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February 24, 2009 10:30 PM

Poll: Positive Reception For Obama Address

Posted by Brian Montopoli
(CBS)
UPDATED WITH FINAL RESULTS CBS News and Knowledge Networks held a nationally representative poll of 547 people who watched President Obama give his address to Congress to gauge their reaction in the minutes after the president’s speech.

Eighty percent of speech watchers approve of President Obama’s plans for dealing with the economic crisis. Before the speech, 63 percent approved.

Fifty-one percent of speech watchers think the president's economic plans will help them personally. Thirty-six thought so before the speech.

Seventy-five percent of speech watchers now say they were able to get a good understanding of President Obama’s economic plans, compared to 58 percent before the speech.



Seventy-four percent of speech watchers think President Obama’s plans will make the economy better. Eleven percent think they will make them worse, while 15 percent think they will make no difference.

Eighty percent of speech watchers are optimistic about the next four years with Mr. Obama as president. Seventy-one percent said they were optimistic before the speech.

Seventy-six percent of speech watchers think Barack Obama’s economic plans will help the housing crisis. Twenty-four percent think they will not.

See the full poll results here. (PDF)

This is a scientifically representative poll of speech watchers. The margin of sampling error could be plus or minus 4 percentage points for results based on the entire sample.

More CBSNews.com Coverage Of President Obama's Address To Congress:
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Obama's Speech To Congress
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Add a Comment See all 23 Comments
by NoMoreBias April 18, 2009 10:04 AM EDT
Oh sorry, yes, polls. Polls on the Internet are open to the entire world. Canadians as well as other country even leave comments for out political questions and issues as well as
vote in our polls. Please know when you look at Internet polls, that it is not a complete poll with just Americans. Europeans have been saying for years they think they should be able to
vote for our President. They cannot do that, but they found a way to influence us by giving us 'off' poll numbers. I don't know where all of you live, but this President is not as popular as you think. And without Acorn bias, he would not have won the election, as well as a hate bias by left networks like CNN. Enjoy your 4 years Dem's. And if 'your guy' puts in a socialized network of health care, I'm going to cry we also do something along social lines, because the first thing that goes in a socialistic society is ... yes you guessed it, ,,, the democratic party. Just saying. LOL Not the brightest in the bunch that's for sure. But okay, let's do your socialized plans in a country that has individual freedoms protected by a little thing called the constitution. The Republican party was born with Lincoln. The greatest spin by the Democratics in our history, is that this party of the KKK ever cared about African Americans. It has proved however, that it can spin and place bias on anything. Also it has proved that it can seduced with welfare, the promise of socialism and the promise of legalized drugs. We live next to a country who's main export is illegal drugs... so Dem's continue to attack the moral compass of this country by attacking Republicans, and why they allow the media to attack Republicans... wait till the media turns government and turns on the rest of you for no reason other then spin and we'll see how you like it then.
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by NoMoreBias April 18, 2009 9:54 AM EDT
Sorry, typing fast and had a busy week. Fixing the mis-wording for Kennedy, what I meant by that was yes Kennedy was a Dem, my reference was for Martin Luther King who was a Republican, as Kennedy had him put under surveillance when he was President. Also I forgot to add that another strong lure for the Democratic party is that drug users tend to lean left, because they feel this party is their best bet to legalizing their favorite illegal drugs. And having said all that, no I am not the new spin label of the Democratics, as their newest negative label for Republicans is 'extreme right', I am not, nor do I feel others are, they just needed a negative label. I am more liberal then most Dem's. The Dem's need to start listening to the issues of 65 million people, because negative spins by bully news network will not strong arm the American people to their bias.
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by NoMoreBias April 17, 2009 4:52 PM EDT
There is a media bias for the party of the KKK, yes, the democratic party. The democratic party is not the party of Lincoln or Kennedy. The democratic party IS the party of the
KKK. That is the main reason I will never belong to the Democratic party. What has made the democratic party popular is the welfare program installed by Democratic Jimmy Carter, and of course the promise of socialized health care, please bare in mind that our country is based to protect individual rights, not the collective good. We are a
Capitalistic society, not a socialist one. Socialist societies are poor society's, America is not a socialist society nor would that work here any more then Democracy would work in Russia. The media has commandeered a bias against
all Republicans, but then again, it is the party of the KKK. One of these days an man of early American African American heritage will sit in the oval office, and he will come from the Republican party. The Democratic party will continue to attack all Republicans and the media fueled bias stirred by rich Dem's sitting in the right chairs will also continue to attack the American people. Our government is currently out of control, and has been for some time. A grass roots movement has started to open dialog and show concern. It did not take long for a CNN reporter to start yelling at a man with a baby. This was a peaceful demonstration that Dem's and Republicans are taking part in together. The government spending did not start with Obama, but it is not stopping with him either. Back to the peaceful demonstration by people that love their country... the reporter yells at a demonstrator holding a baby. Others start to yell at her because she is yelling at a man holding a baby as well as being out of line at a peaceful demonstration. Look at the baby. He is safe in Dad's arms, he turns in for more safety when she yells, then he turns back to stare at her again. Babies are alarmed by yelling and take their cues from a parent, the Dad was cool, so the baby felt safe, yet the sounds were alarming and the baby turns back to look at the yelling CNN reporter. The CNN reporter tried to incite this peaceful demonstration. Others yelled at her for good reason, she was out of line. Then after she incites by yelling at a demonstrator because she does not agree with him or others at the rally, she then slaps the label of 'not family friendly' on the rally. It is the reporter that is not family friendly. Then she goes on to blame a
competing news station for the tea party. The tea party was started by a grass roots movement. If the Dem's are interested in getting along, I suggest doing something they all refused to do during the election and after... try listening to what 65 million Americans have to say, because 65 million of us did not vote for the guy. CNN and others networks can spin story's in his favor all they like and it won't change the fact that people are smart enough to read past the spin, however, it is disappointing to see reporting go to such bias. Shame on you CNN and other Dem biased networks.
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by Tinkerthinker February 26, 2009 10:05 PM EST
You take a poll of 500 people and discount the opinions of millions? Your pitiful. Your poll isn't going to make us like the stimulus any better than it did before you took it you fool!
Reply to this comment
by Waynemars February 26, 2009 7:44 PM EST
Great speech by Obama. It is now clear that the trickle down economics since Reagan up until now have NOT worked and have actually led to the mess we are in. Time for genuine change and Obama seems to be up to the challenge.

