McGurn: The 'Likable' Barack Obama

[Amelia]

McGurn: The 'Likable' Barack Obama - WSJ.com

In 1980, Ronald Reagan zeroed in on the incompetence of Jimmy Carter, a good and decent man. That should be Mitt Romney's strategy in 2012.

How likable is Barack Obama?

Very likable, it seems, at least in contrast to his GOP rival. According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released a few days ago, Americans by a more than 2-to-1 ratio say the president is more "friendly and likable" than Mitt Romney.

Many Republicans, and especially conservatives, can find these numbers hard to credit. Some note that the poll sampling favors Democrats and thus artificially inflates the president's numbers. Still others have come to dislike President Obama so much that it makes them suspicious when they read numbers indicating they are in the minority.

The focus on likability is a mistake. It's a mistake, first, for Democrats if they believe likability will be enough for Mr. Obama to win re-election come November. It's even more of a mistake for those Republicans who believe that the only way to defeat the president is to get fellow Americans to dislike him as much as they do.

At its core, the confusion over likability has to do with an inability to see the world as the other side sees it.

<snipped>

Resurgent Republic, a conservative-leaning public research firm, found the same likability at work in recent focus groups of independents who had voted for Mr. Obama in 2008. The good news for Mr. Obama is that "these Obama Independents still like the president."

The bad news for him is that "[w]hen asked what they like most about the president, participants refer almost solely to personal traits like his character and speaking skills. At best, they credit President Obama for trying."

That helps explain why the same poll that showed the president more likable than Mr. Romney went on to report that a majority nonetheless thought the former Massachusetts governor would do a better job with the economy.

<snipped>


Mr. Romney already has the votes of those who dislike Mr. Obama. The votes he needs are there for the asking: folks who like Mr. Obama but have serious doubts about his leadership as president.

Excellent article. Good points. We aren't going to make people who like Obama as a person stop liking him. We have to get beyond our sense of puzzlement that some enjoy his speeches. This will win a lot more votes than trying to make people who find Obama charming suddenly stop liking him: "My opponent is a good and decent man but ..."

 

[Old Rocks]

Given the stances taken by Romney in the GOP primary, the reply should be, "Which Romney are you voting for, the one prior to Etch-a-Sketch, or the one after Etch-a-Sketch".

 

[rightwinger]

McGurn: The 'Likable' Barack Obama - WSJ.com

In 1980, Ronald Reagan zeroed in on the incompetence of Jimmy Carter, a good and decent man. That should be Mitt Romney's strategy in 2012.

How likable is Barack Obama?

Very likable, it seems, at least in contrast to his GOP rival. According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released a few days ago, Americans by a more than 2-to-1 ratio say the president is more "friendly and likable" than Mitt Romney.

Many Republicans, and especially conservatives, can find these numbers hard to credit. Some note that the poll sampling favors Democrats and thus artificially inflates the president's numbers. Still others have come to dislike President Obama so much that it makes them suspicious when they read numbers indicating they are in the minority.

The focus on likability is a mistake. It's a mistake, first, for Democrats if they believe likability will be enough for Mr. Obama to win re-election come November. It's even more of a mistake for those Republicans who believe that the only way to defeat the president is to get fellow Americans to dislike him as much as they do.

At its core, the confusion over likability has to do with an inability to see the world as the other side sees it.

<snipped>

Resurgent Republic, a conservative-leaning public research firm, found the same likability at work in recent focus groups of independents who had voted for Mr. Obama in 2008. The good news for Mr. Obama is that "these Obama Independents still like the president."

The bad news for him is that "[w]hen asked what they like most about the president, participants refer almost solely to personal traits like his character and speaking skills. At best, they credit President Obama for trying."

That helps explain why the same poll that showed the president more likable than Mr. Romney went on to report that a majority nonetheless thought the former Massachusetts governor would do a better job with the economy.

<snipped>


Mr. Romney already has the votes of those who dislike Mr. Obama. The votes he needs are there for the asking: folks who like Mr. Obama but have serious doubts about his leadership as president.

Excellent article. Good points. We aren't going to make people who like Obama as a person stop liking him. We have to get beyond our sense of puzzlement that some enjoy his speeches. This will win a lot more votes than trying to make people who find Obama charming suddenly stop liking him: "My opponent is a good and decent man but ..."

It goes beyond likeability. There is a general factor know as appearing "presidential" some can pull it off, others can't. Candidates like Dukakis, Mondale and Dole lacked that stage presence that said......I want this guy representing me.

Romney has a hard time relating to average Americans. He has the persona of the last person in the room to get a joke. He has little knowledge of sports or popular culture. His public appearances appear stiff and scripted.

