… Needless to say, we can’t predict what will happen with Obama’s approval from here. Is the worst over for him? Will he dramatically fall off or bounce back up? Who knows? That said, it’s tempting to suggest that Obama might have an approval “floor” — basically, because of his […] Read more »
All Presidents have their Waterloo: Reflections on Obama’s Declining Approval Ratings
The Obama administration is definitely in a funk. Polls of all stripes have shown a strong decline in his approval ratings. … Many analysts argue that Obama’s decline results exclusively from the disastrous kick-off of the most visible aspect of his flagship Affordable Care Act: the state insurance exchanges (Gallup, […] Read more »
Six-Year Itch Plagues Presidents in Midterms
It is as certain as the sun coming up in the morning. Whenever I (or any other political analyst) begin to describe potential dynamics in an upcoming election cycle by citing historical patterns and tendencies, “the look” appears. With some it is eye-rolling. Others shake their heads or suddenly just […] Read more »
Will Obama Drag Down Hillary Clinton in 2016?
There’s no question that Hillary Clinton would make a formidable presidential candidate. She routinely polls as America’s most admired figure, and voters gave her high marks during her tenure as the country’s top diplomat. But Hillary Clinton has a potential problem. His name is Barack Obama. While she had to […] Read more »
The Agony of Frank Luntz
… It was what Luntz heard from the American people that scared him. They were contentious and argumentative. They didn’t listen to each other as they once had. They weren’t interested in hearing other points of view. They were divided one against the other, black vs. white, men vs. women, […] Read more »
A reminder on Iraq: Nearly six in 10 said war wasn’t worth it
Last week, al Qaeda fighters took over Fallujah, which in 2004 was the bloodiest battle for the U.S. military. That development allowed critics to charge that those American deaths are now in vain after the U.S. withdrawal from Iraq. … But here’s a reality check: The American public already gave […] Read more »