For first 100 days, Obama gets 56 percent approval rating

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Respondents to this week’s RBJ Daily Report Snap Poll were split on their approval of President Barack Obama’s efforts so far. By a margin of 56 percent to 44 percent, respondents approve of the job performance of Obama, who marks his 100th day in office next week.
The rating is slightly lower than the president’s national approval ratings. Gallup polls show Obama has averaged a 63 percent job approval during the first part of his presidency, reaching as high as 69 percent and dipping as low as 59 percent.
Obama’s primary focus has been dealing with the economic and financial crisis—including enactment of the nearly $800 billion stimulus plan. Roughly 53 percent of readers approve of Obama’s handling of the crisis.
In January, before Obama took office, RBJ Snap Poll respondents were optimistic about the prospects for his presidency. One-third of respondents at the time expected Obama to do an excellent job as president, and 28 percent predicted he would do a good job. Some 57 percent said they were very or somewhat confident in the ability of Obama and his team to fix the economy.
And last October, Obama and Republican Sen. John McCain finished neck and neck in the final Snap Poll on the presidential race. Just 13 votes separated the two candidates, with Obama holding the edge.
Some 1,089 readers participated in this week’s poll, which was conducted April 20 and 21.

In general, do you approve or disapprove of Barack Obama’s job performance as president?
Strongly approve: 36%
Approve: 20%
Disapprove: 16%
Strongly disapprove: 28%

Do you approve or disapprove of President Obama’s handling of the nation’s economic and financial crisis?
Strongly approve: 25%
Approve: 29%
Disapprove: 17%
Strongly disapprove: 29%

What is your political affiliation?
Non-affiliated: 35%
Republican: 33%
Democrat: 26%
Other: 5%

Here are some readers’ comments:

It’s good to finally see a president who puts some thought into his actions, gathers information from multiple sources and clearly articulates the reasons for his positions and his plans for the future.
—Judy Palmieri, Rochester

Why is it that deficit spending and the national debt mean nothing with this administration? Obama’s whole campaign concentrated on the economy and Bush’s overspending. The hypocrisy is unbelievable. Transparent government and change. How can a tax cheat be the Treasury Cabinet member? This administration is a disaster. Wait until inflation catches up with the overspending and increased taxes drain more money from the middle class. In 2010, when the tax cuts expire, this country will see an economy much more depressed than the present one.
—Robert M. Delles

For the first 100 days Obama brought us, as a nation, so deep in debt, kissing up to our enemies, turned upside down in what this country stands for in terms of value and pride. He is dismantling this country piece by piece. May God have mercy on us.
—Patrick Ho

The president announced today that the government was going to begin to purchase supplies for the agencies “in bulk.” It took 233 years to figure this out? It must be a pretty low bar of comparison.
—Jay Birnbaum

President Obama is faced with some of the most serious challenges our country has faced in generations. In most cases, he has been left with the choice of the least painful of only painful options, with no guarantees of success. I’m glad to see there are a lot of Americans who recognize that it will take time and sacrifice to get back on track. Those who are looking for quick, easy or perfect fixes just don’t have a grasp of the realities. The president will never be able to please everyone, but we know he and his administration are spending every waking moment trying to help our country succeed. We should all pray for them to be successful in that effort.
—Monica Leubner, Perinton

Obama has done a fine job with foreign relations, and his management of the financial crisis is off to a good start. However, he needs to step up all of those activities, along with fighting harder for science and rationality here at home, for me to strongly approve.
—Matthew D. Wilson

This president must always be in the limelight—from the financial crisis, Cuba, front and center in Europe to walking the new dog. All we see is Obama. Perhaps if he focused on one or two key issues and let his staff take the lead on others (and let his children run with the dog), he would accomplish more (for example, gaining European support of our efforts to solve the global financial crisis).
—Barbara Devaney, Wilton, Conn.

