Is Obama dividing America even more?

[Jacob1983]

People ed all the time how Bush divided America while he was president. Lord Obama said during his campaign how bad and evil Bush was and how divided America was under Bush. I think Obama is dividing America even more than it ever was under Bush. And no I don't hate Obama. I also don't think he's the anti-Christ either. I just believe that he's a mere human like the rest of us. I bring the question up because with that report about right wing extremism on the rise, it's logical to say that America is becoming more divided. I thought Obama was going to bring people together with his cool and hip political views and ideas.

[PixelPusher]

These are highly partisan times in America. "Bipartisanship" (or, in the Obama nomenclature, "post-partisanship") makes for a catchy campaign slogan, but is difficult to execute upon in practice. The White House's aspirations (or pretense) of running a bipartisan administration died a quick and ugly death with two events: firstly, the House Republicans' decision to whip votes against Obama's stimulus package so as to produce a unanimous nay vote, and secondly, the Administration's decision to try and kneecap Rush Limbaugh.

Nonetheless, measurements of the partisan split in support for the President, as Pew Research has done here (they found a record partisan split in Obama's approval ratings, with 88 percent of Democrats but just 27 percent of Republicans approving of Obama's performance) are not quite as straightforward as they might seem. This is because partisan identification is at least somewhat fluid. The Republicans, in particular, have lost quite a bit of support over the past several years; those persons who continue to identify as Republicans are a hardened -- and very conservative -- lot. Just 24 percent of voters identified as Republican when Pew conducted this survey in March, which is roughly as low as that total has ever gotten.

We see some evidence of these effects in the comparison of Obama's numbers to those of George W. Bush's at a comparable point in his presidency. Obama and Bush had roughly the same level of support among members of their own party (88 percent for Obama, 87 percent for Bush) and roughly the same level of support among unaffiliated voters (57 percent for Obama, 56 for Bush). Bush, however, had more support from the opposition party (36 percent of Democrats versus 27 percent of Republicans). And yet Obama, not Bush, had the higher overall approval rating, because Democrats are a significantly larger cons uency than Republicans.



A more telling measure might be to see a breakdown in support by voters who identify themselves as conservative, moderate or liberal. These categories are somewhat fluid too -- but less so than partisan ID.

[ChumpDumper]

People ed all the time how Bush divided America while he was president. Lord Obama said during his campaign how bad and evil Bush was and how divided America was under Bush. I think Obama is dividing America even more than it ever was under Bush. And no I don't hate Obama. I also don't think he's the anti-Christ either. I just believe that he's a mere human like the rest of us. I bring the question up because with that report about right wing extremism on the rise, it's logical to say that America is becoming more divided. I thought Obama was going to bring people together with his cool and hip political views and ideas.

He did.

Just not you.

[Jacob1983]

Obama has made America more polarized than it ever was under Bush. Approval ratings mean nothing. If they meant something, Bush would have committed suicide while in office. I'm just saying that Obama hasn't done as president. That's all.

[ChumpDumper]

Obama has made America more polarized than it ever was under Bush.

Approval ratings mean nothing.

When you don't approve of them.

If they meant something, Bush would have committed suicide while in office.

I'm pretty sure he considers that a sin.

I'm just saying that Obama hasn't done as president. That's all.

So why are you guys having tea parties and ting your pants all the time?

[Jacob1983]

I didn't have a tea party or attend one. So are you going to tell me that Obama has united America? Seriously, name one thing that Obama has done that has been for the good of the country? Name one thing. The guy promised change. What change? The guy promised a monumental amount of and he hasn't delivered on any of it. I know that presidential candidates lie and say whatever to get elected but Obama promised a ridiculous amount of things to get elected. I will just be glad when all Americans open up their eyes and see that Obama is not a god and that he's just a mere mortal like the rest of us. I know people that seriously thought that things in America were going to get better ASPA when Obama got elected. The economy and unemployment rate have both gotten worse since Obama's been in the White House and don't pull that of blaming it on Bush cause Bush ain't president anymore. Obama is president right now. It's on his plate. Obama wanted to be president so he's gotta take the good with the bad.

