COMMENTARY | Amid Obama's growing avalanche of woes, Gallup released the latest approval numbers for the struggling president. He has hit an entirely new "all time low" of 41 percent. The Economic Confidence Index has plummeted to -40. Americans aren't buying the "I inherited this mess" story anymore. Bloomberg's latest poll shows 61 percent of respondents think 2012 will mark Obama's responsibility line in making the economy "substantially better." Only three out of 10 say they will vote for him. While the November primaries are over a year away, Obama is in serious trouble.
In 2008, Louis Farrakhan said that when Obama talks "the Messiah is absolutely speaking," according to World Net Daily. Today, the Nation of Islam leader believes "that's a murderer in the White House." While the opinions of Farrakhan have fallen the full measure between heaven and hell, even his most enthusiastic supporters of three years ago seem to languish the depths of purgatory.
As discussed in my recent article, "Obama Re-Election Chances Reaching Terminal Velocity," Obama is facing some serious heat. From low poll numbers and the public's offense to his disconnected humor in their suffering to being sued by Congress for his debacle in Libya and leaving the Puerto Rican people $1 million shorter and legislators angry by his hype and change, the man touted as "the smartest guy ever to become president" appears aware but oddly unconcerned by how fast the ice is thinning beneath his feet.
During Obama's recent appearance at a rally in Miami, Fla., the Associated Press reported that even the president is lamenting how "It's not as cool to be an Obama supporter as it was in 2008, with the posters and all of that stuff." What the AP portrayed as an "intimate gathering of donors" could be more accurately described as a 2,200 seat venue where only 980 people were willing to purchase a ticket.
The fact that the president's chief campaign strategist, David Axelrod, felt it necessary to step forward and reassure fans that it's still "cool," reports RealClearPolitics, to be an Obama supporter shows their awareness of how deeply the rock of doubt has sunk within their base.
During Obama's speech at a DNC event, mention of his imaginary creation of 2.1 million jobs drew ("Laughter") from his fellow Democrats, which was marked by the event stenographer into the original transcript at the punch line. However, the White House version shows (Applause). Drudge Report discovered that the White House Press secretary issued a memo for "Immediate Release" to change the "(Laughter)" to "(Applause)." Politico reports that the White House has declined to comment on the matter, but an event official said, even though she heard laughter, the stenographer must have accidentally hit the "laughter" key.
Making matters worse for himself, Politico reports that the leaders of the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO) are angry that Obama has skipped their annual conference for the past three years, even though he promised he would return after they helped elect him to the presidency.
"It is getting harder and harder for the president to go into a venue where he is confronted by Latinos because he is in a jam," said Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Ill.), NALEO member and one of Obama's earliest yet newly embittered Hispanic supporters. "In front of a group like NALEO, blaming Republicans for their intransigence on immigration reform and not addressing what the president's own administration is doing to immigrants would not wash."
Seeming to ignore the rise of disappointments and loss of support in the Hispanic voting base, White House Spokesman Luis Miranda said the administration has shown "unprecedented" work and outreach on issues important to Hispanics. Of course, Florida representative and DNC Chair Debbie Wasserman Shultz also predicted, by reminding them of the few things Obama did in the past on their behalf, the "outreach" to women would be equally "unprecedented." However, the Washington Times reported that the moment they tried plucking that string, the moderator at the Netroots Nation conference said, "Frankly we're a little sick of hearing about that one."
Compared to the swell of many demographics that lifted Obama to the White House in 2008, his support among black Americans was a virtual tidal wave. While it may not be cause for immediate alarm, an April Gallup poll revealed an unexpected drop among Blacks of 7 percent in March. The recent report by CBS News of the staggering new unemployment numbers among black Americans may be enough to tip wavering black supporters over the edge and erode Obama's favorability numbers even further.
While the national unemployment level hovers around 9.1 percent, CBS News correspondent Michelle Miller reported that unemployment among African Americans is now at "Depression-era levels." The latest figures show joblessness among African Americans at 16.2 percent and black males at 17.5 percent. Earlier this month, CBS revealed the national unemployment rate for teens stands at 24 percent overall. This week, the outlet reported the unemployment rate for black teens is approaching an astounding 41 percent.
Coincidentally, after Obama's trip to Puerto Rico in a disastrous effort to boost his faltering poll numbers among Hispanics, the president chose to have his wife and children make the trip to South Africa. Unfortunately, the Telegraph has reported that South African President Jacob Zuma decided he was "not available" to meet Michelle. Obama's folly in Libya is to blame.
"We strongly believe that the (UN Security Council) resolution is being abused for regime change, political assassinations and foreign military occupation," Zuma told parliament the day after Hillary Clinton's speech calling for support from African leaders.
Agence France-Presse reported that, according to the White House, the purpose of the First Lady's visit is to "emphasize to the first family of South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle, which President Obama has called his first political cause." Additionally, we are told that the president has periodic telephone calls with former president Nelson Mandela.
Perhaps with the lengthy and ever growing list of "top priorities" of which CBS has been keeping track -- securing the southwest border, recovering and rebuilding from a recession, free trade, energy security, hurricane preparedness and about a dozen others -- perhaps Obama doesn't have enough time to "emphasize to the first family of South Africa's anti-apartheid struggle" regularly or to remind them it was his "first political cause" himself.
Of course, tornado and flood preparedness didn't even make it on the "top priorities" list, as to leave plenty of room for throwing another White House party or fundraiser, going on another family vacation and setting the world record for rounds of golf played by a sitting president.
Sources:
"Election 2012", Gallup
Julianna Goldman, "Obama Gets 30% of Americans Certain to Support Re-election in Economy Poll", Bloomberg
"Farrakhan on Obama: 'The Messiah is absolutely speaking'", World Net Daily
"Minister Farrakhan: "That's A Murderer In The White House!"", YouTube
Patricia Campion, "Obama Re-Election Chances Reaching Terminal Velocity", Yahoo!News
Patricia Campion, "Puerto Rican Legislators Unimpressed by Hype and Change", Yahoo!News
Douglas MacKinnon, ""Historians" For Obama", Town Hall
Yahoo!News, "Analysis: Passion for Obama not like 2008", Associated Press
Patricia Campion, "Obama and Fellow Liberals Heckled -- by Other Liberals", Yahoo!News
"CX: Not 'laughter,' 'applause'..." Drudge Report
"Remarks by the President at a DNC Event", The White House
"Axelrod Assures Admirers: "It's Cool To Be An Obama Supporter", Real Clear Politics
Julie Mason, "President Obama no-show miffs Hispanics", Politico
Dave Boyer, "Obama slammed at liberal conference", Washington Times
"Obama Approval Slips Among Blacks, Hispanics in March", Gallup
Ailsinn Laing, "Jacob Zuma snubs Michelle Obama during First Lady's South Africa visit" The Telegraph
Yahoo!News, "Michelle Obama visits S.Africa with family", Agence France-Presse
Michelle Miller, "African-American unemployment at 16 percent", CBS News
Mark Knoller, "How Many "Top Priority" Issues Does Obama Have?", CBS News
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