The president’s tactics and actions are by far the largest grab for power by the federal government since World War II.
—Sam Messer, Applied Measurement & Controls

Most of candidate Obama’s campaign promises have been broken by President Obama. He’s a loose cannon.
—Tom Shea, Thomas P. Shea Agency Inc.

I’m sure the critics will suggest that President Obama has failed miserably, but for my money, considering the mountains of problems he inherited to deal with and that it has been merely 100 days since he took office, I give him an A+ performance all around. I’m proud to have him as the leader of my country!
—David Lamb

The main job of presidents is to be a cheerleader for the nation and its people who give clear directions. President Obama has fulfilled this difficult job extremely well. His approach to the rest of the world is that needed for a world power. World powers are not afraid to reach out to anyone. He grasped the importance for the country took bold steps to rescue the economy and to bring the wars to an end. His appearances to define the aims are intelligent and based on sound advice. The direction is clear; however, there may be heated discussions about how much or how little, and about different approaches. Fortunately, he is listening to and appreciating to alternate ideas without rolling over for his opponents. A leader has to be able to make decisions to get the ball rolling, while non-leaders are wishy-washy. The future will show if and when changes in the initial plans are needed. Presently, his opponents are busy complaining and nay-saying. Mostly, their “plans” are to go back to the policies which brought us into this mess, and to dismantle the safety nets and safety laws for the economy. I am wishing him and our country well. Both deserve our support.
—Ingo H. Leubner, Crystallization Consulting

I believe President Obama has done an excellent job in his first 100 days. He is faced with an unprecedented economic situation that was mishandled under Bush, and he is doing very well. He is taking stands that need to be taken and forcing resolution of tough questions. He has attempted more in his first 100 days than Bush did in the last four years. He is overwhelmingly approved by Americans and has begun the fence-mending needed with the world. He is more respected by our friends and foes than Bush was, and brings a sense of ethics, conscientiousness and the willingness to do what is right. He has used force internationally when necessary and as a last resort. He is obtaining international respect and has chosen an excellent team.
—Bob Stein

Where are the tax cuts for the lower 95 percent of the American people? Can we spend our way out of debt? Can we tax our way to prosperity? Does the government distribute opportunity and wealth better than the market? I used to worry about what all this pork-spending would do to my children. Now I worry about what all this spending will do to my grandchildren. “Once upon a time, before the Great Disastrous Spending Package…”
—Clifford Jacobson, WebHomeUSA Inc.

I love President Obama as a person and the good his election has done for showing how far racial equality has come in America. However, his political agenda along with the current Congress will set back America for many years. This reminds me of Jimmy Carter’s disastrous administration. I voted for Jimmy Carter twice, which was a big mistake. President Obama’s current and future spending programs will put the country in jeopardy. To avoid going insolvent current and future generations will be subject to substantial taxation to pay for this spending. The president compares his program to FDR in the 1930s. FDR’s economic program was not a success. If it wasn’t for World II, our economy would have remained in a recession. Even many of the leaders in the European Union and even China have been critical of America’s spending plan. The solution to the recession should have been to put more in the hands of taxpayers. Tremendous tax cuts both in payroll, income and capital gains taxes would have put the money in the taxpayers’ hands much quicker. They would have spent it, saved it or invested it. Our economy would have been moving quickly upward. At the same time enforcement of laws to prohibit fraud in the financial markets should have been government’s largest contribution. On Election Day the Dow Jones had rallied to almost 9600. Since his election, the financial markets are down in part as a reaction to his policies. His policies will increase government jobs but decrease the vitality of the private sector.
—John Rynne, president, Rynne, Murphy & Associates Inc.

