Poll: Most see Obama as a failure

A clear majority of Americans describe President Obama’s tenure as a “failure” according to a new poll released Monday.

The survey from IBD/TIPP indicates that 53 percent of adults in the United States now characterize Obama’s presidency as a “failure,” while 41 percent chalk it up as a success. Half of the people who live in states won by Obama see his tenure negatively, as do 59 percent of those aged 25-44 years old.

Some of the key groups remain solid in their support of the president, though. More than three-quarters of voters aged 18-24 see Obama’s presidency as a success, as do 54 percent of single women.

{mosads}By contrast, only 32 percent of married women describe Obama as a success while 58 percent of independents see him as a failure.

The survey also found that only 43 percent of U.S. adults say they would vote for Obama, who has been besieged by international crises, were a presidential election held today. Some 49 percent would favor 2012 Republican presidential candidate Mitt Romney.

The slide in approval of the president seems to be primarily driven by concern over his economic record. While three in four Americans say they place a “high importance” on the economy and jobs when evaluating candidates, just 31 percent say Obama is doing a good job at growing the economy.

At a speech last week at Northwestern University, Obama looked to reverse those perceptions, arguing it was “indisputable that our economy is stronger today than it was when I took office.” Obama said progress “has been hard, but it has been steady, and it is real.”

In the address, Obama acknowledged that there were persistent frustrations with the economy, but blamed congressional Republicans for blocking policy ideas he argues would have helped the middle class reap more benefits from the recovery.

“When push came to shove this year, and Republicans in Congress actually had to take a stand on policies that would help the middle class and working Americans — raising the minimum wage, enacting fair pay, refinancing student loans, extending insurance for the unemployed — the answer was ‘no,’” Obama said. 

Republicans blasted back, saying Obama had killed middle class jobs through regulation and blocking construction projects like the Keystone XL pipeline.

“What about Americans who work in industries that liberals in Washington don’t approve of, like coal?” Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said. “This administration has thrown a wet blanket over the economy with its focus on spending, borrowing, taxing and regulating, and those things clearly haven’t worked.”