Photo by CoCo Walters / St. Joseph News-Press / Purchase this photo
Orcinneo Gaines, 23, is a senior at Missouri Western State University. He says he never got to see then-Sen. Barack Obama speak during his 2008 campaign but was a supporter nonetheless.
Eric Williams and Dywanne Doyle were in high school when Barack Obama was elected president. They were too young to vote for him, but it didn’t dampen their enthusiasm for the man they still support.
Now freshmen at Missouri Western State University, the men echo the sentiments of several of their fellow co-eds, who in response to criticism of the president, say “give him more time” to follow through on campaign promises.
“If he’s messing up after four years,” said Mr. Williams, “then, yeah, we’re going to be saying something.”
Gallup Poll data shows the president’s approval rating taking a slide from 69 percent in his first month in office to 51 percent last week. From the onset of “Obamania,” many questioned how long the honeymoon would last. For some on the left, the end was signaled in a “Saturday Night Live” skit in early October, in a spoof with an impersonator going through a checklist of unfulfilled promises.
Maurice McCrary, a junior at Western, said people are “coming at (Obama) the wrong way” and that 10 months isn’t enough time to right the wrongs.
“They’re thinking it’s supposed to be cookies and cream,” he said. “I feel like they’re blaming him for another president’s mistakes.”
Kendra Donato wore Obama T-shirts and buttons during the campaign. And though she’s not on board with all of the president’s ideas, she’d wear the fashion again.
“I hear a lot of people regretting voting (for Obama),” she said, including her mom, who has taken issue with the president’s stance on health care. “Some of the stuff he’s doing — she said we’d be better off with Bush.”
A New York Times article from January of this year mentions a Times/CBS News poll where respondents said they thought it would take two years for the president to accomplish his campaign goals. But a look at approval ratings would suggest the public isn’t operating under the same time frame.
Beer diplomacy, “dithering” in his decision to deploy troops, a “date night” with his wife in New York City, calling Kanye West a “jackass,” his administration’s fight with Fox News, his daughters’ preferential treatment in getting flu shots — all have proven to be fodder for critics. But it hasn’t phased Orcinneo Gaines, a senior at Missouri Western who voted for Mr. Obama because he thought he’d help create more jobs.
“I don’t think it’s unfair at all, compared to the criticism Bush got,” Mr. Gaines said. “It comes with the job.”
Jimmy Myers can be reached
at jimmym@npgco.com.
Regarding the "date night", couldn't it be said American taxpayers were victims of date rape.
Give him more time? Right the wrongs? What has taking over GM have to do with the previous president? What has nationalizing health care have to do with the previous president. Mr. Obama has failed at every turn. During the campaign I remember people saying that he was unprepared and the Obama supporters said that he had gained plenty of experience in the Senate. His indecision about critical issues is making the United States a laughingstock throughout the world. He is the most inept president since Jimmy Carter. His time in office has been and will continue to be a trainwreck. The Presidency is no place for a rank amateur.
It all goes back to the saying-anyone can can talk the talk, but can You walk the walk? So far obama hasn't figured out how to walk!!
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StJoeMike November 1, 2009 at 8:59 a.m. (Suggest removal)"Obama legacy uncertain" I think it is becoming more and more clear.. Obama = Failure..
Still at it, eh dale? Old habits do die hard I suppose.
Dale , I think you really miss the boat here. The race of the President, or any voter has nothing to do with the job performance of the president. Your comments detract from honest evaluation of his dismal performance. JMHO
Wonder who is paying for obama to campaign for govenors?? I am sure it is the tax payers.
bigbob:
I didn’t say anything about his job performance.
Orliandor:
What would you do without me?
I can understand why Obama's daughters got preferential treatment for flu shots.......
I'm having more of a problem understanding why the prisioners at GitMo are ahead of the children of this country.....maybe that name Hussain means more than we were willing to acknowledge.
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pops November 1, 2009 at 12:45 p.m. (Suggest removal)Tonya...
