As the negotiations and the vote-getting on raising the debt ceiling have dragged on these last two weeks, itâs became clear that President Obama really is not a good negotiator. Several times, just as a deal seemed imminent, the discussions have collapsedâand very publicly. There were leaks from the administration, he-said-she-said accounts from both sides, angry White House press conferencesâjust a âparade of horribles,â as lawyers would call it. The result is a rising tide of public disgust and frustration. Not only has he lost bipartisan support in both the House or the Senate, his lack of ability to persuade people to join his cause has cost President Obama the vital center of the electorate.
According to yesterdayâs Pew Research national survey, with results collected just this week, only 31 percent of independent voters want to see Obama re-elected, down from 42 percent in May. Two months ago, Obama held a 7 point lead among independent registered voters two months ago, but independent support has swung 15 points the other way, giving an 8 point advantage to a generic Republican. âThis is consistent with a drop in Obamaâs approval among all independents. Currently, a majority (54 percent) disapprove of Obamaâs performance for the first time in his presidency,â according to Pew. [Check out our editorial cartoons on President Obama.]
Maybe itâs because Hillary Clintonâs âthree in the morningâ ad was rightâmaybe he just doesnât have the experience to be president. Of the top 100 jobs that would qualify one to be president, being a law professor isnât one of them. A plumber would be better qualified than a law professor. Seriouslyâa plumber is a problem solver who has to keep customers happy. A used car salesman knows how to close a deal. A UPS deliveryman knows how to meet a deadline. A diplomat knows how to be, well, diplomatic. Meaning he doesnât lecture people about âeating their peasâ when he needs them to jump on board.