[ChumpDumper]

I didn't have a tea party or attend one. So are you going to tell me that Obama has united America? Seriously, name one thing that Obama has done that has been for the good of the country? Name one thing. The guy promised change. What change? The guy promised a monumental amount of and he hasn't delivered on any of it. I know that presidential candidates lie and say whatever to get elected but Obama promised a ridiculous amount of things to get elected. I will just be glad when all Americans open up their eyes and see that Obama is not a god and that he's just a mere mortal like the rest of us. I know people that seriously thought that things in America were going to get better ASPA when Obama got elected. The economy and unemployment rate have both gotten worse since Obama's been in the White House and don't pull that of blaming it on Bush cause Bush ain't president anymore. Obama is president right now. It's on his plate. Obama wanted to be president so he's gotta take the good with the bad.

I think drawing conclusions about a presidency less than three months in is extremely stupid.

[Jacob1983]

People did the same thing under Bush. If you can criticize Bush for ing up, then you can criticize Obama for ing up. Obama isn't immune to criticism just because of his skin color.

[ChumpDumper]

People did the same thing under Bush.

I gave him over two years, and his up was the most egregious in my lifetime, up there with Watergate.

If you can criticize Bush for ing up, then you can criticize Obama for ing up.

You said he didn't do anything.

Obama isn't immune to criticism just because of his skin color.

I, however, am immune to straw men.

[Cant_Be_Faded]

Well duh
he's black

[ChumpDumper]

Jacob brings up his race enough completely out of the blue.

Interesting.

[antimvp]

Obama has made America more polarized than it ever was under Bush. Approval ratings mean nothing. If they meant something, Bush would have committed suicide while in office. I'm just saying that Obama hasn't done as president. That's all.

so you started this thread already knowing the answer to your question...I say off.

[TheProfessor]

Obama has made America more polarized than it ever was under Bush. Approval ratings mean nothing. If they meant something, Bush would have committed suicide while in office. I'm just saying that Obama hasn't done as president. That's all.

What the is your point? Is it that he's dividing America? Or that he hasn't done anything since in office? Or that he gets away with things because he's black? Please, pick a topic and stick with it instead of meandering when you can't back it up.

[JoeChalupa]

There will ALWAYS be those who oppose the sitting president and his policies. That will never change for if that were the case the president would have a 100% approval rating and that simply isn't going to happen. Sean insHannity and Rush Limpballs and FoxNews WANT the country divided and that is why they are always bashing Obama's every move and they sure are not helping to "unite" this country by their constant right-wing rhetoric and by pushing and promoting the tea parties is just another indication that they want to create as much havoc as possible to make Obama look bad. That is just a fact.
So while I never had any expectations that the USA would automatically become ONE nation totally behind him I wasn't expecting this much hate from the right.
Okay the other networks are biased too but just watch FoxNews like I am right now and there hasn't been one, not one positive story about Obama. Not one.

[FaithInOne]

Radicals tend to divide.

Regardless of which side they represent.

The good stuff hasn't even entered the fire yet. More fun is yet to come

You can't bull Natural Law forever.

[George Gervin's Afro]

I didn't have a tea party or attend one. So are you going to tell me that Obama has united America? Seriously, name one thing that Obama has done that has been for the good of the country? Name one thing. The guy promised change. What change? The guy promised a monumental amount of and he hasn't delivered on any of it. I know that presidential candidates lie and say whatever to get elected but Obama promised a ridiculous amount of things to get elected. I will just be glad when all Americans open up their eyes and see that Obama is not a god and that he's just a mere mortal like the rest of us. I know people that seriously thought that things in America were going to get better ASPA when Obama got elected. The economy and unemployment rate have both gotten worse since Obama's been in the White House and don't pull that of blaming it on Bush cause Bush ain't president anymore. Obama is president right now. It's on his plate. Obama wanted to be president so he's gotta take the good with the bad.

We have the minority party acting as if they won the election. They are catering to the far right nuts. Obama won a mandate to push through his legislation (just as Bush did in 04) like it or not. Obama has the right to pursure his agenda so to say he is dividing America is stupid. Right wingers will never like or support him, is that his fault?


Karl Rove's strategy from day one was to govern to the 51% conservative majority. So you look really stupid for trying to claim this is an Obama issue.

[Cry Havoc]

People did the same thing under Bush. If you can criticize Bush for ing up, then you can criticize Obama for ing up. Obama isn't immune to criticism just because of his skin color.

It would shock me if you were over 15 years old.

Bush's approval rating in October of 2001: 92%.

You're wrong. Shut up.

[George Gervin's Afro]

People did the same thing under Bush. If you can criticize Bush for ing up, then you can criticize Obama for ing up. Obama isn't immune to criticism just because of his skin color.

BUsh divided America by starting an unecessary war. Right wingers attacked Obama on day one.

