Five Reasons Why That ‘Obama is the Worst President’ Poll is Total Horsesh*t
Yesterday, The Daily Banter‘s Tommy Christopher covered a new Quinnipiac Poll showing that a plurality of Americans believe that President Obama is the worst president since World War II. At the risk of sounding like an Obamabot (I’m not, but that won’t prevent trolls from going there), the poll is complete hooey and I don’t mind enumerating exactly why.
1) Americans are trend-a-holics. Right off the bat, these polls, at least when it comes to the current or previous president, are always greatly influenced by popular buzz. Voters overhear cable news people who are desperate for content and therefore concoct dramatic, scandalous narratives every day, and too often mistake these snapshots in outrage as being indicative of broader trends or a lack of success. Rarely is the current president thoughtfully compared and contrasted, beat by beat, with other presidents. Political junkies aside, we too often simply repeat what we hear other people say in passing. For example, the movie Edge of Tomorrow was fantastic compared with most of the other Summer blockbusters, but not many people went to see it because the buzz on the street was that it was a bomb. No one wants to support a bomb, regardless of whether it’s good.
2) How many 19-year-olds know what the hell Gerald Ford did or didn’t do? The most hilarious part of the poll was that Quinnipiac asked 18-29-year-olds about presidents most of whom held office prior to that demographic being born. Yet they rated Johnson, Ford, Nixon and Carter as less “bad” than Obama. Now, sure, a good many voters in this demo might’ve cracked a book about Ford or Nixon at one point or another, but really, how valid are these opinions when it comes to a serious evaluation of every president since 1945, 40 years before the upper end of this age-bracket existed? I mean, 29-year-olds weren’t around during half of Reagan’s presidency. Seriously, I’d like to see the results of a Quinnipiac poll showing the percentage of 19-year-olds who can name one thing Gerald Ford did. One. Bonus points if they can name the years during which he was president.
3) Obama is the worst president, and the fourth best. Lost in all of the news media’s scare-headlines on Wednesday was the fact that, yes, the poll results showed Obama as the worst president, but also the fourth best. In other words, these badly confused poll respondents thought Obama was the worst president and simultaneously better than eight of the other presidents. This is clearly not a serious evaluation of comparative presidential quality. By the way, jumping back to item #2, Millennials thought Bush 41 wasn’t as good as Nixon, which is a highly suspect result. And while we’re here, the demographic group that was alive during most or all of these administrations, ages 65+, believe Obama is the fifth best president. Likewise, they also think he’s the worst. My head hurts… CONTINUE READING
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By: Bob Cesca
Bob Cesca is the managing editor at The Daily Banter (www.thedailybanter.com) and a Huffington Post contributor since 2005. He's worked in journalism since 1988 as a print writer/editor, a radio news anchor, a digital media columnist/editor, a book author and blogger. He's the co-host of the Bubble Genius Bob & Chez Show podcast and a Thursday regular on the syndicated Stephanie Miller Show. He's appeared on numerous other radio shows including the John Phillips Show and Geraldo Rivera Show in Los Angeles. Bob has been a commentator/analyst on the BBC (TV and radio), MSNBC, Current TV, CNN and Sky News. Following him on Twitter: @bobcesca_go
Steve Scholl July 3rd, 2014 at 10:08
Poor Republicans are so desperate to wipe away the memory of GW they will do anything. They are so bereft of good leadership they must be really embarrassed.
Steve Scholl July 3rd, 2014 at 10:08
Poor Republicans are so desperate to wipe away the memory of GW they will do anything. They are so bereft of good leadership they must be really embarrassed.
Stuart Shapiro July 3rd, 2014 at 10:09
I find the whole discussion of this poll quite silly. We know that 33% of the electorate absolutely hate Obama (could be race, could be performance . . . it doesn’t matter). So why is it news that this percentage think he is the worst president since World War II? If you put him one on one against W., Carter, Nixon, and maybe Reagan all of them would be described as worse than Obama. It is only because they are all in the poll together that Obama “wins.”
Stuart Shapiro July 3rd, 2014 at 10:09
I find the whole discussion of this poll quite silly. We know that 33% of the electorate absolutely hate Obama (could be race, could be performance . . . it doesn’t matter). So why is it news that this percentage think he is the worst president since World War II? If you put him one on one against W., Carter, Nixon, and maybe Reagan all of them would be described as worse than Obama. It is only because they are all in the poll together that Obama “wins.”
jsutton July 3rd, 2014 at 10:12
This is just right wing propaganda at work and unfortunately it’s having an effect.
jsutton July 3rd, 2014 at 10:12
This is just right wing propaganda at work and unfortunately it’s having an effect.
R.J. Carter July 3rd, 2014 at 10:19
Ford, Nixon and Carter were the worst when they were in office.
The fact that Ford and Carter aren’t rated the worst now means even more about their legacy — not that they weren’t bad, but that they were so forgettable as to become a lukewarm historical footnote, doing nothing as memorably bad as Nixon or Reagan, nor anything as memorably good as Kennedy or Reagan. (See what I did there?)
txthinker July 3rd, 2014 at 10:27
Any good Reagan did was cancelled out by Iran-Contra.
