MAJORITY OF AMERICANS DO NOT TRUST OBAMA: POLL

         Washington, 22 Muharam 1435/26 November 2013 (MINA) – A new CNN International survey released Monday found a majority of Americans now believe President Obama is untrustworthy, while a minority see him as a good manager.

         There are just 40 percent of Americans believe Obama is an effective manager — 12 percentage points lower than his June numbers and his worst numbers to date. Another 53 percent of Americans said they do not believe Obama is honest or trustworthy.

         “A lot of attention has focused on the President’s numbers on honesty in new polling the past three weeks, but it looks like the recent controversy over Obamacare has had a bigger impact on his status as an effective manager of the government, and that may be what is really driving the drop in Obama’s approval rating this fall,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.

         The poll comes as the Obama administration grapples with the botched roll out of HealthCare.gov and attempts to right the the president’s failed “if you like your healthcare plan, you can keep your healthcare plan” promise.

         And while many Americans do not see Obama as trustworthy, Holland said that the more concerning number would be his reputation as a manager, The Daily Caller quoted by Mi’raj News Agency (MINA) as reporting.

        “Just ask Bill Clinton, whose overall approval ratings remained high during and after the Monica Lewinsky scandal because three-quarters of all Americans thought he could get things done, even though only about one in five said he was honest,” Holland said.

         The poll — which was conducted with 843 adult Americans over the phone from Nov. 18  – 20, and has a +/-3.5 percentage point margin of error — further found that 56 percent said Obama is not a person they admire, 56 percent said he does not inspire confidence, and 53 percent do not see him as a strong leader.

         Still, about 70 percent said Obama is likable and 60 percent believe he has a vision for the country.

More bad polling news for Obama

         53% of Americans now believe that Obama is not honest and trustworthy, the first time that a clear majority in CNN polling has felt that way, according to American Thinker.com.

        According to the survey, conducted last Monday through Wednesday, 40% say the President can manage the government effectively. That 40% figure is down 12 percentage points from June and is the worst score Obama received among the nine personal characteristics tested in the new poll.

         “A lot of attention has focused on the President’s numbers on honesty in new polling the past three weeks, but it looks like the recent controversy over Obamacare has had a bigger impact on his status as an effective manager of the government, and that may be what is really driving the drop in Obama’s approval rating this fall,” CNN Polling Director Keating Holland said.

         “Trust is like virginity: once you lose it it’s hard to get it back.” So spoke pollster John Zogby, commenting on his latest poll on President Obama’s handling of his office. Quoted by Paul Bedard in the Washington Examiner:

       “Most ominous for Mr. Obama is that 57 percent now disapprove of his job. That is his worst number yet. This includes 57 percent of men and 55 percent of women; 51 percent of moderates, 24 percent of liberals and 24 percent of Democrats; 66 percent of independents and 40 percent of Hispanics. (T/P04/E1)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)