[JoeChalupa]

BUsh divided America by starting an unecessary war. Right wingers attacked Obama on day one.

I concur. Saying you want a president to fail on day one is no way to unite this country.

[DarrinS]

BUsh divided America by starting an unecessary war. Right wingers attacked Obama on day one.

Lest we forget, a LARGE number of Democrats gave approval for that unnecessary war and also said Saddam had WMD.

I don't have to break out the quotes, do I?

I guess in politics, it's good to have a short memory.


As to the OP, I don't really think Obama, the man, is dividing America, but, perhaps, his policies are. I'm still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm not crazy about the direction I see the country headed. I'm especially worried about what will happen when they start taxing that hazardous gas, CO2 -- you know, the one, without which, there would be no life on Earth?

[George Gervin's Afro]

Lest we forget, a LARGE number of Democrats gave approval for that unnecessary war and also said Saddam had WMD.

I don't have to break out the quotes, do I?

I guess in politics, it's good to have a short memory.


As to the OP, I don't really think Obama, the man, is dividing America, but, perhaps, his policies are. I'm still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm not crazy about the direction I see the country headed. I'm especially worried about what will happen when they start taxing that hazardous gas, CO2 -- you know, the one, without which, there would be no life on Earth?

I, like the majority of this country, supported Bush's Iraq ar because we were told they were an imminent threat. They had mobile bio labs. Rummy told us we knew where the wmds were, around Tikrit he said. Condi told us that we could see a mushroom cloud from all f Saddam's wmds.... S yeah he lost me when most of the stuff to justify the war was bull . My intial thought was it was too soon after 9/11 but Bush told us that we couldn't wait...

[JoeChalupa]

Lest we forget, a LARGE number of Democrats gave approval for that unnecessary war and also said Saddam had WMD.

I don't have to break out the quotes, do I?

I guess in politics, it's good to have a short memory.


As to the OP, I don't really think Obama, the man, is dividing America, but, perhaps, his policies are. I'm still willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, but I'm not crazy about the direction I see the country headed. I'm especially worried about what will happen when they start taxing that hazardous gas, CO2 -- you know, the one, without which, there would be no life on Earth?

Also don't forget that many, democrats and republicans, were not told the truth and were sold the same story that the people were and that was that Saddam was responsible for 911 and WMD's ready to fire and that a mushroom cloud was inevitable...which it is but wasn't then...but that can be hashed and re-hashed to suit your own needs.
This country was headed down the wrong direction under the Bush administration and I don't think we will ever agree that it is depending upon who is in the White House and how you feel about the sitting president. I didn't expect all the republicans and conservatives to suddenly embrace a democrat as president but the total lack of an honest effort to give the guy a chance, while not shocking, did come quicker than I expected.
Hopefully things will change in the months and years to come.

[DarrinS]

I, like the majority of this country, supported Bush's Iraq ar because we were told they were an imminent threat. They had mobile bio labs. Rummy told us we knew where the wmds were, around Tikrit he said. Condi told us that we could see a mushroom cloud from all f Saddam's wmds.... S yeah he lost me when most of the stuff to justify the war was bull . My intial thought was it was too soon after 9/11 but Bush told us that we couldn't wait...

So, when a Democrat says Iraq had WMD, they were just misinformed, but when someone from the Bush admin said Iraq had WMD, they were liars?

Ok, I see how this works.

I'll admit, we (the U.S.) have egg on our face for that whole debacle, but you can't blame only those with an (R.) after their name because of an intel failure.

[George Gervin's Afro]

So, when a Democrat says Iraq had WMD, they were just misinformed, but when someone from the Bush admin said Iraq had WMD, they were liars?

Ok, I see how this works.

I'll admit, we (the U.S.) have egg on our face for that whole debacle, but you can't blame only those with an (R.) after their name because of an intel failure.

one question. Who gave the democrats the intel? Before you respond with what Clinton said in 98, I would hope that Bush was not relying on 3 yr old intel to go to war.

[DarrinS]

I didn't expect all the republicans and conservatives to suddenly embrace a democrat as president but the total lack of an honest effort to give the guy a chance, while not shocking, did come quicker than I expected. Hopefully things will change in the months and years to come.

Well, a few of his initial cabinet appointees and their tax problems were an embarrassment. There's also been a few diplomatic blunders.


I think more people would be behind him if he was trying to do so much so soon. People are only ready for change in small doses. All of this unprecedented spending during an economic downturn has people worried, and rightfully so, IMO.