Before you go labeling people as "morons" because of what was said....you MIGHT want to take a look at the statistics. There were millions of Americans who voted for President Obama solely because of his platform. However, there were ALSO millions who voted for him strictly because of his ethnicity. I can tell you, without any doubt, that there were ZERO voters who voted for George Bush, Bill Clinton before him, Bush Senior before him, or even Ronald Reagan before him, based solely on their ethnicity. Many white Americans voted to give Mr. Obama a shot at being their leader, because they believed in him. The election would be vastly different if held again, today. Mr. Obama's numbers are in the tank. It has NOTHING to do with his skin color. However, there are STILL many blacks who, even though they disagree with his policies and some of the things he's done they disagree with, would still vote for him, strictly because he's black. THAT, my friends, is racist. Don't try to slough the "race card" off on white people who disagree with policies and political moves of this president. Someone who would vote for the man, even though you have serious differences with what he's doing, merely because of the color of his skin, is the height of racism. Martin Luther King once talked about judging someone, not because of the color of their skin, but because of the content of their character. MLK was NOT racist...he understood skin pigment is merely skin deep, but character goes to the soul of a man. Mr. Obama has little character. He's a closet socialist and will destroy our nation as we know it. To support such a person only because of their skin color is borderline treason.
Tonya:
I read back through some of your posts. You have an extreme entitlement mentality, which is typical of dumbocrats.
I think if I had a choice of being a moron or ignorant white trash – I’d choose moron.
pops, an analyst on one of the news channels the other day or in the paper really hit the nail on the head. Obama was not so much as hired as Bush was fired. Considering the low ratings Bush had in the polls the margin of victory of Obama was rather poor.
Mr Obama has found the job is bigger than he is. They all do, eventually.
I don't care what party you are from--10 months does not a legacy make (good or bad).
crybaby republicans, when will it ever end.oh i know, when he wins the next presidential election. there are sure a lot of sad posters on here today. you wont be happy then either but you will realize it wont do any good to spill tears.
donaldo, who said anything about crybaby republicans? Mr. Obama has proven that he is not fit for the office. He has abandoned long-time allies and tried to negotiate with long-time adversaries. He's an amateur, plan and simple.
pops you are also an idiot I think you need to take a little closer look at some of organizations that backed the Bush Boys.
EIGHT YEARS!! It took a really long time for the public to realize what a disaster the GOP Congress and President set up for us and it will take even longer to undo what was done and, more importantly, what didn't get done. So far 10 months have passed and there are 38 to go, so all of the apologists and rightwing nuts and second-guessers and 'birthers' and 'teabaggers' and polemicists and nay-sayers probably ought to settle down and ride it out. If you are a fat-cat (or got to be one recently), get out your checkbooks and start paying up for the GOP largesse. Complain all you want about the free ride being over. It won't be back for a LONG TIME. The chances for another 48 months after that are looking pretty good from my perspective, one shared by a continuing majority, according to the polls.....
Nice to see my favorite post-modernist minstrel show is out and about. I'd just like to know who the brave and charitable souls are who are doing the typing for them.
thenfixit,
I don't CARE what you think of my political views...that's none of your business. If I happen to think President Bush was a good president, that's my business...not yours. You can call me names if you like....I don't give a rip.
What I DO dislike, and what DOES irritate me, are all those lefists who seem to want to make this a race issue. My MAIN beef with Tonya is NOT about President Obama, or even about President Bush. I have REASONS why I dislike President Obama...but NONE of those reasons have ANYTHING to do with the color of his skin, or what ethnicity he claims. I hotly and vehemently discount ANYONE who calls me a "racists" merely because I disagree with the President. If I object to the various and ill-advised health care "reform" plans that have so far been fielded by the Dumbocrats, that's MY business. If I disagree with some of the other policies that the President espouses, that's my business. If I disagree with spending nearly a trillion dollars on "stimulus" that has stimulated NOTHING...that's my business. None of those issues have ANYTHING WHATSOEVER to do with the President's skin pigmentation.
Now....have I made myself clear??!!! Get OFF the race thing, people!! It's getting VERY tiresome.
