Big Majority of Americans Angry With Obama
A recent poll shows that more than two thirds of Americans do not approve of the way President Barack Obama is handling gasoline prices.
68 percent of Americans surveyed in a recent Reuters/Ipsos online poll disapprove of how Obama is responding to the gas price increases that have become one of the biggest issues in the 2012 presidential campaign. Only 24 percent say they approve of what he's doing.
In the past month, U.S. fuel prices have jumped to a national average of about $3.90 a gallon, and the Republicans seeking to replace Obama in the November election have seized upon the issue to attack his energy policies.
Majorities of Republicans, Democrats and independents all disapprove of the president's handling of gas prices, according to the online poll of 606 Americans conducted March 26-27.
Eighty-nine percent of Republicans said they disapproved, as did 52 percent of Democrats and 73 percent of independents.
Republicans are hitting Obama hard for his decision to block TransCanada Corp.'s Keystone XL Canada-to-Texas pipeline. They say it shows how his energy priorities are hurting America.
The most interesting thing about these poll results is that they show many voters -- even those who disapprove of Obama's handling of the increases -- don't hold him responsible for them. Big percentages of people in both parties say they hold oil companies or foreign countries more accountable than politicians for the price spike.
"Obama is getting heat for it but people aren't necessarily blaming him for it," says Chris Jackson, research director for Ipsos public affairs.
So what do you think? Can the President do anything about high gasoline prices? He says no he can't, just as his predecessor George W. Bush also said he couldn't do anything about them either.
Would you base your Presidential vote on your answer to the above question?
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