Dueling Headlines

CBS News reports on their latest CBS/NYT polling:

Obama's approval rating drops to all-time low; Public split on jobs plan

Simultneously the NY Times (aka Obama 2012) presents the same poll results with this semi-smiley face:

Obama's Support Is Slipping Poll Finds But His Jobs Plan Is Well Received

That was revised in subsequent iterations and appeared on my dead tree edition as:

In Poll, Support For Obama Slips Among Base

So in TimesWorld Obama's support is slipping; the fact that ity has set a new low does not merit a headline.  And the public support the jobs bill!  Well, sort of - here is their puffery:

The president’s effort to seize the initiative on the economy was well received by the public, and clear majorities support crucial pieces of his new job-creation program....

[Big Skip and...]

The poll found that most Americans are familiar with the American Jobs Act, the president’s $447 billion proposal to create jobs. Almost half of the public is confident the plan would create jobs and improve the economy. A substantial majority of Americans support the main proposals aimed at creating jobs, including tax cuts for small businesses, improvements in the nation’s infrastructure and payroll tax cuts for working Americans.

And what did CBS see differently?

As for Mr. Obama's latest proposal to lower unemployment, the American Jobs Act he presented to Congress last week, the public is split. While 64 percent say they have heard about the bill, Americans are divided as to whether the plan will actually create jobs. Nearly half of Americans are at least somewhat confident that Mr. Obama's proposals will create jobs and stimulate the economy --12 percent are very confident and 36 percent are somewhat confident. But about the same amount -- 47% -- are not confident his plan will do that.

Let's go to the poll!  At Question 61, p.19, the topic is Obama's jobs speech.  As noted by CBS, 12% are "very confident" that Obama's "proposals will create jobs and improve the economy"; 36% are "somewhat" confident; 23% are "not very" confident; and 24% are "not confident at all". 

I would say the public is split.  [A Bloomberg poll had the public skeptical of the jobs bill by 51 to 40.]

Both news outlets provide some lighter moments.  Here is CBS reporting on public sympathy for the grave burden Obama bears:

But half the public sees economic conditions as generally out of a president's hands - 53 percent now say the condition of the national economy is beyond any president's control and 41 percent of Americans have faith that the economy is something a president can do anything about. As a comparison, when this question was asked back in October 1992, 59 percent said the economy was something a president could do something about (35 percent said no).

In other words, just before Bush 41 was dumped 59% of the public agreed with Democratic Presidential nominee Bill Clinton that Bush ought to have been doing more to boost the economy.  By way of comparison, in early August 2008, 67% of respondents thought the President could "do a lot", while only 26% thought the economy was beyond Bush's control (Question 21, p. 10).  I'm only guessing that the press is more inclined to clamor for the President to "do something" when the President is a Republican.  Fueling my parnoia are columns like this from Nick Kristof, ruminating about whether the media missed the big story on unemployment.

And what about He Who Must Not Be Named?  CBS and the Times offer perspective on Obama's approval rating.  From CBS:

With just over a year before Mr. Obama faces voters again for re-election, it should be noted that Mr. Obama's overall approval rating is similar to that of Bill Clinton's (43 percent) and Ronald Reagan's (46 percent) about a year before their presidential elections when they won re-election. Conversely, George H.W. Bush had a 70 percent approval rating about a year before the presidential election but then lost his bid for re-election.

And the Times:

The poll found a 43 percent approval rating for Mr. Obama. It is significantly higher than Jimmy Carter, who had an approval rating of 31 percent at a similar time in his presidency, according to the Times and CBS News poll, which showed Ronald Reagan with an approval of 46 percent and the elder George Bush at 70 percent.

So Obama is better doing than Carter and about the same as Clinton or Reagan.  Not so bad!  And we all know Bush 41 went on to defeat.  Odd that both outlets overlooked the man Obama blames for all his difficulties.  Since you ask, here is a Times story from Sept 23 2003 reporting on a CNN-USA Today-Gallup poll:

The poll also found that Mr. Bush's overall approval rating was the lowest since he became president, falling to 50 percent. In August, the poll found that 59 percent of American's approved of his job performance, and in April the figure was 71 percent.

 

Comments

[Ann]

Ignatz,

Thanks for the Erdogan link. Carp, that is the scariest thing I have read. It makes the decision to get out of Iraq seem ludicrous. Obama not only sucks but he is going to get those 3000 soldiers left behind killed not to mention Israel. Good Grief.

Glenn Beck keeps warning us but no one is listening.

We are going to cut the defense budget knowing all this too!

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Pops, that's only true for hispanic children under six months. Among school-age kids, white kids have the highest incidence.

Now, you might just want to remember that there are a whole helluva lot of Hispanics in California that aren't illegals and in fact are immigrants before you try to deduce a whole lot; if I were going to suppose, I might suppose it's that hispanic families have lots of adults who aren't up to date, and so lose herd immunity.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I think it kind of says alot that we have to have separate, apparently very quiet Vaccine Courts that essentially buy the silence of everyone hurt or killed by a vaccine.