However, his plan is incomplete on one area: where will the funds from from? Here is the missing piece to the Obama plan: rocket fuel for the economic engine. Creating 5 Million jobs in 18 months, this plan provides for a budget neutral $1 Trillion cash infusion into the banking system and on into the economy without $1.00 of direct government funding. Check out http://theprosperitymandate.org
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by stahrdance February 26, 2009 4:21 PM EST
I have to laugh at all of the "fiscal conservative" posters railing against the spending in the stimulus plan. For 8 years their leaders spent like drunken sailors... leaving the new President with a fine mess to try to untangle and repair.

The majority of economists are not unhappy with the plan and only feel that the amount should have been larger.... not smaller. They agree that government spending, not tax cuts, are the best way to get money back into the economy at this time. How can the right wing nuts totally ignore the advice of the experts? Could it be that it doesn't focus on putting more money in the pockets of the rich?

You have no right to rail against the deficit growing after what you left on the plate on your way out of the Whitehouse and the Congress. You didn't even have the guts to include the war cost in your budgets.

You insult the Democrats as being a party of welfare recipients but these are the people that built your fancy cars and houses and clean your penthouse offices. You are just POd that you can't play the stock market anymore, in effect gambling on our productivity and hard work. How does it feel to face life without retirement funds? Welcome to the real world.... you created.

Read the polls and weep.... people want "change" ... not more of the same failed policies and moral bankruptcy.
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by art4alade February 26, 2009 3:10 PM EST
I agree with the president that you dont need a bail out if you buy a house that you can not afford. Home owners in this category should pay their mortgage or face the out come of failure. What about those on welfare all through their life ? Do they not fall in the same category with those that bought houses that they can not afford? I believe the welfare system should be limited to people that realy need our support..
Reply to this comment
by ilikemymoney February 26, 2009 8:33 AM EST
Where the heck are we getting this "money"? We are trillions of dollars in debt as it is. We can't "make" money to get us out of trouble, it doesnt work that way. Insanity is often described as doing the same thing over and over again trying for different results. History has a strange but obvious way of repeated itself over the years.

We should not have the government bail the incompetent home owners who cannot pay their mortgage. It may surprise some people that sometimes you have to buy a smaller house!! oh no!!

Buying a house is called a gamble!! Sometimes you win big, you lose big, and sometimes you break even. just because a large amount of people are losing doesnt mean the government needs to bail them out. They have a right to fail. Failing teaches people a lesson, but if it's just brushed aside then we are destined to fail everything in life.So thanks for making my kids, grand kids, and great grand kids a failure. And they aren't even born yet!

Once we take money from the government, then the government owns us. They will start to control us in every aspect of our lives and it will devastating.

