Friday, March 13, 2009

'Increasingly significant doubts'

(BUMPED; UPDATES BELOW) Doug Schoen and Scott Rasmussen in the Wall Street Journal:
It is simply wrong for commentators to continue to focus on President Barack Obama's high levels of popularity, and to conclude that these are indicative of high levels of public confidence in the work of his administration. Indeed, a detailed look at recent survey data shows that the opposite is most likely true. The American people are coming to express increasingly significant doubts about his initiatives, and most likely support a different agenda and different policies from those that the Obama administration has advanced. . . .
Mr. Obama has lost virtually all of his Republican support and a good part of his Independent support, and the trend is decidedly negative.
Read the whole thing. And remember: It Won't Work. Did I mention that yet another Obama appointee at the Treasury Department has pulled out? Or that Americans have lost 18% of their net worth?

Liberals should just relax. Keep bashing Rush Limbaugh. Focus on important issues like gays in the military and pandering to union bosses. Don't let the vaunted Right-Wing Noise Machine deceive you. Obama still has the support of The Republicans Who Really Matter: David Brooks, Meghan McCain, Arlen Specter, David Frum, Kathleen Parker, Olympia Snowe . . . uh, I'm sure I can think of some more. Just give me a minute.

UPDATE: Carin in the comments suggests adding Andrew Sullivan to my list of The Republicans Who Really Matter, but Sully's an immigrant and I'm a xenophobic nativist, so . . .

UPDATE II: Lots of The Republicans Who Don't Really Matter are now commenting on this poll, as well as on Obama's new it's-not-really-that-bad flip-flop.

UPDATE III: Why do I always get wisenheimers in the comment fields? Thirteen28 wants me to count "Mr. The-Grassroots-Needs-Elites-Like-Me" among The Republicans Who Really Matter. Having sworn a Lenten vow, I can't punk-smack the kid again until Easter, although my Catholic friends tell me that one is released from such vows on Sunday. Since my family is Seventh-Day Adventist, that means I'll be gritting my teeth until sundown Saturday (7:17 p.m. EDT, to be exact), at which time I can offer further hearty congratulations to Ross for his recognition as a Republican Who Really Matters.

BTW, am I correct in guessing that "Thirteen28" is an allusion to the Treaty of Edinburgh in 1328 A.D., whereby Edward III recognized the independence of Scotland? (Blogger Jeopardy!)

UPDATE IV: Young Dan Collins is a Republican Who Doesn't Really Matter. Splendid fellow, young Dan. Organized the big shindig for old Hawkie, you know. I'm busy blogging (no time for "research" today), but I understand one of The Republicans Who Really Really Matter is on his way to the luncheon soiree for the old Burgemeister. Frequent Commenter Smitty -- of the Alexandria Smiths, you know -- says the sharpest, most innovative heterodox thinker of his generation, Brooks Rossington Frumdreher III is supposed to file a report soon. Assuming he's not already too heavy into the gin and tonics . . .

UPDATE V: Commenter Carin at Is This Blog On? gets linked by Kate at Small Dead Animals, a Rule 2 that qualifies them both as Republicans Who Don't Really Matter.

8 comments:

  1. You forgot Andrew Sullivan.

    Personally, I can hardly get a liberal to discuss politics right now.

    ReplyDelete
  2. You forgot our newest NY Times columnist, Mr. The-Grassroots-Needs-Elites-Like-Me, Ross Douthat.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I've never seen the expression "deep-seeded" in a published piece before. Live and learn, I guess.

    ReplyDelete
  4. But the GOP has to bring something new to the table if we're going to capitalize on this:

    Do We Need A Rent Strike in the GOP

    ReplyDelete
  5. You know, I should hope that you're ready to bring Judd Gregg back into La Familia after his attempt at playing Carlo from The Godfather. His cool and rather persistent smackdown of Geithner yesterday more than makes up for his previous betrayal.

    Geithner, like his boss, has no clothes. Or, to carry the Godfather analogy further, "Tattaglia is a pimp. It was Barzini all along..."

    Are we agreed that it's best not to take Gregg for a ride with Clemenza?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sorry Stacy, forgot about Lent.

    "BTW, am I correct in guessing that "Thirteen28" is an allusion to the Treaty of Edinburgh in 1328 A.D., whereby Edward III recognized the independence of Scotland?"

    Not even close (although I very much enjoyed Robert McNair Scott's biography of Robert The Bruce and am a history junkie). Think football, think Greatest Show on Turf, which still existed about the time I came up with that.

    Sincerely,

    Mr. Weisenheimer ... LOL

    ReplyDelete
  7. "Since my family is Seventh-Day Adventist, that means I'll be gritting my teeth until sundown Saturday"

    If or when you make a pilgrimage to Battle Creek MI. I will be more than happy to take you out dining. Even vegan if that is required.

    ReplyDelete