Dwendt44 July 3rd, 2014 at 11:42
Reagan signing the largest tax increase in history didn’t help any either.
Abby Normal July 3rd, 2014 at 13:35
And 241 U.S. Marines killed in the 1983 Beirut bombing. In loss of American lives, In terms of lives lost, that’s equivalent to 496 Benghazis. But, to Republicans, Beirut doesn’t count because Ronnie walked on water.
Scott Martini July 4th, 2014 at 16:04
If we had followed Carter’s energy policies we’d be energy-independent by now.
R.J. Carter July 3rd, 2014 at 10:19
Ford, Nixon and Carter were the worst when they were in office.
The fact that Ford and Carter aren’t rated the worst now means even more about their legacy — not that they weren’t bad, but that they were so forgettable as to become a lukewarm historical footnote, doing nothing as memorably bad as Nixon or Reagan, nor anything as memorably good as Kennedy or Reagan. (See what I did there?)
txthinker July 3rd, 2014 at 10:27
Any good Reagan did was cancelled out by Iran-Contra.
Dwendt44 July 3rd, 2014 at 11:42
Reagan signing the largest tax increase in history didn’t help any either.
Abby Normal July 3rd, 2014 at 13:35
And 241 U.S. Marines killed in the 1983 Beirut bombing. In terms of lives lost, that’s equivalent to 496 Benghazis. But, to Republicans, Beirut doesn’t count because Ronnie walked on water.
Bunya July 3rd, 2014 at 14:32
Don’t forget, St. Ronnie Reagan also blessed us with “trickle-down” (aka, “piss on you”) economics. And we all know what a shining success THAT turned out to be.
Scott Martini July 4th, 2014 at 16:04
If we had followed Carter’s energy policies we’d be energy-independent by now.
granpa.usthai July 3rd, 2014 at 10:40
GOP SOS – like I was saying: pulled the same attempted mass media hysteria hypnosis back in 2012 trying to prep the American People for the notpotus Romney FAILED landslide. Like most folks, I conceded that Romney Rats might indeed pull it off with the Greedy Bishop whose mass of offshore stashed wealth is mostly from creating/exploiting human misery at home and abroad, but it sure as hell wouldn’t be by my vote. Reckon that held true for most of the others who voted, as – it was the shortest time a POTUS election was called that I can remember.
granpa.usthai July 3rd, 2014 at 10:40
GOP SOS – like I was saying: pulled the same attempted mass media hysteria hypnosis back in 2012 trying to prep the American People for the notpotus Romney FAILED landslide. Like most folks, I conceded that Romney Rats might indeed pull it off with the Greedy Bishop whose mass of offshore stashed wealth is mostly from creating/exploiting human misery at home and abroad, but it sure as hell wouldn’t be by my vote. Reckon that held true for most of the others who voted, as – it was the shortest time a POTUS election was called that I can remember.
Pilotshark July 3rd, 2014 at 10:43
” one thing Gerald Ford did.
the only VP and President to never be voted in?
Mary Hickling July 3rd, 2014 at 11:01
And pardon Nixon.
Nicholas Russell Harris July 3rd, 2014 at 18:28
And bean someone with a golf ball
Joyce July 4th, 2014 at 14:16
And trip while walking down stairs.
nogeeksadmin July 4th, 2014 at 17:19
And bang his head on anything lower than 72 inches.
Pilotshark July 3rd, 2014 at 10:43
” one thing Gerald Ford did.
the only VP and President to never be voted in?
Mary Hickling July 3rd, 2014 at 11:01
And pardon Nixon.
Nicholas Russell Harris July 3rd, 2014 at 18:28
And bean someone with a golf ball
Joyce July 4th, 2014 at 14:16
And trip while walking down stairs.
nogeeksadmin July 4th, 2014 at 17:19
And bang his head on anything lower than 72 inches.
William July 3rd, 2014 at 10:45
Another epic fail for the party of no. Diverting from their own popularity. Tricky no?
Congress falling somewhere between gingivitis and a tuna sandwich from a truck stop restroom vending machine.
William July 3rd, 2014 at 10:45
Another epic fail for the party of no. Diverting from their own popularity. Tricky no?
Congress falling somewhere between gingivitis and a tuna sandwich from a truck stop restroom vending machine.
Rusty Shackleford July 3rd, 2014 at 10:49
6. He’s not running for anything.
Why is everyone so hung up on the polling numbers of people who no one’s voting for? Who gives a fuck?
Nicholas Russell Harris July 3rd, 2014 at 18:28
Good damn question
Nomad July 4th, 2014 at 07:21
I will tell you why I think it is important. The Republican conservatives have been allowed to bend, massage, twist and break history over and over again. Carter was the “weak” president, they’ll tell you, and Reagan was the strong one, the one who single-handedly destroyed the Soviet Empire with a magic incantation at the Berlin wall. In about ten years, you’ll have the Iraq mess on Obama’s watch and George W. Bush and his ragtag group of mercenaries destroying Saddam and liberating the MIddle East. Why should we allow them …. but especially the mainstream media.. to propagate lies for the naive to believe and repeat endlessly? It’s not about being hung up on anything.. it’s about keeping things real.
