One year on, Obamamania gives way to luke warm support
Nov 2 03:37 AM US/Eastern
A year on from a historic election, the spirit of popular goodwill that yielded America's first black president has retreated to tepid support for Barack Obama as he presses his change agenda.
Since the November 4 poll, Obama's visage has been everywhere, conspicuously on the streets of the nation's capital where millions of foreign and domestic tourists have visited over the past year, many of them snatching up poignant souvenirs.
A quick look around downtown Washington confirms that the Obama trinkets are still for sale, but more than one strategically placed street hawker have found little point in displaying the T-shirts, posters, and "Yes We Can" buttons bearing the new president's image.
"They stay in the truck," grumbled a vendor who identified himself as "Dick," as he pointed to a rusty vehicle behind him. "They don't sell anymore."
Indeed, Obama's honeymoon with the American people lasted less than six months.
In the aftermath of his inauguration in January, Obama's approval rating soared to 70 percent. Early on, he tested Americans' faith by diving headlong into controversial programs to rescue the economy, including bailing out sinking US auto manufacturers and unleashing a 787-billion-dollar stimulus plan.
In late April, at the end of the first 100 days in office, Obama still enjoyed more positive reviews than his predecessors in the previous 20 years.
But the fall was soon to come as questions started simmering about the president's ability to pull the US economy out of a nosedive.
In July, his popularity dipped even below that of predecessor George W. Bush in the same period of his presidency.
Since mid-October, it has hovered just above 50 percent, a "significant drop" from his earlier numbers, according to Frank Newport, editor in chief of the Gallup Poll.
"In general, this puts Obama's current ratings slightly below average for all US presidents since World War II," Newport told AFP, adding that the country's ongoing economic travails are contributing to the curb in enthusiasm.
On Sunday, even as data released by the Commerce Department last week showed the United States had emerged from the worst recession in decades, a monthly approval index by Rasmussen Reports showed 29 percent of those polled strongly approve of Obama's performance, compared to 39 percent who strongly disapprove.
That left him with an approval index of -10, two points worse than in September, Rasmussen reported.
"Overall, Americans are not highly satisfied with the way things are going in the US," said Newport.
And as a consequence, the popularity of Obama gear at the souvenir shops that abound in Washington appears to be taking a hit.
"Sellings have really slowed down since Obama took office," said vendor Vin Ngo.
This is not for want of supply: from a lifesize cardboard cutout to gold jewelry to a bottle of special vintage champagne bearing the president's name, the list of Obama tchotchkes and high-end souvenirs is long.
High or low as it may be at home, Barack Obama's popularity abroad is irrefutable, argues Professor Clyde Wilcox of Georgetown University in Washington.
He is "the first African-American president, a young man who has won many honors and done great things. He is a cultural phenomenon in the US and around the world," Wilcox said.
As such, the conditions remain ripe for more sales, according to Lian Nelson, another street vendor in Washington, who hangs Obama T-shirts alongside those featuring another prominent African-American hero: Michael Jackson.
Who is outselling whom? According to Nelson, the "King of Pop" is well ahead.
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Interesting, that in only one year, a time when usually a new president has begun to enact new policies and had his best foot forward, and a good majority of the country supporting him, that Obama's support is already so sharply on the wane.
Americans, by and large, are very kind and giving people. Obama, just as with all presidents ,newly elected, had very high poll numbers to start with, all across the board.
What happened, so early on, to bring that sheen off his image?
I think it's more than just the economy. Because, most Americans understand that issue started well before he took office.
Though, his handling of it since, could be said to be a bit wanting. I still doubt that most Americans blame him for causing that problem.
So what's causing the wane in support for him?
Is it his inability to convey and sell his Health Care Proposal to the masses?
Is it his waffling and waiting ,to the abject consternation, on the Generals advice on Afghanistan?
Probably,both of those reasons play a part here, in his losing some support, so early on.
But, even more than that, there is something about Obama that he revealed about himself personally, this year .
He revealed an very ugly character trait, when he was so quick to condemn a blue collar cop, who was just doing his job, against Obama's very elitist, snob of a pal, the raging Professor Gates.
When Gates sneered at the cop, and let him know, shouting at the poor police officer, (paraphrasing event): "You little low life,nothing, white cop!!! Don't you know who I am!?!!??" when confronted with a routine, possible break in call, in in his neighborhood,that's when Obama really revealed who he was when he went to the podium on National TV and referred to this cop's action as "stupid."
Rather than having the political savvy to know he should at least wait for all the facts to come in, and he just eagerly went ahead and referred to a cops actions as 'stupid', when he is supposed be President of all the people (not just his elitist friends).
That, for me, told an awful lot of just who Obama is and how he views the world.
And it wasn't a pretty sight to see.
Obviously, the White House knew it made a huge error in public opinion, when he did so, or else the never would have made a huge fuss over the silly "Beer Summit" to try to smooth it all over again.
The entire debacle was terrible P.R. for Obama and he shot himself willingly in his foot. I recall him at the podium that morning he called the cops actions 'stupid" Obama was anxious and eager as hell, to get up there in front of the National TV cameras ,and humilate that 'little, low level cop', who had the audacity to bother an Ivy Leaguer like Professor Gates.
It was a dumb political move.(understatement).
But ,it sure revealed Obama's true colors.
(nothing at all to do with race. Rather, that Obama , like Gates, sees the 'little people' as stupid and sees the elitist IVY league sorts, as needing to be given special treatment, by the' little people', lest they get called out on the carpet by The President himself.
That incident (simple and plain as it was), was a very revealing moment and sent a message to country ,about just what he thinks of regular folks, in America.
Obama did that, inadvertently, and ineptly, in one fell swoop and one short sentence.
Obama:..he ain't my guy.
Anyone who wants to claim him can have him
~LAM
