These poll numbers were released hours ago by Rasmussen Reports -- "an electronic publishing firm specializing in the collection, publication, and distribution of public opinion polling information."
53% Say Obama is 'Partisan Democrat'
Thursday, July 23, 2009
Fifty-three percent (53%) of U.S. voters say President Obama is now governing like a partisan Democrat, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey.
Just 32% say the president is governing in a bipartisan fashion, while 15% are not sure. But it is important to note that the survey was taken prior to the president's Wednesday prime-time press conference and his expanded effort to sell his health care reform plan.
These numbers are holding relatively steady for the second month in a row . But just after the president took office in late January , only 39% of voters said he was governing in a partisan fashion while 42% said he was being bipartisan.
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republicans think Obama is governing like a partisan Democrat, which is perhaps no surprise, but most voters (58%) not affiliated with either major party agree. Forty-four percent (44%) of Democrats believe the president is being bipartisan, but 36% disagree.
Also for the second month in a row, 51% of voters say it is at least somewhat likely that the next president will be a Republican, including 32% who say it is very likely. Thirty-six percent (36%) think a GOP president is unlikely, with 25% who say it's not very likely and 11% who believe it's not at all likely. Fourteen percent (14%) are not sure.
However, the question does not specify whether the next president might be elected in 2012 or 2016. Obama's approval index rating has remain steadily in negative territory since late June in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll .
Fifty-six percent (56%) of GOP voters it's very likely a president from their party is next in line, compared to 13% of Democrats and 30% of unaffiliateds.
If the 2012 presidential election were held today, Obama and possible Republican nominee Mitt Romney would be all tied up at 45% each . The president beats another potential GOP rival, Alaska Governor Sarah Palin, by six points - 48% to 42%.
Most voters (55%) expect politics in Washington to become more partisan, up 15 points from January but roughly the view since late Match . Twenty-three percent (23%) are hopeful things will be more cooperative, but 22% are not sure which way national politics is headed.
Congressional Democrats continue to be viewed as more partisan than their Republican counterparts. Fifty-nine percent (59%) say majority party members in both the House and Senate are acting like partisan Democrats. Twenty-one percent (21%) view their actions as bipartisan, and 20% are undecided.
As for the GOP legislators, 50% say they are acting like partisan Republicans, while 22% see their performance as bipartisan. Even more voters (28%) are unsure of what they're doing, a reflection perhaps of their low visibility in a Democrat-dominated Congress . Surveys this year have consistently found that more than four-out-of-10 voters don't even know enough about Republican congressional leaders to have an opinion about them .
Republicans and Democrats predictably view their respective legislators as much less partisan. Unaffiliated voters, however, view congressional Democrats as much more partisan than GOP congressmen.
Fifty-three percent (53%) of voters now oppose the health care reform plan proposed by the president and congressional Democrats .
For the fourth week in a row, Republicans lead Democrats in the Generic Congressional Ballot .
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To view a copy of the original report, please use this link: You Mean He's A Democrat?