February 24, 2009
Omero: (Obama's) Policies Before Bipartisanship
Today's NYT/CBS poll has made news by suggesting bipartisanship may take a back seat to policies. At least, if those policies are those of President Obama. A majority (56%) want to see Obama work on "the policies he promised he would during the campaign." Fewer said he should work in a bipartisan way with Congressional Republicans.
By contrast, Republicans are strongly urged to work in a bipartisan way with President Obama. Eight in ten (79%) say they should work with their Democratic colleagues and the President. Only 17% felt they should "stick to Republican policies."
This suggests voters prefer policies over process. If voters agree with the policies, the specifics of the process may matter less. And with Obama at 63% approval rating, while Republicans in Congress suffer from a 56% disapproval rating, voters seem to be making some early decisions about who has their best interests at heart. Something to remember in the debate after Obama's speech tonight before Congress.
By Margie Omero on February 24, 2009 9:15 PM | Permalink