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Poll: Obama In A Close Race With...George W. Bush!
Pres. Obama and Fmr. Pres. George W. Bush
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In a major sign of just how polarized American politics has again become, a new national survey from Public Policy Polling (D) asked Americans whether they would rather have President Obama in office, or former President George W. Bush -- and it's a close race.
The numbers: Obama 50%, Bush 44%, with a ±2.8% margin of error. Self-identified Democrats pick Obama by 83%-14%, Republicans pick Bush by 83%-10%, and independents go for Obama by 54%-39%. Obama's approval rating in this poll is 49%, in a statistical dead heat with 47% disapproval.
Respondents were also asked whether they would support impeaching Obama for his actions in office so far. The numbers was 20% yes, 67% no, and 13% not sure. Among Republicans, the breakdown was 35%-48%-17%. PPP communications director Tom Jensen writes: "I'm not clear exactly what 'high crimes and misdemeanors' they are using to justify that position but there may be a certain segment of voters on both the right and the left these days that simply think the President doing things they don't agree with is grounds for removal from office."
On the Obama/Bush match-up, Jensen writes: "The closeness in the Obama/Bush numbers also has implications for the 2010 elections. Using the Bush card may not be particularly effective for Democrats anymore, which is good news generally for Republicans and especially ones like Rob Portman who are running for office and have close ties to the former President."
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Dorn76
December 9, 2009 10:46 AM
Ok, so Democrats would prefer Obama, and Republicans would rather have Bush.
There's news here?
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ilovebacon
December 9, 2009 11:00 AM in reply to Dorn76
Right. Why is this news?!?!?!
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holyhandgrenaid
December 9, 2009 10:53 AM
PPP has been so absurdly erratic this year. meh
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Xantar
December 9, 2009 10:57 AM in reply to holyhandgrenaid
This is a publicity stunt by PPP. And most of the numbers aren't that surprising: they reveal the same 22-26% of people who will agree with anything bad about Obama, even if it's internally contradictory. The bit about Obama being in a close race wit Bush is troubling in that it reveals amnesia in the public, but then again, Rudy Giuliani also polled really well until he actually ran.
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Steaming Pile
December 9, 2009 10:57 AM
Who paid for this? Could it be some concern troll warning Dems not to play the Bush card?
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The Commenter Formerly Known as NCSteve
December 9, 2009 1:06 PM in reply to Steaming Pile
No, it's just what pollsters do between elections to keep their name in the news. they want that "top of mind awareness" among the consultant class when the time comes to pick a pollster to do paid work for a campaign.
PPP is a robophone pollster. It can rip out some inflammatory, blog-headline getting poll and enhance its top of mind awareness for next to nothing.
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ilovebacon
December 9, 2009 10:59 AM
50 to 44 is close? And beside the point, this poll (like all PPP polls) is stupid. And can TPM stop posting Rasmussen's polls? Rasmussen sucks.
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mike from Arlington
December 9, 2009 11:04 AM
This goes to show Republicans don't give a damn about this country. Between this and Palin polling well.
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Stroszek
December 9, 2009 11:10 AM
PPP is really good at drawing attention itself. Now, if only they could start doing that by accurately predicting election results, they'd really be on to something.
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DB55
December 9, 2009 11:37 AM
No news here: if the undecideds in this poll broke evenly, you'd get to 53 percent Obama, 47 percent Bush - virtually identical to the 2008 presidential election popular vote w. McCain.
Oncde the glow of the inauguration subsided and Obama actually started to do things, we got back to the same polarized country we were before. The good news is that, for now at least, the Dems are still on the top side of the equation.
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par4
December 9, 2009 11:58 AM
I believe it,Obama is governing like it's Bush's third term.
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Viva!America!
December 9, 2009 12:23 PM
Sure this poll has nothing to do with Left meme that Obama is bush.
And tell me if I'm missing something. We can't use bush's name and that's good news for the GOP in 2010? Uhm, we don't have to say W's name. We have enough proof to show that the GOP Congress - in total - did nothing to help clean up the mess they created.
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JadeZ
December 9, 2009 12:48 PM
obama is worse then bush by a mile.
because he is capable of fooling lots od people.
his policies are identical and would make any republican blush.
that is the fact and only stupidity prevents people from seeing that truth.
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Stroszek
December 9, 2009 6:02 PM in reply to JadeZ
Even for a PUMA, this is a certifiably idiotic comment.
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CT Voter
December 9, 2009 12:49 PM
Different standards for different political parties.
When Bush's numbers were toileting (I know, not a verb, but it's appropriate), I don't remember PPP conducting polls asking people whether they'd prefer Bill Clinton was president. Hmmmm. Wonder why that is?
Nice publicity stunt, PPP. Please do more of this crap. And why not commission some more polls asking people whether Obama is related to Spock? You've already done the crap poll about his citizenship, why not take it one step further?
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Schmed
December 9, 2009 1:14 PM
And why not commission some more polls asking people whether Obama is related to Spock?
Actually, I would find Obama being related to Spock quite comforting. Governance by logic instead of emotional hysteria: what a concept.
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Peter Principle
December 9, 2009 1:25 PM in reply to Schmed
I would find Obama being related to Spock quite comforting.
Comforting, but perhaps not politically sustainable, given the state of our degraded and degenerate republic.
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Peter Principle
December 9, 2009 1:23 PM
PPI guy: "there may be a certain segment of voters on both the right and the left these days that simply think the President doing things they don't agree with is grounds for removal from office."
I love the even handedness in which stimulating the economy and seeking to reform the health care system are equated with torture, illegal domestic spying and conspiring to wage aggressive war.
Yep, those lefties sure are unreasonable.
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