I think it kind of says you haven't got the barest clue of what the Office of Special Masters is about; but I would bet that we can google and find you bitching about trial lawyers in another thread.

[Janet]

illegals have to prove they've been vaccinated too.

Hahahahaha...to who?

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Damn Wort is good.

it's even better after it's had some fermenting time.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

in fact are immigrants before you try to deduce a whole lot;

Dammit.

That should read "and in fact aren't immigrants".

[Danube of Thought]

I litigated a couple of False Claims actions back in the day, and my recollection is that the plaintiff's right to recovery of damages is limited to what he can get from the offending company. When the company is belly up the action is pretty useless.

If there were anything there, you can bet the sharks would be circling, chief among the husband of Linda Douglass. There's quite a talented and sophisticated bar out there in this area of practice.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Hahahahaha...to who?

Who do you think, Janet? When your kids started school, who did they talk to? Who got the forms?

And after you think about that, try another couple topics. You pick.

Practice is good.

[Ann]

For you football guys.... you would not believe the screaming in my house tonight. It sounds like someone got stuck with a fork over and over. YIKE

Honestly, how can you expect Ohio State to win anything this year. (Don't tell my husband I said anything, okay)

[Charlie (Colorado)]

YIKE

Only one?

[narciso]

You know I'm glancing by the otherwise execrable "Quantum of Solace" that came this close to burying the Bond franchise, and it occurs to me, it predicted the likes of Solyndra, the villain is a green corporate philanthropist, that turns out to be a huge
scam,

[Captain Hate]

Honestly, how can you expect Ohio State to win anything this year.

I don't except the Big Tewelve is pretty crummy this season; except for Nebraska.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

Pops, you might read this article. To quote:

More than 5000 such families have filed claims with the federal Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP) (see graph
Claims Filed with the Vaccine Injury Compensation Program, 1989–2007.).1 This legislation was adopted by Congress in 1988 in response to a somewhat similar scare over the pertussis portion of the diphtheria–pertussis–tetanus (DPT) vaccine. Alerted to a possible link by British researchers, many observers feared that the vaccine was causing some children grave neurologic harm — claims that were later generally discredited. Yet the alarm was so great that droves of British families refused the pertussis vaccine, substantial numbers of children became ill with whooping cough, and some 70 children died. In the United States, several parents sued the manufacturers of DPT vaccines. Even though most public health officials believed that the claims of side effects were unfounded, some families won substantial awards from sympathetic juries who were convinced otherwise. As a result, most companies making the DPT vaccine ceased production, and the remaining major manufacturer threatened to do so. Health officials feared the loss of herd immunity, and Congress responded by creating the VICP.

Emphasis mine.

[Charlie (Colorado)]

I'm glancing by the otherwise execrable "Quantum of Solace"

They should have stuck to remaking the Fleming stories; Casino Royale was possibly the best Bond film of them all. (All the Connery ones are candidates too... I guess I think From Russia With Love.)

[Captain Hate]

Sorry for the Middies losing a thriller, DoT. One problem they had was a bad offense to have to score quickly at the end.

[Jack is Back!]

CH,

The fact Navy made it such a game should make Spurrier and his staff sleep a little heavy tonight. They are in the SEC after all.

[Danube of Thought]

"When your kids started school, who did they talk to? Who got the forms?"

So much for kids who go to school. Does that exhaust the at-risk population?

[Captain Hate]

Finally an article worth reading in the Atlantic: http://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2011/10/the-shame-of-college-sports/8643/

[Stephanie]

JiB. Did you see who is leading by 5? Go Lexi!

[Captain Hate]

JiB, Navy has thrown a scare into a lot of programs in recent years, including Ohio State.

[Ann]

Charlie,

Where ya been? YIKE is the new carp. Try and keep up okay! :)

[Captain Hate]

Manuel might be done for the evening

[pagar]

"We are going to cut the defense budget knowing all this too! "

We are going to cut the Defense Budget knowing that England and the others (who might once have stood with us) have already cut theirs to the point there is nothing left.

We are going to cut the Defense Budget knowing that:

"The question becomes more acute if the attack comes from a Muslim source. And that is because Mr. Obama demonstrates an unbreakable political and ethnic simpatico (though not necessarily religious) with Muslim causes and Muslim people to a degree not seen in any Western leader today or before. What president designates an entire government agency, NASA, to forgo its intrinsic purpose and changes it to Muslim Outreach."

http://www.americanthinker.com/2011/09/would_obama_retaliate_against_a_nuclear_attack.html

[Threadkiller]

I could see where Janet would think you were talking about illegal aliens in general and not specifically illegal alien children attending public school.

[Clarice]

Chaco's description of the vaccination litigation and the legislation which followed matches my memory.

I also recall that once Hillary started mucking about with vaccination delivery we had our first real shortages.

[Captain Hate]

The Noles backup QB looks like he's 15 but is playing pretty gutsy. Thank God I'm not listening to whatever name or description Brent has shackled him with.

[Captain Hate]

This is such a typical Bob Stoops game: Come out like a house afire but fail to put a team away despite crunching a lot of their skill players. He may still win this but he's getting the very least out of a *lot* of talent.

