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September 14, 2009

Rasmussen: Obama Rising (updated)

Gene Schwimmer
Five days after the President Obama's "health care speech" before a joint session of Congress, more than sufficient time to encompass all three of the days comprising Rasmussen's three-day rolling average, support for both Obama's health plan and for the president himself has risen dramatically.  On the health plan (emphases mine):

Support for the health care reform plan proposed by President Obama and congressional Democrats continues to grow following the president's speech to Congress last Wednesday night. It has now risen to the highest level yet measured, and, for the first time, shows a slight uptick in support among Republicans and voters not affiliated with either party.

With this single speech, all the ground Obama and the Democrats lost since the debate on health care began at the end of June has been made up, and more.  Even some Republicans are beginning to warm to it.

As for Obama, himself, his personal approval  has experienced a turnaround that can fairly be characterized as nothing less than stunning.  From a low of 45% on September 1, Obama's approval rating has soared, in just two weeks, to 52%, a rating not seen since July 17, and his Approval Rating stands at -3, a rating last recorded on July 7.

Or, to put it another way, the two-month steady, seemingly relentless erosion of support for both "Obamacare" and for the president himself has been completely reversed, in less than a week.  Less than a week ago, Republicans were winning the health care debate.  Today, they are losing.

To paraphrase Mark Twain, the waning of this president's rhetorical and persuasive abilities has been greatly exaggerated.

Update from Thoams Lifson:

Mickey Kaus and Jennifer Rubin, two ultra-sharp analysts, look at the Wapo-ABC News poll and draw different conclusions about the Obama bounce. 

Rubin:
The Washington Post-ABC poll shows that Obama made no statistically measurable difference in the health-care debate. Before the speech, Americans (not voters, as other polls generally measure) opposed ObamaCare by a margin of 50-45 percent. Afterward, by a margin of 48-46 percent. (The margin of error is +/- 3 percent). Fifty-four percent say the more they learn the less they like it. (The poll numbers for ObamaCare are virtually identical in that regard to those for HillaryCare.)

Kaus:

WaPo reports that in the days after Obama's speech, the Dem health care plan was opposed by a 48 to 46 margin--versus a 50-45 margin in mid-August. ... From five points down to two points down. That's all he got for playing the joint-session-prime-time-address card?

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