America is the frog. We are in the pot of water and it is almost boiling. Once we start to boil, we will die as a country and turn into something that is not American.
Reply to this comment
by dhutch88 February 25, 2009 2:27 PM EST
If you look and read carefully the stock market is spiraling downward with every word Obama says. Get over it, the market has tanked because he is full of it. Nice speech though
Reply to this comment
by February 25, 2009 2:11 PM EST
You guys who are negative about Obama's performance and capabilities have you head in an awkward location. Hard to hear or see what the President had to say that way.

If you listen or read carefully Obama's address you will find a leader who is intelligent and able to speak clearly about his plan. His plan is consistent with what he campaigned on, and was voted on by a clear majority of AMERICANS.

Get over it.
Reply to this comment
by hatesthecolt February 25, 2009 2:00 PM EST
take a look at gallup polls today obama down to 59%
job approval
Posted by popstom1

Are you serious? DOWN to 59%???? You do remember that "W" was struggling to get up to 30, right? You also realize that 59% is more than even voted for him? 59 is stellar in any circumstances, much less these. I know Obama-Haters will look for anything to grab on to, but that's kind of pathetic, don't you think?
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by juliuswillis February 25, 2009 10:24 AM EST
checking new password.
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by baca1965 February 25, 2009 10:16 AM EST
the democrats seem to think that the american people finally got a brain when obama got elected.Newsflash you idiots we have had the brains its you (dems & reps) that loose your brain for the almighty dollar.If the elected officials want to help do some thing thats shows us that you want to help the economy.All the elected officials are more wealthy than the average american people. the Bush Family has more money than is allowed by law and the same with Good Ole Bill.Lose the payments to former presidents and all officials who are independently wealthy, from the smallest town to the WhiteHouse,until America can recover from the blind trust we put in Government.
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by bigsk8fan February 25, 2009 8:44 AM EST
why would it be a surprise to anyone but a republican that most americans approved of barack obama. he represents hope over fear. he represents the opposite of the republican failed policies of the last 8 years. even after the address, republican bobby jindal just reiterated the same old republican diatribe. less govt, fiscal restraint, hurricane katrina. hey, bobby jindal and the rest of you republicans, americans saw what you actually did the last 8 years. ie. more govt with republicans, more fiscal spending with republicans, more war with republicans, etc
Reply to this comment
by JimIsHere February 25, 2009 7:49 AM EST
I'm sorry people. We are borrowing money beyond believe. Morality is gone. Government is corrupt. Blago is the tip of the iceberg here. All Mr. Obama said was 'spend more'. Unless you are union, a teacher, or a scientist, you won't see too much out of this, except wide spread inflation, and perhaps the dollar worth nothing but paper. Expect very difficult times ahead.
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by sjv150 February 25, 2009 7:14 AM EST
Obama is destroying our Country. His massive spending spree of pork barrel projects is dividing this country. He cares more about the rights of the terriorists and those people who don't follow the rules. The average taxpayer is left paying for all this Pork. I see some very difficult times ahead if he doesn't cut back from his Far Left Socialist policies.
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by FreddyBartholomew February 25, 2009 3:18 AM EST
How inspiring to have an intelligent, articulate and knowledgeable President. Change has come to America.
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by alphaa10 February 25, 2009 1:44 AM EST
President Obama's speech begins the national recovery.

As with any recession economy, the largest and least manageable factor is public confidence.

Obama seems to have recaptured that confidence decisively.

During FDR's address of the same widespread fears, he understood that candor was most important.

And then, to appeal to the common resolve Americans tend to show when failure is not an option.
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by zasel February 25, 2009 1:13 AM EST
President Obama made a hell of a first joint session of congress speech, or State of the Union Lite. He explained his stimulus plan in a way that just about everyone listening could understand, and his speaking style was brilliant and moving. After 8 years of listening to Bush 2 try to string some words together into partially intelligible sentences, this president is an absolute pleasure to listen to.

He was inspiring, honest, realistic and motivational in the way he delivered his lengthy message. Those in attendance, on several occasions, gave bi-partisan standing ovations. Of course, the Republicans did show their disdain for the stimulus package by not standing for the president's comments concerning that topic. But all the other stuff had them standing and applauding along with their Democrat counterparts.

Bobby Jindal's speech on the other hand, was a disgrace. Negative to the hilt. He inspired perhaps the furthest far right-wing of the Republican party who put rigid, fundamental ideology ahead of the good of the country. But he has lost moderates and fair-minded voters entirely.
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by cydygitt1 February 25, 2009 12:58 AM EST
Very inspirational speech in these trying times.

"Eighty percent of speech watchers approve of President Obama?s plans for dealing with the economic crisis."

Certainly time to stop the partisan attacks on a president that has already tried reaching across the aisle.
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