Poll: Obama Overexposed? Most Say No

By: Brian Montopoli
Topics: Polling

(CBS)

President Obama has been on a major media offensive in recent weeks, appearing on news programs and talk shows, speaking to Congress in prime time and around the country, and even showing up on on late night television. The public relations campaign on behalf of his health care reform and other initiatives has prompted pundits to question whether the president has become overexposed.

A new CBS News/New York Times survey suggests that most Americans do not think so. Fifty-eight percent of those surveyed said Mr. Obama has made about the right number of appearances, while an additional four percent say he has made too few.

Thirty-five percent do believe that the president has made too many appearances. But that's exactly the same percentage as disapproved of the president in a CBS News poll earlier this month – and it's likely that any presidential appearances would be too many for at least some members of that group.

Fewer than one in five Democrats say the president has made too many appearances, while more than half of Republicans say he has done so. Among independents the figure is 40 percent.

Young Americans are most likely to say the president is making the right number of public appearances, with 65 percent saying so. Nearly half of those 65 or older, by contrast, believe he is making too many such appearances, the highest percentage of any group.

Read the Complete Poll

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 1042 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone September 19-23, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial 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.

Brian Montopoli
Brian Montopoli is the senior political reporter at CBSNews.com.
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by bubbadubba September 24, 2009 6:32 PM EDT: So I guess Obama should go to some farm and hide for months every time something happens like Bush did?
Well in that case I guess one might consider Obama to be overexposed since he stays on the job and does what he should as President and does not run and hide on "vacation" when the going gets tough.
Actually I think the media is "overexposed" on most issues repeating the same stories over and over and beating the same drum over and over.
How do you like that media?; Reply to this comment


by lovegetpeace September 24, 2009 6:23 PM EDT: Folks,
The American Mass Media is a shame. They love to give opinions and reviews because they assume Americans cannot think - are Idiots.

1st, 3 weeks ago, the media complaints that President Obama is losing the Health Care reform because he is not out marketing it.

Then, President Obama gives a speech to Congress and goes all over to push for reform.

Now, the Media complaints that President Obama is maybe too expose.

Damn it if he does and damn it if he doesn't with our Mass Media.; Reply to this comment


by zsgt September 24, 2009 6:10 PM EDT: Stuart Johns --- you sound like a 3 rd grader. You mother shouldn't let you on the computer..; Reply to this comment


by progressive09 September 24, 2009 5:52 PM EDT: The reason he is on every station is because he is trying to reach all people - not everyone watches everything -
I'm glad to see him stay in contact with the American people - we need to know from the "horse's mouth" so to speak, and then decide on our own and not let radio/tv/paper journalists put their spin on it -
Keep it up - I for one like to hear from you directly - it's about time.; Reply to this comment


by hungry1968-16 September 24, 2009 5:18 PM EDT: by jgg00009 September 24, 2009 4:59 PM EDT
seriously, whenever it says a "CBS/NYT poll you know it's bogus

Maybe you should go to Drudge where you can vote as many times as you want to?; Reply to this comment


by azure13 September 24, 2009 5:10 PM EDT: Need to see and hear as much as possible. Imo, our government doesn't do enough to make it clear to the American public where they are headed with laws and policies.

So definitely no, he is not overexposed at all.; Reply to this comment

by rplat September 24, 2009 4:44 PM EDT

Your polls are nonsense. Obama is on television more than a test pattern and everyone I know rushes for the remote when his face appears. Try getting off the two left coasts and out of the rust belt and conduct an unbiased poll.

Reply to this comment


by reveal5 September 24, 2009 5:10 PM EDT: Folks on the right simply disregard factual information in favor of dogma and political ideaology. This poll will not disappear because the fringe folks can't see or understand or assimilate the information. Fringers are taught to disregard factual information... the fringe is taught to be irrational. So many fringers have learned this lesson well and are, indeed, irrational. Disregarding factual, reasonable information does not mean that the information ceases to exist. This poll shows that about 60% of America has no problem with the number of Presidential appearances.


by progressive09 September 24, 2009 5:54 PM EDT: Most people I know who reach for their remote is because they don't want to hear anything he has to say - they judge before they even know

by maddog0802 September 24, 2009 4:29 PM EDT

President Obama gave 8 press conferences in his first 6 months in office. Dumbya gave 8 press conferences in his 8 YEARS.

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by hungry1968-16 September 24, 2009 4:34 PM EDT: Good point.

Why DID Bush shroud himself in secrecy?

What was he hiding?

Or was he really that ashamed of his performance?


by Marc_1986 September 24, 2009 4:48 PM EDT: And all 8 of those press conferences were virtually identical.

See all 4 Replies

by hungry1968-16 September 24, 2009 4:11 PM EDT

by Orlandojon September 24, 2009 3:24 PM EDT
Sounds like another one of those CBS polls where they only poll Democrats. Only the village idiot would want a president that appears on TV every night.

"Every night"?

I guess you figure that lying gives you credibility?

Reply to this comment


by pasmalltown September 24, 2009 6:57 PM EDT: by hungry1968-16 September 24, 2009 4:11 PM EDT -

"Every night"?

I guess you figure that lying gives you credibility?
______________

In his mind Orlandojon is not lying, he's exaggerating the truth - he's got the "Joe Wilson complex" - where rage and emotion cloud the truth.....


by Solarrays247 September 24, 2009 4:03 PM EDT: For the past 8.5 years, our nation has been experiencing some of the most trying times in our entire history! It is past time that our President gets before the people, and maintains contact with us. We are in this together, and I'd rather see the president there in front of me, addressing me, then sitting and hiding somewhere off in his ivory tower!! Obama is a roll 'em up shirt sleeve kind of guy....and we need someone like him right now!; Reply to this comment