Authored by Jon Mercer in Politics
Published on 01-20-2009
According to a recent New York Times/CBS News poll, President-elect Barack Obama has the confidence of the American public as he enters the White House. The poll, which was conducted on January 17, found that 79% of Americans are optimistic about Mr. Obama’s ability to handle the nation’s problems both at home and abroad.
In Mr. Obama’s victory speech in Chicago last November he urged Americans to prepare themselves for a long, slow economic recovery that could take years. Even with these painfully honest views on America’s bleak economic future, Americans are still enthusiastic and have high hopes for change according to the poll.
Most Americans are not expectant of any real progress in the economic situation, the war in Iraq, or with health-care issues any time soon. These were three of the promises Mr. Obama made during his campaign. As America gets ready to inaugurate its 44th president, there is a very different view of the President-elect than his predecessor. The poll indicated that President Bush has just a 22% approval rating on how he ran the country during the last eight-years. More than 80% said that the county is in worse shape now than when Mr. Bush took office.
Mr. Obama, by contrast, received a level of optimism that is higher than any of the past five presidents to take office. 79% of the American public who participated in the poll indicated that they are optimistic about the next four years with the Obama administration. Also 58% of those who voted for Senator John McCain of Arizona in the general election say that they too are optimistic about the next four years under the Obama administration.
The majority of Americans say that they think Obama will be a good president. With a current 60% approval rating, President-elect Obama has the highest rating now since the New York Times/CBS news poll began asking about him two years ago. Over 70% of those who participated in the poll said they also approved of Obama’s cabinet selections; and the poll found that 75% of respondents think that our economy will be better in four years under the Obama administration than it is today.
Overall, the survey results indicated that 75% of Americans think Mr. Obama will succeed in creating more jobs, and 59% say that he will cut taxes for the middle class. 61% believe that President-elect Obama will turn things around and our country will be better off in the next five years. Let’s hope they are right…