In all my years, I have never seen a president that came and took charge like Mr. Obama. He is doing in a few months what his predecessor could not even think of doing in all his years as president. My hat is off, and raise a glass of your finest to toast President Obama. Good job, man. Keep up the good work!
—David DeMallie

Another empty suit. He talks and talks and talks a good game, but after a while you see through it. Pelosi, Reed, Sorros hold the puppet strings, and he dances accordingly. His actions overseas show his lack of foreign policy experience, and his handlers should at least give him some guidance if they know themselves. So all that said, how do you like your change now?
—Jim Duke, Victor

President Obama is running the country well. Let’s continue to give him our support as he works to reform the health care system in the coming months!
—Brian Kane, Interfaith Action

President Obama has taken on an enormous inherited challenge and is moving in the right direction. Change will take time, and he is demonstrating calm leadership and clear vision as his administration works to repair our domestic problems and restore our standing around the world. He is off to an excellent start, and I wish him much success.
—Sandra L. Frankel, supervisor, Town of Brighton

Between the fiscal irresponsibility with the bailout and the open arms approach to nations such as Iran, Venezuela and Cuba, the U.S. has become a lot less secure financially and a lot less secure to terrorist attack.
—Chris Lemke

A wonderful model of leadership, courage and confidence for us all to emulate, regardless of political affiliation.
—Clay Osborne

What has been done? Nothing here in this country; his trips in other countries have helped them. All indicators are going in the wrong direction. His promise to stop the war never happened. Many of his statements were campaign lies. The list is growing of the items talked about but nothing done. Obama’s speeches are all he has; no results as of this date.
—Anthony Casserino, Presto

Obama and his administration are leading us on the path to socialism, which includes an erosion of individual rights and transfer of those rights to the government. History has shown this as a path fraught with abuse of power that results in persecution. Look to the Soviet Union, Germany in the late 1930s, or the Middle Ages for examples of this. “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
—George Santayana

It would appear that the president is trying to correct everything that in his opinion is “broken” all at the same time. In other words, his focus is diluted across too many different areas. Not a good way to solve problems. I’m also not appreciative of his intrusions into how we protect this country. Relative to the economy, I believe we need to let it unwind itself (assist from a distance) but by dictating how business is run, how it spends its resources, and which industries are allowed to survive, he is in fact re-inflating an economic bubble that put us where we are today. His policies aren’t solving our problem but, in fact, extending them.
—R Stenglein, Pitney Bowes

I find it incredible that so many people want to blame the current administration for the mess our country is in now. It took at least eight years and many bad decisions to get us to this point. Instead of whipping blame back and forth, why don’t we try to support Obama since he is now our president and work together to find solutions. The financial disaster can easily be attributed to greed, not to any one person. People are wasting too much energy on negativity instead of focusing on positive movements.
—Carmen P. Clar, SPX

President Obama recognizes that “We the People” must support and then act to change in a sustainable manner core elements of society to include health care, financial infrastructure, foreign relations and the social-cultural barriers that hold down too many people. These elements also limit our overall society from being the more perfect nation established over 200 years ago. —Mike Bleeg, Strategic Results

The president has used government intervention as a tool in almost every issue he has faced since becoming president. More government is not the answer to our nation’s problems. On the international scene, he appears to be continuing his election campaign with little positive results.
—Robert Zinnecker, Penfield

Yes, more could be done. Spending could be less but neither Democrats nor Republicans have the guts to rein in spending. I give President Obama the credit for keeping us (so far) from total financial disaster, although he could also be a LOT tougher on the banks and financial wizards who perpetrated this mess in the first place. He got virtually shot in the back on the financial mess and is dealing as best he can, I believe. I still think Congress should be held more accountable than they are. The extra-large egos that hold committee chairmanships that should have been guarding the people’s interest let us down BIG TIME. And, they’re STILL carping about fault and how horrible the extra debt is for us. Fine! But what’s your plan? As for international relations, he has gotten a green card from most foreign leaders but that won’t last forever. He is smart enough to know that he can’t be “W” anymore. That disastrous time has passed, thank goodness. Diplomacy and integrity has to be the playbook now. We don’t have the military resources anymore nor do we have the money to keep the status quo.
—Rick Bradley