Joyce July 4th, 2014 at 14:15
Sometimes I feel like it’s totally out of our hands. For example, Hoover is not responsible for the Great Depression. It was the aftermath of Harding and Coolidge sucking up to big business and giving them free passes similar to today. However, if you ask most people who’s to blame for the Great Depression, they’ll stick it on the poor sap who was elected after the damage was done. Sound familiar?
nogeeksadmin July 4th, 2014 at 17:17
Hoover may not have been the cause, but he certainly was a hindrance in the early stages of his Presidency. That is the difference between Hoover and Obama. I’d say Obama did a helluva job with the pile of crap he inherited.
Joyce July 4th, 2014 at 19:49
Good point! Thanks.
crc3 July 3rd, 2014 at 10:55
In my lifetime (I’m almost 63) George W Bush (war criminal and severely tanked the economy) is by far the worst president we’ve had followed by Nixon (Watergate)…Reagan (Iran-Contra and Reaganomics)…LBJ (Vietnam conflict)…Ford (what did he do besides pardon Nixon and hit somebody with a golf ball?)…George H W Bush (Iraq War Pt 1 and “no new taxes”)…Carter (Iran hostages and the economy)…
Nomad July 4th, 2014 at 07:36
The other day I read that George H.W. was given an award for “having the courage” to raise taxes in the face of opposition in his own party. Even more galling it was the Kennedy Profiles in Courage award. They said at the ceremony that by standing up and raising taxes, Bush lost his re-election. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. This is why it is important to push back again and again when the Right (or whoever) tries to take control of our history. To get elected Bush lied. “Read my lips. No new taxes) and a couple of months afterwards he raised taxes anyway. He lied and lost all credibility. But now he is a hero??
crc3 July 4th, 2014 at 10:58
Kennedy’s biggest “mistake” was The Bay of Pigs but I don’t blame him totally for that because the Eisenhower administration put that plan in motion and it fell into Kennedy’s lap. GHWB certainly didn’t deserve any award with Kennedy’s name on it. Bush was also ex CIA so…how much can anyone with that tag be trusted?
nogeeksadmin July 4th, 2014 at 17:15
The entire Bush cabal cannot be trusted, and it has been that way for generations.
crc3 July 3rd, 2014 at 10:55
In my lifetime (I’m almost 63) George W Bush (war criminal and severely tanked the economy) is by far the worst president we’ve had followed by Nixon (Watergate)…Reagan (Iran-Contra and Reaganomics)…LBJ (Vietnam conflict)…Ford (what did he do besides pardon Nixon and hit somebody with a golf ball?)…George H W Bush (Iraq War Pt 1 and “no new taxes”)…Carter (Iran hostages and the economy)…
Nomad July 4th, 2014 at 07:36
The other day I read that George H.W. was given an award for “having the courage” to raise taxes in the face of opposition in his own party. Even more galling it was the Kennedy Profiles in Courage award. They said at the ceremony that by standing up and raising taxes, Bush lost his re-election. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. This is why it is important to push back again and again when the Right (or whoever) tries to take control of our history. To get elected Bush lied. “Read my lips. No new taxes) and a couple of months afterwards he raised taxes anyway. He lied and lost all credibility. But now he is a hero??
crc3 July 4th, 2014 at 10:58
Kennedy’s biggest “mistake” was The Bay of Pigs but I don’t blame him totally for that because the Eisenhower administration put that plan in motion and it fell into Kennedy’s lap. GHWB certainly didn’t deserve any award with Kennedy’s name on it. Bush was also ex CIA so…how much can anyone with that tag be trusted?
nogeeksadmin July 4th, 2014 at 17:15
The entire Bush cabal cannot be trusted, and it has been that way for generations.
arc99 July 3rd, 2014 at 10:58
it should also be pointed out that when you look at the underlying data in the poll, it is only those age 50 and over who selected President Obama as the worst. The age 18-49 demographic gave that honor to President George W. Bush.
It is rather mind boggling why a reputable pollster would ask 18 year olds about the Presidency of Carter or Nixon or any President who served before those kids were born in 1995-1996.
nogeeksadmin July 4th, 2014 at 17:14
It’s not a reputable pollster. Hell, at this point they are all suspect. Look at Gallup’s disaster in the Presidential election.
arc99 July 3rd, 2014 at 10:58
it should also be pointed out that when you look at the underlying data in the poll, it is only those age 50 and over who selected President Obama as the worst. The age 18-49 demographic gave that honor to President George W. Bush.
It is rather mind boggling why a reputable pollster would ask 18 year olds about the Presidency of Carter or Nixon or any President who served before those kids were born in 1995-1996.
nogeeksadmin July 4th, 2014 at 17:14
It’s not a reputable pollster. Hell, at this point they are all suspect. Look at Gallup’s disaster in the Presidential election.
Suzanne McFly July 3rd, 2014 at 11:00
The entire credibility of the poll comes into question when this fact in announced….Obama is the worst president, and the fourth best.