama was elected the entire GOP decided to act like 2 year olds and throw a tantrum: They simply have refused to do ANYTHING that is even remotely close to being a compromise.

Want a perfect example? That immigration bill everyone's making a big stink about: The senate passed the bill over a year ago. The only thing left is for the House to vote on it. Note I didn't say PASS it, but simply VOTE. Yes or no. Yet the GOP has refused to even do that. And hence why Obama is taking executive action.

If anything the GOP has succeeded in doing what they sat out to do from the very start of the Obama admin: To do nothing, totally freeze politics in Washington, and therefore lower the public's opinion of politics in general. Yes: They were totally willing and wound up ruining their own poll numbers rather than act like adults and do their jobs.

Reagan NEVER had the level of non-action from the Democrats. SO its a bit unfair to claim he was such a grreat president when he had at least a functioning government to work with...

18   edvard2   2014 Jul 2, 8:30am  

indigenous says

However Obama has cast legislation that will probably kill this country.

yup. Just like most debates on this site, when one person doesn't have a point, try and wiggle out of it by making some outlandish statement that lacks any concrete proof or is totally devoid of fact.

Interesting because as I mentioned above Obama has had to clean up a legacy of crap created by Bush.

19   edvard2   2014 Jul 2, 8:35am  

sbh says

They will do the same thing with Hillary.

And on that same note if somehow the GOP manages to find a halfway sane candidate and actually wins in 2016 the Democrats are probably going to treat the GOP the same way they got treated: By doing nothing. That would be every bit as bad as what Obama's admin has had to deal with and bad for the country.

20   indigenous   2014 Jul 2, 9:37am  

edvard2 says

making some outlandish statement that lacks any concrete proof or is totally devoid of fact.

If you do not believe that the ACA and Frank Dodd are not going to sink this country you have not studied the history of these types of measures and the inevitable increase in cost. This has been true with Social Security and has been true with Medicare and it WILL be true with the the ACA.

If you doubt this go look at the easily found facts for yourself, I'm not your servant.

21   CL   2014 Jul 2, 10:09am  

zzyzzx says

Thirty-five percent of voters said Ronald Reagan was the best president since World War II, receiving nearly twice as many votes as any other former president.

So, there's sampling bias?

"Survey was conducted at a Bagger convention of unborn fetuses"

22   Tenpoundbass   2014 Jul 2, 10:54am  

Hey Kid do you like Obama?

23   Y   2014 Jul 2, 1:05pm  

No surprise.
And not really Obama's fault. This is the fault of the media driven reality game tv shows which herded the sheepans and sheepettes to the polls with the belief that they too could become a real life part of history by voting for the first black candidate for president, never mind that his experience level came nowhere close to the job requirements...

zzyzzx says

Obama worst president since WWII

24   Y   2014 Jul 2, 1:07pm  

It's the liberal establishment's fault for hyperventilating to their hussys that they, too! could become a part of history by voting for a black man, never mind the extremely limited experience level...

zzyzzx says

lakermania says

how does Carter only get 8% of the vote for the worst

It's all Obama's fault!!!

25   zzyzzx   2014 Jul 2, 11:26pm  

Call it Crazy says

At least Carter gave us peanuts.... We haven't got squat from O-Boy...

Well some people did get Obamaphones..

26   zzyzzx   2014 Jul 2, 11:31pm  

Typical liberal tactic, they can't defend Obama's abysmal performance, so they attack Reagan.

27   monkframe   2014 Jul 3, 1:21am  

So has anybody actually seen what the questions in this poll were and how they were asked? The results can skew easily with the "right" emphasis.

I would rely far more on a poll such as this one:

http://hnn.us/article/48916

Historians pay a little more attention to the details, and their opinion about G.W.Bush was remarkably consistent.

How soon we forget.

28   edvard2   2014 Jul 3, 1:46am  

indigenous says

If you do not believe that the ACA and Frank Dodd are not going to sink this country you have not studied the history of these types of measures and the inevitable increase in cost. This has been true with Social Security and has been true with Medicare and it WILL be true with the the ACA.

Most people who today rail against the ACA are also the exact same people who cry like 2 year olds whenever any mention is given as to adjusting Medicare and Social Security. Those programs were also equally chastised by the GOP when they were introduced almost 50 years ago.