He is not leading the country I was raised in. Most of our friends are scared where he is taking us.
—Don Cameron

Regrettably, BHO still thinks he is campaigning. It’s time to be president and lead. I doubt anyone in their right mind would act in this fashion. Every elected official must be responsive to all the taxpayers and not the 50 percent who pay nothing. This rookie is driving the USA into an irreversible spiral of overwhelming debt. We must make sure the next election shifts the balance and sends the correct signal. The tea parties sent a message as did several state governors who refused the stimulus and the strings attached.
—Dennis Kiriazides, retired

Socialism is not a good thing! I am paying more for COBRA (Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act) than I contributed for a former employee!
—Daniel Mossien

Government spending is too high.
—Edward O’Connell, retired

I would feel better if he would stop his “Trash America Tours.”
—Norbert J. Rappl, Berginn Associates

I feel that President Obama’s actions have been well thought out and directionally correct. It’s obvious he’s a quick learner and believes in what he’s doing. If we as a nation stop doing our normal self destructiveness and understand that we all sink or swim together, then I think we will truly see great things together. It’s amazing how no matter what the positives, there’s this consistent group of individuals who put self and self interest above country. They should be ashamed of themselves.
—G. Blake, GATA B1 Enterprises

Considering the hand dealt him, President Obama has consistently shown that he can resist the siren call to be the “reactionary” president and plan for a vital and successful future long term. Compared to our last president (who got us into this mess) this one has done a spectacular job of creating a recipe for long-term success. I love the way the Republicans try to lay the blame for the mishandling of early TARP fund releases on his doorstep.
—Lee Drake

The Obama strategy of “solving” an economic crisis by spending money that doesn’t exist on short-term projects that reward his political supporters will have a positive effect near term and a disastrous effect long term as our children and grandchildren are saddled with a massive debt that they can never repay. His policies have guaranteed massive inflation, huge tax increases and/or substantial spending decreases (especially on the military) in future years. His Jimmy Carter-style naive foreign policy will result in foreign policy disasters in the near to midterm.
—George Dounce

Unless this economic insanity is stopped, the United States will be somewhere between a European socialist country and a South American Third World dictatorship. The national debt is unsustainable without a 35 percent increase in all personal and corporate taxes or a massive de-basing of the U.S. dollar.
—Jim Weisbeck

I greatly admire President Obama’s performance thus far into his term. He has been faced not only with the worst set of circumstances in which to take office, since Roosevelt, but with the modern “press” able to scrutinize and analyze each and every breath he takes. He is seeing success, I venture, with the economy (evidence: fewer jobs lost, housing up, banks profitable, Dow up). With the world diplomacy (successful trips to Europe and Latin America, restoring the U.S. image in the World), and with the War in Iraq (a plan to get out!). I believe, if the Republicans would adopt a more “glass-is-half-full” attitude, and not object to everything just because of politics, he would go farther faster! I wouldn’t take that job for any amount of money. —Hutch Hutchison, In T’Hutch Ltd.

Considering the challenges he inherited, he and his staff are moving the country ahead. I did not vote for him, but he is now my president.
—Jack Bent, Charter Real Estate Brokerage

The man is doing a really good job getting things under control, especially considering he did not make the mess, but instead has committed himself to cleaning it up. I know he has to play the Washington game, but I hope he can overcome that in the cases he needs to, such as providing enough oversight of those who are out of control, and punishing those who have cost ordinary Americans so dearly.
—Jason Stone

Considering the troubled circumstances that we live under, especially that the new president inherited this problem, I feel that he is doing all he can do to get all Americans out of this mess!
—Tony Liccione

I am so proud of our president. We are once again the country we were meant to be! We are the beacon of hope and the shining city on a hill. Yes! Brains are back in style, as is diplomacy and common sense. God bless Barack Obama and the United States of America.
—Margaret Potter, wife of a veteran, Penfield
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