Poll: 7 in 10 say Obama has not helped economy

CBS

CBS News Poll analysis by the CBS News Polling Unit: Sarah Dutton, Jennifer De Pinto, Fred Backus and Anthony Salvanto

A new CBS News poll finds that nearly seven in 10 Americans believe President Obama has not made real progress in fixing the economy.

Sixty-nine percent say the president has not made real progress on the economy, which voters overwhelmingly cite as their most important issue. Twenty-five percent say he has made real progress.

Perceptions are not improving. The percentage who said Mr. Obama has made real progress has dropped 10 points from a survey 13 months ago, when 35 percent said he had made real progress.

Just 35 percent of Americans approve of Mr. Obama's handling of the economy, and his approval rating on the issue has been below 40 percent since February. Fifty-three percent approve of his handling of the economy.

Still, most don't blame the administration for the state of the economy. Asked who was most to blame, Americans cited the Bush administration (22 percent), followed by Wall Street (16 percent), Congress (15 percent) and then the Obama administration (12 percent.) One in 10 said "all of the above."

President Obama's overall approval rating now stands at 44 percent in the CBS News poll. It has not hit 50 percent or higher since April 2010.

Many Americans say they are disappointed with how much Mr. Obama has been able to accomplish. Forty-three percent say he has accomplished less than they expected, while just 9 nine percent say he has accomplished more than expected. The percentage who says he has accomplished less than expected has increased 17 points since January 2010. One in two Republicans say Mr. Obama has fallen short of expectations, and 39 percent of Democrats agree.

Yet most Americans say they approve of Mr. Obama when it comes to his personal qualities and beliefs. Seventy percent say he stands up for his beliefs; 69 percent say he cares about their needs and problems. Sixty-five percent say they have a clear idea of what the president stands for, and 57 percent say he has strong qualities of leadership.

On that last question, however, there is reason for Mr. Obama's reelection team to be concerned: The percentage that sees Mr. Obama as a strong leader has fallen from 70 percent in January 2010 and 85 percent in February 2009.

CBS

More from the poll:

Poll: Most want taxes on millionaires increased
Poll: Views of Congress (again) hit new low
Poll: Just 1 in 5 Americans happy with direction of country
Poll: Nearly 2 in 3 want troops in Afghanistan decreased
Poll: Half of U.S. says Afghan war not a success
Read the complete poll (PDF)

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This poll was conducted by telephone from September 28-October 2, 2011 among 1,012 adults nationwide. Phone numbers were dialed from samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher. This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

[teapartydoc]

What planet do those 25% live on?

[stn_sage]

7 in 10 say he has not helped fix the economy?!
Are you sure 7 in 10 didn't say, he has made the economy worse?!
I would guess BOTH statements are probably true!

[tsigili]

That would be an understatement.

This President is totally incapable of solving the economic issues, because he avoids the root cause of them.

To make matters worse, he has squandered time, and hundreds of billions of tax dollars have been wasted, running up our deficit to no benefit, and now things are actually much WORSE than when he took office.

[lionheart1986a]

Finally a poll question that is to the point: has obama helped the economy. Every week a poll comes out 'who you blame for the economy' and its bush 1st (true), but lets be frank, Obama has done a terrible job with the economy.

[think888]

The increase in CEO bonuses in the past 20 years has so distorted capitalism from a system that has well served the US for many years from a positive to a negative with respect to the US economy. The goal of CEOs is the bonus rather than the good of the economy. Capitalism requires a consumer (middle class with buying power). CEOs seem to have forgotten this essential component in their incessant drive for bonuses. The old 'social contract" provided that good wage as part of the system. What we have today is the old Hans Christian Anderson fable come to life. The CEO greed has killed or is killing "the goose that laid the golden eggs". Bring capitalism back to health by removing the excessive bonus system monster that has been created. It is still the best system in the world.

[Overruled1]

I feel that the Healthcare reforms didn't go far enough, and take years before they take affect....though some did, I find my treatment more limited in the form of scheduleing availablity. I feel this is a direct affect by insurance to reign in cost, but has lowered performance levels.
I feel that the largest banks are engaged in land speculation in the form of defrauding the middle class.
My home is worth 1/2 what it's value was before Bush.
Corporations left the country for better business environments...lol don't you love double take? What they mean is they left for slave labor and freedoms business really like, pollution is the government's problem..
BP pollutes the Gulf, killed workers, and coastline polluted, nobody arrested? Congress deserves no loyalty from any of us.
As a matter of fact, I have left the democratic party, but will continue to vote for Barak Obama...As for the rest, I'm going with lesser candidates...no GOP especially...you could say I'm moving off center a bit more now...
With these issues Congress deserves even lower ratings.

[focusonjobs1]

Where is the poll asking if the Presidents hands are tied.

[RobAla]

How can President Obama's hands be tied? Until 10 months ago the Presidency, the Senate, and the House were all controlled by Democrats. Look what they did. They passed the job killing stupid health care law. They did cash for clunkers (basically a gift to support their political supporters - unions, at the expense of the working poor - the poor buy used cars, not new ones - and this only made the cost of used car sky rocket).

President Obama has made his own bed, and we all are having to lie in the stinking thing.

[JarHeadVet64]

So much denial on here by the left.

[southpaw99]

What is the left? You don't make any sense.

[RobAla]

Who are the 30% who blinding think President Obama has helped the country? What in the world could they base this idiotic perception on? It can't be facts. These 30% are the ones who would support him no matter what - because they believe in his failed socialist policies.

They are blind to the failures in the USSR and Greece. Socialism has been proven to be a failed concept.

[dzaffina]

i thought it was socialist communist marxist unamerican? what are you rightwingers getting lazy?

[southpaw99]

What a very misleading headline.
Does the news media think we are stupid?
As if the the President has any control over the economy.
Ask if Congress has helped the economy, that would be a more accurate assessment.

[grichens]

Obviously the Democrats who controlled both the House and the Senate from 2006 to this year haven't been much help.