We've had this conversation before, but it always comes down to simple mathematics. The problem is that people would rather insist on unrealistic ideological solutions rather than economic ones. The problem today is that we have a frozen political system whereas any and all new spending is not met by anything remotely close to the economic support it deserves. Namely- taxation. The GOP's insistence on never-ever raising taxes and at the same time insisting on a lop-sided tax system which cuts taxes unfairly for the largest source of that taxable income is the main reason why many of this country's programs are grossly underfunded. Ironically its the GOP who then whines and complains about spending because they seem to be incapable of understanding that when you starve the government of funds then naturally that creates a deficit. I'm not even talking about the creation of new programs. I'm talking about existing systems that in some cases have been in place for generations.

Where am I going with this? Name me the biggest problem with programs like the ACA, Medicare and Social Security. Actually nevermind. The problem is that they cost money. So naturally I fail to see why there is this huge surprise in the GOP that somehow these programs are sometimes running in the red while at the same time they continually demand tax cuts and won't consider any other newer forms of taxable revenue.

What the GOP is basically doing is trying to run the country as if it can mysteriously function without basic economic principles: the cost of everything goes up over time. Naturally that means the cost of government programs also goes up.

The one and only thing that the GOP claims about taxes is that they "Hurt businesses and the middle class". But the reality of the situation is that its just as bad to NOT raise taxes because that in turn creates equally bad problems. The difference is that the GOP claims "X" "Will" happen when in fact negative side effects from their tax policies are happening as we speak. There has to be a compromise.

Lastly, you want to know what's ironic? Guess which countries in the world are ranked highest in overall happiness and contentedness? -Almost entirely those countries which have strong, affordable, and universal access to healthcare, education, and retirement security. Countries like Costa Rica ( ironically I've met my fair share of conservatives who plan to move there ) where as a citizen you have access to free healthcare, college education and decent retirement security. These things of course cost money and on a per-capita basis taxes there are more costly. The right would like you and I to believe that this scenario would make us all a bunch of communists. Its time to put that aside because just because your government makes your life easier doesn't mean its automatically a communist government. I visited Costa Rica last year. Sorry, but they are not in the slightest a communist country.

Perhaps a few conservatives could learn a thing or two by actually traveling to some of the countries where government programs aren't sneered at. Maybe, just maybe they would see right then and there that the bullshit they've been spoon-fed- which is this absurd belief any and all social programs are automatically bad.

29   Analyzer   2014 Jul 3, 2:04am  

The poll numbers do not look good anyway that you want to slice it or dress it.........................

30   zzyzzx   2014 Jul 3, 2:14am  

The Professor says

Don't try to fight with a duck. You'll run around in circles and end up with poop on your shoes.

31   FamilyForce6   2014 Jul 3, 2:16am  

I'm sad for the people of this country. So easily controlled and manipulated. The whole liberal vs conservative is such a crock. There's not a dime's worth of difference between the two parties when it comes to major national policy. Obama got elected because he promised to get us out of Iraq- but then he held on to Gates as secretary of defense.

Great article by Charles Hugh Smith talking about the last 2 presidents and the damage they've caused. http://www.oftwominds.com/blogjune14/destructive-policies6-14.html
ACA = Medicare Part D
Bush = Obama
Iraq = Afghanistan
Tarp I = Tarp II
Dem = Rep

don't be a sheep, turn off Fox and CNN and think for yourself

32   indigenous   2014 Jul 3, 2:50am  

FamilyForce6 says

The whole liberal vs conservative is such a crock.

I would consider it to be a more R vs D thing. Both ignore the real issues.

Great article, true how ignorant we are to foreign policy. But what he does not mention is the influence of defense contractors, which in my mind is the real catalyst to wars.

33   edvard2   2014 Jul 3, 2:54am  

FamilyForce6 says

I'm sad for the people of this country. So easily controlled and manipulated.

Let me take a wild guess: People in this country are very easily controlled and manipulated, but lo and behold what that really meant was that of course that couldn't possibly include you because you surely have no real opinion about the matter.

Let me say that I for one feel so very humbled about that. I will make sure next time whenever any sort of debate which happens to have one point of view versus another to not state anything really useful other than to claim both opinions are dumb and thus automatically position myself as "being above" it all. Ingenious!

34   indigenous   2014 Jul 3, 3:05am  

edvard2 says

Most people who today rail against the ACA are also the exact same people who cry like 2 year olds whenever any mention is given as to adjusting Medicare and Social Security.