Going to be hard for Romney to win over the American people. He can't even win over the republicans

 

[bitterlyclingin]

Obama was and still is the Socialist's "Wet Dream", a Communist in thought, heart, action and resolve, but a person of color that theoretically prevented you from objecting to any of his plans or programs because it painted you as a racist.
What about common sense?
Solyndra etc (Another taxpayer funded green program was pointed out as about to fail today)
Fast and Furious, a blatant attempt to eliminate all or part of America's Second Amendment rights.
Obamacare (Bahney Fwank recently pointed out that it was indeed a very dumb thing to do)
The 787 billion dollar Stimulus, simply payback for supporting Obama by looting the Treasury
Obama's rampaging lawlessness: His recess appointments when Congress was not in recess, his rape of the Chrysler bondholders, his illegal firing of Inspector General Gerald Walpin, his refusal to defend DOMA, his refusal to prosecute the Philadelphia NBPP for election law violations, his whole hearted open embrace of #OWS, his vigorous churning of the Martin/Zimmerman unrest by sending surrogates Sharpton, Jackson, and even DOJ personnel into the fray augmenting the Martin side..

 

[rightwinger]

Obama was and still is the Socialist's "Wet Dream", a Communist in thought, heart, action and resolve, but a person of color that theoretically prevented you from objecting to any of his plans or programs because it painted you as a racist.
What about common sense?
Solyndra etc (Another taxpayer funded green program was pointed out as about to fail today)
Fast and Furious, a blatant attempt to eliminate all or part of America's Second Amendment rights.
Obamacare (Bahney Fwank recently pointed out that it was indeed a very dumb thing to do)
The 787 billion dollar Stimulus, simply payback for supporting Obama by looting the Treasury
Obama's rampaging lawlessness: His recess appointments when Congress was not in recess, his rape of the Chrysler bondholders, his illegal firing of Insepctor General Gerald Walpin, his refusal to defend DOMA, his refusal to prosecute the Philadelphia NBPP for election law violations, his whole hearted open embrace of #OWS, his vigorous churning of the Martin/Zimmerman unrest by sending surrogates Sharpton, Jackson, and even DOJ personnel into the fray augmenting the Martin side..

Socialist, Communist, Solyndra, Fast and Furious, Obamacare, Bahney Frank, rampaging lawlessness, auto bailout, DOMA, Black Panthers, OWS, Sharpton, Jackson

Looks like you hit all the rightwing radio talking points

 

[Full-Auto]

Obama was and still is the Socialist's "Wet Dream", a Communist in thought, heart, action and resolve, but a person of color that theoretically prevented you from objecting to any of his plans or programs because it painted you as a racist.
What about common sense?
Solyndra etc (Another taxpayer funded green program was pointed out as about to fail today)
Fast and Furious, a blatant attempt to eliminate all or part of America's Second Amendment rights.
Obamacare (Bahney Fwank recently pointed out that it was indeed a very dumb thing to do)
The 787 billion dollar Stimulus, simply payback for supporting Obama by looting the Treasury
Obama's rampaging lawlessness: His recess appointments when Congress was not in recess, his rape of the Chrysler bondholders, his illegal firing of Insepctor General Gerald Walpin, his refusal to defend DOMA, his refusal to prosecute the Philadelphia NBPP for election law violations, his whole hearted open embrace of #OWS, his vigorous churning of the Martin/Zimmerman unrest by sending surrogates Sharpton, Jackson, and even DOJ personnel into the fray augmenting the Martin side..

Socialist, Communist, Solyndra, Fast and Furious, Obamacare, Bahney Frank, rampaging lawlessness, auto bailout, DOMA, Black Panthers, OWS, Sharpton, Jackson

Looks like you hit all the rightwing radio talking points

You mean actual facts......

 

[rightwinger]

Obama was and still is the Socialist's "Wet Dream", a Communist in thought, heart, action and resolve, but a person of color that theoretically prevented you from objecting to any of his plans or programs because it painted you as a racist.
What about common sense?
Solyndra etc (Another taxpayer funded green program was pointed out as about to fail today)
Fast and Furious, a blatant attempt to eliminate all or part of America's Second Amendment rights.
Obamacare (Bahney Fwank recently pointed out that it was indeed a very dumb thing to do)
The 787 billion dollar Stimulus, simply payback for supporting Obama by looting the Treasury
Obama's rampaging lawlessness: His recess appointments when Congress was not in recess, his rape of the Chrysler bondholders, his illegal firing of Insepctor General Gerald Walpin, his refusal to defend DOMA, his refusal to prosecute the Philadelphia NBPP for election law violations, his whole hearted open embrace of #OWS, his vigorous churning of the Martin/Zimmerman unrest by sending surrogates Sharpton, Jackson, and even DOJ personnel into the fray augmenting the Martin side..

