Swing voters give Obama flexibility to solve US economic crisis
Even President-elect Barack Obama鈥檚 least enthusiastic supporters seem willing to cut him slack in solving the nation鈥檚 problems.That is one conclusion of a focus group conducted Nov. 22 by pollster Peter Hart among Virginia voters who might not have been expected to vote for Obama. Eight of the 12 voted for George Bush in 2004, nine considered backing John McCain. The focus group session, conducted for the Annenberg Public Policy Center, will air Nov. 28 at 8 p.m. on C-SPAN.
The goal, Mr. Hart says, was not to pick a group of six men and six women that represented a cross section of America but 鈥渢o understand the victorious coalition Barack Obama assembled.鈥� The focus group results also give some insight into Obama鈥檚 wins in other red states such as Indiana, Colorado, Nevada, and North Carolina. Keeping the support of those swing voters will be crucial if Obama wants to govern effectively.
Voters seek focus on pocketbook issues
The group was willing to 鈥渃ut the new president-elect a great deal of slack because of the economic conditions that few see being solved in the next two years,鈥� Hart says.
Of Obama鈥檚 major campaign promises, the group was most interested in his pledges to invest in alternative energy, cut taxes for working families earning less than $200,000, and develop a health care program to cut premiums and allow any American to chose to buy into a federal health plan.
The list of promises that they were willing to drop included closing the prison at Guantanamo Bay and creating a $4,000 college tax credit for students willing to perform community service.
For the moment, Obama appears to have a unique relationship with the American people, Hart says. 鈥淟ike so many American presidents over the past half century, he begins with the good wishes of the American public, but unlike most of the others, he has garnered a kind of respect and admiration that Americans have not accorded most presidents.鈥�
According to polling by the Gallup organization, 67 percent of Americans feel 鈥減roud鈥� about Obama being elected, 67 percent feel 鈥渙ptimistic,鈥� and 59 percent feel 鈥渆xcited.鈥�
GOP voters root for Obama
Hart argues that the uniqueness of the Obama presidency is that 鈥渕any of these GOP voters both admire him personally want him to succeed.鈥�
Business owner Mark Parowski, a staunch Republican member of the focus group, talked of Obama鈥檚 鈥済lobal charisma.鈥� John Bray, an independent voter who manages onboard services for an airline, said 鈥減eople will want to do business with him.鈥� Realtor Jennifer Handy, an independent voter who leans Republican, said Obama made her proud. She said, 鈥渉e is eloquent rather than鈥� speaking in what she called Bushisms.
Despite this admiration, Hart noted that the focus group members were 鈥渧ery softly鈥� with Obama. Roughly half indicated that they voted against McCain rather than for Obama.
Ron May, a Republican and network support staffer, said he 鈥渨as going to go with McCain until he picked [Alaska Governor Sarah] Palin鈥� as his vice president. Mr. Parowski said his vote for Obama was 鈥渨ay more of a vote against Bush and the establishment.鈥� Later he said, 鈥淚f I can vote Democratic, anyone can.鈥�
In gathering information on the campaign, the focus group members relied heavily on the Internet and cited their lack of admiration for the news media. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 trust the media to tell me what is going on. There is a definite bias,鈥� said Ty Brown, a graduate student and independent voter who leans Democratic.
While Obama currently enjoys favorable public opinion trends, Hart noted that the 鈥渟takes are exceptionally large for this president鈥� and that there is a 鈥渓ot of work and danger signs ahead for him.鈥