Poll: Dems, Independents Overwhelmingly Disappointed With Obama's Public Option Performance - TPM

[WillyT]

Poll: Dems, Independents Overwhelmingly Disappointed With Obama's Public Option Performance
Brian Beutler | December 18, 2009, 9:34AM

<snip>

A finding from a new Research 2000 poll suggests Democrats and Independents are deeply disappointed with President Obama's unwillingness to truly engage in the fight for a public option.

Commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Democracy for America, the question, to 800 likely voters was: "President Obama has said he favors a public health insurance option. Senator Joe Lieberman is widely credited with forcing Senate Democrats to take the public option off the table in order to win his vote. Do you think President Obama should have done more to pressure Lieberman to allow the public option to move forward?"

Overall, 63 percent said yes, 29 percent said no, and 8 percent had no opinion.

But among Democrats, and Independents, the numbers are far more striking.

A full 87 percent of Democrats say Obama should have upped the pressure on Lieberman to play nice (10 percent answered no). And 72 percent of Independents agree, Obama didn't do enough to rein in Lieberman's bid to kill the public option. Eighteen percent of Independents disagreed with that.

The grassroots are divided over whether the Senate health care bill deserves a "next step." But they are certainly in agreement about the president's leadership on the health reform issue they cared most about.

<snip>

Link: http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2009/12/poll-dems-independents-overwhelmingly-disappointed-with-obamas-public-option-performance.php

:shrug:

[jefferson_dem]

1. Funny poll. I imagine the questions were loaded like a mutha.

"Commissioned by the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, and Democracy for America..." :spray: I bet it was.

[ljm2002]

2. "...the question, to 800 likely voters was:"

"President Obama has said he favors a public health insurance option. Senator Joe Lieberman is widely credited with forcing Senate Democrats to take the public option off the table in order to win his vote. Do you think President Obama should have done more to pressure Lieberman to allow the public option to move forward?"

No need to imagine, there's the question right there.

But of course, it's just us malcontents who are dissatisfied with how President Obama has led on the healthcare issue.

Carry on.

[Winterblues]

4. I undersatnd reading is not taught like it used to be but..........

"Sometimes it is better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to open one's mouth and remove all doubt."

[damntexdem]

6. That's OK: we can overlook you this time.

;-)

[Blasphemer]

3. People have always supported a strong PO... They simply don't care... nt

[damntexdem]

5. Who is the "center" to which Obama and the Dem leadership think they're playing?

Whoever it is, it's smaller even than the GOP's insane base. Well, of course it's corporations; but parties also need to get votes of the public. And most voters are being alienated -- by both parties. And in the American system, this just doesn't lead in any timely manner to having any party that reflects the will, or needs, of the majority of the people. And to think that only a year or so ago, even a couple of months ago maybe, the Dem Party had a chance of being that party.

[ljm2002]

7. Yes, it's just us malcontents who are annoyed...

...oh, wait: 63 percent overall, 87 percent of Democrats and 72 percent of Independents think Obama should have done more to pressure Lieberman to support the public option.

Geez, this minority holding pen is getting pretty crowded.