Obama has been an Outstanding President. After the 8 yr. Bush/Cheney Disaster of Lies, Blunders & Horrible Policies, we now have an Intelligent President who actually listens to advisors. Bush surrounded himself with weak little yes men who agreed with his Flawed Policies
Pops...... Bush was a Horrific Disaster for America. He Lies to start his phony War in Iraq. He blundered the Economy, wrecked our Energy Policies, Damaged the Environment& basically pissed off The Entire World at us.... If the Moron ever travels to Europe, he May be Arrested for War Crimes!!
Bush was an Outstanding President. After the 10 months of Obama and What's-His-Name Disaster of Lies, Blunders & Horrible Policies, we now realize we had an Intelligent President who actually listened to advisors. Obama surrounds himself with weak little yes men who agree with his Flawed Policies
Obama has a large majority in the house and a filibuster proof majority in the senate and he still can't get his agendas passed. What does that tell you? It tells me that they are WAY WAY to socialist for America. It is just not the Republicans opposing him but fellow democrats as well. While all the rage about health care is going on the democrats are trying to quitely push through a amnesty bill that is outrageous. Watch Lou Dobbs on CNN. You democrats can do that - it isn't the dreaded FOX News channel. That is a whole other story in itself - democrats can't take an opposing veiw point. They had their way too long with all the liberal bias networks. Now they don't know what to do but cry "unfair".
I would certainly love to hear the logic from the driveling followers of Obama.
How is it exactly he's bringing people together and listening to everyone?
He can't even get his own party to follow him! Are you all fools???
Insane!
The next logical step will be democrats calling fellow democrats backstabbers and flip-floppers, disingenuine, you name it.
It's the game of democrats. Start calling names when you can't get your way.
Pops......I rarely disagree with you but I really don't think Obama is a "closet socialist".......I think he is more than a socialist.....I think he is communist. I believe that based on the executive orders he has issued and the legislation he has sponsored and most importantly the actions he has taken that are not provided for in our Constitution.
I would rate Obama a 10 for advancing his agenda. (Of course I totally disagree with that agenda)
I would rate him a 1+ as a human being. A very substantial amount of what he promised turns out to be lies.
Much of what he has stated in speechs has been reversed the next day (pissing backwards)
He has shown no respect for simple prudence....example...spending millions of dollars for personal matters ("date night"....Michelle's night on the town in London....etc.)
And I was disgusted that he utilized the return of fallen military members....for a political photo op.
We are in free fall. Our nation is in crisis and frankly out here in the wilderness I simply don't know what to do.
His health care agenda is catastrophic....it will throw us into a recession/depression that will take 20 years to recover.
I am afraid he will screw up the middle east and it will take more than 20 years to recover.
Could we give him a 3 year vacation to get ready for the next election (and, Congress with him)
Maybe we should just install a "thumbs" system in Washington.
That way when the ignorant democrats start getting pissed they don't have to resort to name calling, they can just annonymously give a "thumbs down" in favor of an intelligent response.
Losers.
lbc,
Actually, I don't disagree with you but I WAS trying to be nice...and a bit optimistic. Sorry....don't know WHAT got into me!!
I, too, was terrifically disgusted at his "photo op" at Dover AFB. That was inexcusable. To go there to pay respects is one thing, but to have his picture taken, saluting, with a casket going by was a slap in the face, as a military man. I HATED that story, and I'm not sure it's something I can ever forgive him for.
When Obama salutes..........I want to puke. There was a time when a salute meant something (to me) He has not earned the right to salute....PERIOD.
Oh come on, lbc!! At least accept that when he's saluting, he can't stab you in the back with that hand!!! It means you only have to watch the OTHER hand. Cuts down on the amount of scrutiny you have to give him!!!
It would seem that all of you ex-military types have forgotten your chain-of-command. The President is the Commander-in-Chief and has a perfect right to salute and to be saluted. "W" did the same thing several times, although one could posit that his 'alleged' time in the Reserves would give him better 'creds', if skipping meetings counts.