Poll: Only 2/3 of 2008 Obama Backers Plan to Vote Democrat

Updated 10:20 a.m. ET

A new CBS News-Knowledge Networks Poll shows President Obama's approval rating among people who voted for him in 2008 remains very strong, at 82 percent, but that will do little to help Democrats hold onto seats in Congress on November 2.

CBS News senior White House correspondent Bill Plante reports that, for the White House, keeping control of the House and Senate is all about getting Democrats and Independents who voted for the president in 2008 back to the polls, and on that score, the latest poll numbers show Mr. Obama hasn't closed the sale.

Only two-thirds of Obama voters in 2008 (67 percent) say they'll vote for one of his fellow Democrats in 2010. Eight percent of those voters say they will vote Republican this year, and 21 percent say it depends.

The biggest erosion of support is among independents; just 42 percent of Obama's 2008 independent voters say they'll support a Democrat this year. Twelve percent say they'll vote for a Republican, and 38 percent were still undecided.

The one-word slogan that defined candidate Obama's campaign, "change" has been hard to come by, according to those surveyed. Just 16 percent of Obama voters believe he has brought significant change to the way Washington works. Almost half (48 percent) of independents say he's brought little change, or none at all.

Many supporters of Obama from 2008 are unhappy with Washington in general; 58 percent said they were dissatisfied or angry about the way things are going in the nation's capital. Only 41 percent say they're satisfied or enthusiastic about the federal government's performance. Independents are especially dissatisfied; with almost seven in 10 expressing that view.

Read the Full Poll
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CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto. This CBS News Poll was conducted online by Knowledge Networks among a nationwide random sample of 1077 Americans who say they voted for Barack Obama for President in 2008. Knowledge Networks, a Silicon Valley company, conducted the poll among a sample of adult members of its household panel, which is a nationally representative sample given access to the Internet. This is a scientifically representative poll of self-identified 2008 Obama voters. The margin of sampling error could be plus or minus three percentage points for the entire sample of 2008 Obama voters. Sampling error for subgroups could be higher.

[vicada46]

I probably might vote for the republican and the tear, sorry, not tea drunken party for the following reasons:
I have no mind or brain of my own. I don't possess an analytical mind.I do find all their slogans and fear-invoking campaigns beneficial to the health and well-being of the country. I enjoy their divisive politics.
I admire the way their mama grizzlies scream and gesticulate at podiums
like excited cheer-girl leaders behaving like uncontrollable robots.
I love the way all of them concoct, twist and misrepresent facts, especially when they want us to believe that all the problems America is facing, are caused by President Obama and his administration and that they are using their God-given gray matter brilliantly when they expect
Obama to perform some sort of abracadabra/miracle within just two years
into his term. It is difficult for me to capture why Mr. Obama has not
been able clear the huge mess Mr. Bush spent eight years planting deep!
I marvel at the wonderful way they want to repeal everything the democrats have put in place - with their regressive and oppressive alternatives! What a party to vote for?

[antgne]

Geesh! No one I know took any such poll either. Maybe it's because people now use cell phones. Obama was given a lousy hand to play and it's absolutely ridiculous to expect things to be good or lay this all at his feet. The only people who will "blame" him for this are the same people who caused it.

[American2011]

l dont know what American people are drinking/they're so brain-wash by Christine Mcdonell witch craft and those tea party folks. what planet are you people on? did the tea party folks brew & boil your brains? come out of your trance people and vote Democratic, those polls and pollster or pulling your leg people,l also think that the pollster or lying,people are not going to tell you who they're voting for,therefore those polls nbrs are not accurate,the media are another beast brain-washing you voters out there. grow up and follow your own mind,dont let people steer you into voting republican,Remember the fear factors,& brain-washing tactic ,the Bush Adminstration used on voters in the terroist ordeal to push them to vote Republicans,***notice ! lraq*********afghanstan*** if you voters go Republicans in the midterm election. get a mirrow,it's something wrong with ****************************
your picture, Republicans, are the folks that put American in
this kind of binds from get go.This Country were broken ,when we
voted President Obama in offices.
President Obama can't or couldn't
fix what The Bush Adminstration & Karl Rove and Cheney had broken in 2 years,he's not ours Black messiah.He can not turn water into wines.
nor can he walk on water and calm the raging sea and say please be still. you think! please think! again the polls ,,pollster,and the media are playing with the
American voters mind. grow up American people.
the Republican are the one that put the country in this big
recession, lraq ,and haliburton lnc & oil. it's were millions of dollars were spend on that wars and dont forget the fear factors. red ,yellow
high level of fear.
get out and vote Democratic,voters

[funnygirl5]

You people are so uniformed, I cannot believe how ignorant AMERICA is!!!!

[funnygirl5]

********, Everyone I know and only people that matter, never took your poll!!!
there are many, many of us who continue to back President OBAMA, because we believe in him and have reaped the benefits of his presidency!!! "f" your polls, no one I know has ever taken your polls. What you need to do is take your butt outside into the fresh air (physically) and talk to AMERICA, you will find many people who continue to back PRESIDENT OBAMA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!How amny people were polled? three?

[vivjaz]

Anyone calling Health Care Reform Obamacare is a republican't, and did'nt vote for President Obama anyway. And if you own a business and vote republican't what is your rational, republican't voted against the small business bill. If the republican'ts had worked on the health care bill maybe you health care would not have went up. I wonder if you will have this business so you say when the republican'ts get in; They only care about the next election, power and helping, millionaires and billionaires and big corporations keep their wealth why helping your self worth continue to decline you idiot. Where was these nuts, when W was in office lying us into a war not paying for it nor putting the cost in the budget. I can say one thing their base still have amnesia or something like it. I only believe what my lying eyes see, what my lying ears hear and what hollywood Palin, Rushbo, B(p)ecker and the Faux Fake Fox News say. You can not teach nor change stupid. Most of the republican'ts are on the same drug Rushbo was on. SAD!

[rmonroe401]

But apparently we have 4 trillion dollars to give to the top 2% earners in this country. But Republicans are for bringing down the deficit huh. Will they cut Social Security and Medicare to fund more massive giveaways to the rich?

[votedforobama]

uranittwitt, Seriously bro? That's the best you've got? Obviously you consider yourself to be intellectually superior but your post is so weak. Come on man, give it another shot and see if you can do better.

[sharkboy234]

democrats have the minute to win it....

[sierrablancalucia]

Vote Republican. The rich need a break and the middle class have it too good

[rmonroe401]

I mean really, lets give ANOTHER 4 trillion to the rich. It will trickle down, I promise. Trickle down economics has been very very very good for me.

Signed,

The Koch Group