Obama, Success or Failure

1/12/2010, by Proloy Bhatta

HIGHLIGHTS

• Obama's handling of economy has dropped 6%
• Obama's handling of health care has dropped 6%
• Obama's approval rating is clearly below 50%

CNN and CBS have recently released polls.

According to CNN, voters have mixed feelings as to whether or not Obama's presidency has been a success or a failure. 48% say it has been a failure thus far, 47% say success.

Obama's approval rating is clearly below 50% to start 2010.

Obama will only be viewed as a success if he tackles the issues Americans care about most.

Here is a table on what Americans say is the most important issue.

Terrorism, likely due to the Xmas bomber, has jumped 7% as a top national priority but the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have dropped 9%. Economy, as a top national priority has dropped since its peak in late 2008.

Since Obama begun his presidency, Americans' views on what the top priority is has dispersed over a wider array of issues -- that puts too much on his plate. But the criticism against Obama that holds the most weight is that he should never have taken away his concentration on the economy while Americans were losing their jobs.

Obama does not fair well on the issues.

CNN: http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/01/12/rel1b.pdf
CBS: http://www.cbsnews.com/htdocs/pdf/poll_obama_011110.pdf