Socialist, Communist, Solyndra, Fast and Furious, Obamacare, Bahney Frank, rampaging lawlessness, auto bailout, DOMA, Black Panthers, OWS, Sharpton, Jackson

Looks like you hit all the rightwing radio talking points

You mean actual facts......

You left out Muslim, non-American, telepromter reading, golf playing, Rev Wright, Ayers, Soros, NWO, gun confiscating, abortion loving, DADT....

You guys really have your finger on the pulse of what is going to win the next election

 

[ducks102]

Socialist, Communist, Solyndra, Fast and Furious, Obamacare, Bahney Frank, rampaging lawlessness, auto bailout, DOMA, Black Panthers, OWS, Sharpton, Jackson

Looks like you hit all the rightwing radio talking points

You mean actual facts......

You left out Muslim, non-American, telepromter reading, golf playing, Rev Wright, Ayers, Soros, NWO, gun confiscating, abortion loving, DADT....

You guys really have your finger on the pulse of what is going to win the next election

he is also a terrorist

 

[rightwinger]

You mean actual facts......

You left out Muslim, non-American, telepromter reading, golf playing, Rev Wright, Ayers, Soros, NWO, gun confiscating, abortion loving, DADT....

You guys really have your finger on the pulse of what is going to win the next election

he is also a terrorist

That goes without saying

 

[Rocko]

McGurn: The 'Likable' Barack Obama - WSJ.com

In 1980, Ronald Reagan zeroed in on the incompetence of Jimmy Carter, a good and decent man. That should be Mitt Romney's strategy in 2012.

How likable is Barack Obama?

Very likable, it seems, at least in contrast to his GOP rival. According to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released a few days ago, Americans by a more than 2-to-1 ratio say the president is more "friendly and likable" than Mitt Romney.

Many Republicans, and especially conservatives, can find these numbers hard to credit. Some note that the poll sampling favors Democrats and thus artificially inflates the president's numbers. Still others have come to dislike President Obama so much that it makes them suspicious when they read numbers indicating they are in the minority.

The focus on likability is a mistake. It's a mistake, first, for Democrats if they believe likability will be enough for Mr. Obama to win re-election come November. It's even more of a mistake for those Republicans who believe that the only way to defeat the president is to get fellow Americans to dislike him as much as they do.

At its core, the confusion over likability has to do with an inability to see the world as the other side sees it.

<snipped>

Resurgent Republic, a conservative-leaning public research firm, found the same likability at work in recent focus groups of independents who had voted for Mr. Obama in 2008. The good news for Mr. Obama is that "these Obama Independents still like the president."

The bad news for him is that "[w]hen asked what they like most about the president, participants refer almost solely to personal traits like his character and speaking skills. At best, they credit President Obama for trying."

That helps explain why the same poll that showed the president more likable than Mr. Romney went on to report that a majority nonetheless thought the former Massachusetts governor would do a better job with the economy.

<snipped>


Mr. Romney already has the votes of those who dislike Mr. Obama. The votes he needs are there for the asking: folks who like Mr. Obama but have serious doubts about his leadership as president.

Excellent article. Good points. We aren't going to make people who like Obama as a person stop liking him. We have to get beyond our sense of puzzlement that some enjoy his speeches. This will win a lot more votes than trying to make people who find Obama charming suddenly stop liking him: "My opponent is a good and decent man but ..."

It goes beyond likeability. There is a general factor know as appearing "presidential" some can pull it off, others can't. Candidates like Dukakis, Mondale and Dole lacked that stage presence that said......I want this guy representing me.

Romney has a hard time relating to average Americans. He has the persona of the last person in the room to get a joke. He has little knowledge of sports or popular culture. His public appearances appear stiff and scripted.

Going to be hard for Romney to win over the American people. He can't even win over the republicans

How do you know ? Remeber when Obama wass asked who his favorite whitesox player was?

You relate to Obama?

 

[rightwinger]

McGurn: The 'Likable' Barack Obama - WSJ.com




Excellent article. Good points. We aren't going to make people who like Obama as a person stop liking him. We have to get beyond our sense of puzzlement that some enjoy his speeches. This will win a lot more votes than trying to make people who find Obama charming suddenly stop liking him: "My opponent is a good and decent man but ..."

It goes beyond likeability. There is a general factor know as appearing "presidential" some can pull it off, others can't. Candidates like Dukakis, Mondale and Dole lacked that stage presence that said......I want this guy representing me.

Romney has a hard time relating to average Americans. He has the persona of the last person in the room to get a joke. He has little knowledge of sports or popular culture. His public appearances appear stiff and scripted.

Going to be hard for Romney to win over the American people. He can't even win over the republicans

How do you know ? Remeber when Obama wass asked who his favorite whitesox player was?

You relate to Obama?

Mitt would have answered Luis Aparichio