True

edvard2 says

The problem today is that we have a frozen political system whereas any and all new spending is not met by anything remotely close to the economic support it deserves.

This is just economic illiteracy. It is not only math but the corruption and cronyism and politicians seeking votes, that causes the problems.

edvard2 says

The problem is that they cost money.

And at a ever increasing amount. 1/3 of the budget is paid for with borrowed money. Do you propose increasing the taxes by 1/3? If this were the case the ONLY economic activity would be government spending using counterfeit money. IOW we are already the largest centralized government in history, economics do not work this way.

Sweden is the usual model held up by you liberals. The country has only been doing well recently largely because they are mostly free market, not a socialist country that you claim it to be.

35   indigenous   2014 Jul 3, 3:08am  

edvard2 says

Ingenious!

No it is indigenous!

36   Analyzer   2014 Jul 3, 3:19am  

FamilyForce6 says

I'm sad for the people of this country. So easily controlled and manipulated. The whole liberal vs conservative is such a crock. There's not a dime's worth of difference between the two parties when it comes to major national policy. Obama got elected because he promised to get us out of Iraq- but then he held on to Gates as secretary of defense.


Great article by Charles Hugh Smith talking about the last 2 presidents and the damage they've caused. http://www.oftwominds.com/blogjune14/destructive-policies6-14.html
ACA = Medicare Part D
Bush = Obama
Iraq = Afghanistan
Tarp I = Tarp II
Dem = Rep


don't be a sheep, turn off Fox and CNN and think for yourself

Correct, all of the fighting that is going on how the Dems screwed us or it's the Reps fault is doing none of us a favor...........The media has compounded the issue greatly.

37   Paralithodes   2014 Jul 3, 3:38am  

edvard2 says

The GOP's insistence on never-ever raising taxes and at the same time insisting on a lop-sided tax system which cuts taxes unfairly for the largest source of that taxable income is the main reason why many of this country's programs are grossly underfunded.

And yet it is the GOP that would prefer to simplify the tax system, lower the marginal rates while eliminating many dedictions, that in the end, would impact the wealthy more than anyone else... Nope, can't have that... We must have high rates AND lots of special dedications for special interests (but talk about only the special deductions we can blame on Republicans) in order to maintain more control.

38   FamilyForce6   2014 Jul 3, 3:44am  

edvard2 says

FamilyForce6 says

I'm sad for the people of this country. So easily controlled and manipulated.

Let me take a wild guess: People in this country are very easily controlled and manipulated, but lo and behold what that really meant was that of course that couldn't possibly include you because you surely have no real opinion about the matter.

Let me say that I for one feel so very humbled about that. I will make sure next time whenever any sort of debate which happens to have one point of view versus another to not state anything really useful other than to claim both opinions are dumb and thus automatically position myself as "being above" it all. Ingenious!

I have no illusions that I'm "above it all". I recognize that socialization and public school education have programmed my behavior and thinking. I am no better than anyone else, and no one else is better than me. I was being honest when I said it makes me sad and my heart hurts for the people in this country who are injured and affected by crony capitalism and fascism.

I'm also not above intellectually honest discussions. My point is that when discussions don't rise above the level of "Obama is ruining the US with the ACA" or "Bush enriched his wall street and defense contractor buddies with war and bailouts" is that people are often being intellectually dishonest. You don't like the ACA? How much did you howl and scream at Bush and the Republican controlled congress at the passage of the biggest corporate wellfare scheme in the history of county? (Medicare part D) Or if you bash Bush for catering to Wall Street and enriching the top 1% (actually the top .1% has done REALLY well over the last 10 years), why not rip Obama for re-confirming Bernanke as Fed chairman and pushing through Tarp II? But people can't see past their Red or Blue colored glasses that we've all been had by the crooks in Washington and the corporations they're beholden to.

39   tatupu70   2014 Jul 3, 3:45am  

Paralithodes says

And yet it is the GOP that would prefer to simplify the tax system, lower the marginal rates while eliminating many dedictions, that in the end, would impact the wealthy more than anyone else

lol--that is highly debatable...

40   Paralithodes   2014 Jul 3, 3:47am  

tatupu70 says

lol--that is highly debatable...

LOL.. Another tatupo tautology... It's all "debatable" but thanks for the valuable observation.

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