[Ignatz]

I personally raised the False Claims Act previously just because I like writing qui tam.
Not sure it even applies to a request for a loan guarantee as opposed to "a false claim for payment or approval".
One of our crack legal team should know.

[Danube of Thought]

I just can't see any justification for the gratuitous obnoxiousness toward Janet. Seems a bit sick, frankly.

[Rick Ballard]

Can BOzo, ValJar and Moochelle come up with a stupid pet trick every week until he's defeated next year? ISTM that Jim Ryan is being offered a constant stream of material for his Oval Office vignettes.

Axelrod and Plouffe must feel that it would be unkind to let BOzo in on the secret that the Yellow Dog Dems who gave Truman the win in '48 are pretty dead and have been for some time. I suppose they'll just keep patting his point and spouting "Great idea Barry!" as long as their checks clear.

[Ignatz]

--I just can't see any justification for the gratuitous obnoxiousness toward Janet.--

Is Chaco's obnoxiousness ever justified and ever not gratuitous.
Nothing comes readily to mind.

[cathyf]

Vaccines have certain well-known risks, mostly allergic reactions. The risk/reward is well worth it -- dozens of children who die or are seriously injured vs. millions who die or are crippled by the disease. But it is society as a whole that gets the benefit, while just a few pay the price. So it should be the duty of society as a whole to try to make some sort of reparations to those few victims.

(I have a friend whose son had a massive allergic reaction to his first DPT, and went into anaphylactic shock. The loss of oxygen to his brain caused severe retardation and he has frequent seizures. His care costs money, and will for many more decades. That money is clearly the responsibility of society as a whole.)

[Danube of Thought]

I also savor the term "qui tam." i think it is an ancient common-law action long predating the US, codified in the False Claims Act (which I think dates back to the Civil War). I would check out these facts were I not (a) watching football, (b) using my iPad, and (c) drinking at an alarming pace.

[Captain Hate]

Exactly and very well put, cathyf; I used to have a coworker that went through what your friend's son did and that is absolutely the responsibility of society at large to assume the financial responsibility for the benefit that they receive as a whole. Unfortunately the adversarial court system that we have ends up demonizing the drug companies for not doing the impossible ie. designing a vaccine that is 100% safe for all genetic variances.

[narciso]

We are clearly in what Heinlein dubbed the 'crazy years,' what's next wide spread use of leaches, Steve Martin's old 'barber' sketch
was supposed to be satire, not a how to guide.

[narciso]

The Robert Kennedy Jr, tirade against vaccination, he's also big into 'green jobs', as well as electronic voting critic,

[Annoying Old Guy]

Of course, the challenge the Progs have is convincing the press to get on board with a 'blame the guy we told you was 'the One'' narative.

If they were aware of the past, they wouldn't be Proglodytes. Old Media will simply self report that they reported their doubts about The One from the beginning and Obama's (former) base will believe it. For examples, see the reporting on WMD in Iraq after 20 Jan 2000 and Useful Idiots by Mona Charen.

[narciso]

Well consider that Biden was for the nuclear freeze, and Obama according to his piece in the SunDial, didn't think it went far enough, this would funny, if it wasn't so disconcerting.

[Mark Folkestad]

The summation of vaccine benefits and risks and shared responsibility by cathyf is superb. Well done, my friend!

[Stephanie 'Kindred Spirit Sister']

There has been an ongoing discussion of vaccines, Perry, Bachmann and the issues involved over at Protein Wisdom. Some good info and some lively back and forth. Latest skirmish was LUN I think it is up to about 250 comments or so.

[Agent J]

Captain Hate | September 17, 2011 at 07:54 PM;
in reference to the GT/Kansas football game..Two years ago the U of Kansas cleaned house starting with the coach and assistance. Most of the team left either through graduation (do players still do that) or left cause their coach got the axe.

Enter a new coach that was not up to speed on recruiting, etc. Most of their players are 1st and 2nd year men. They will get better as the year goes on but now it is a learning process. They are not a football power house to start with.. basketball at Kansas is a whole different subject..

And while I am way over my head talking about sports, an advertisement from Holiday Inn (I think) mentioned an unassisted triple play? I am assuming that is in baseball. Since I never stayed at HI Express I don't know. Is there such a thing and if so tell me how.

On vaccines, we have 21 grand children, all were physical and mentally adjudged normal, all received their vaccines as prescribed by the Medical Authority's..Within a week after receiving the baby vaccines, one of the twin girls began having serious medical problems, she now is in Public School, grade 6, has special teachers assistance, does not receive any special benefits on grades, i.e. her test are just like her sisters..The state of Missouri is following her through school, while the University of Missouri pays for all of her "caused" medical treatment..yet they will not say that the vaccines, in anyway caused her problem..

[Captain Hate]

Agent J, there have been unassisted triple plays in baseball; they usually take place on a hit and run play where baserunners take off with the pitch, the batter hits a line drive which an infielder catches, tags out one runner and steps on a base for three outs. It's extremely rare but it happens.