DOESN'T THIS MEAN OBAMA'S UNETHICAL?

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Sixty percent (60%) of voters nationwide believe that President Obama is at least as ethical as most politicians. That figure includes 34% who say the president is more ethical than his peers and 26% who say he is about as ethical as most.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 36% now view the president as less ethical than most politicians.

These figures reflect a decline for Obama. The 60% who view him as at least as ethical as his peers is down from 65% a month ago and 74% when he took office. The number who view him as less ethical has doubled from 18% in early January to 36% today.

This is also the first time that the number seeing the president as less ethical than most (36%) has topped the number who see him as more ethical (34%).

Naturally, there is a strong partisan divide. Sixty-one percent (61%) of Democrats say the president is more ethical than most politicians while 58% of Republicans say he is less ethical.

As for those not affiliated with either party, the reviews are mixed. Twenty-seven percent (27%) say Obama is more ethical than most politicians while 37% say he is less ethical than his peers. Thirty-one percent (31%) see his ethical standards as close to the norm for politicians.

In terms of dealing with ethics and corruption issues, 42% now say the president is doing a good or excellent job while 38% say he is doing a poor job.

Government corruption and ethics issues consistently remain the second most important issue to voters , trailing only the economy. However, most unaffiliated voters don't trust either major political party on the issue.

The decline in perceptions of the president's ethical standards comes at a time when his overall ratings have fallen in the Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll . A review of the president's ratings on a month-by-month basis clearly highlights the trend.

To view the original post, please use this link: Obama's Just Like Other Politicians?