Obama popular in California, Times-USC poll finds

President Obama, whose national poll numbers have declined in the last year, remains popular in California, according to a new Times-USC poll.

When respondents were asked "Do you approve or disapprove of the job being done by Barack Obama as president of the United States?" 54% of likely voters said they approved, and 40% said they disapproved. Among whites, the breakdown was 52%-41%; among Latinos, it was 64%-28%.

Among likely voters, 60% said they had a generally favorable impression of the president.

This view could play a role in the Senate race between Democratic incumbent Barbara Boxer and Republican Carly Fiorina, according to a full analysis of the poll by Times political editor Cathleen Decker. Among likely voters, 56% wanted Obama to be supported, and only 34% wanted a senator who would be an opponent.

One of Obama's supporters was Jill Rolen of Fresno County, who said she was irked by criticism of him.

"I think he's doing what he said he was going to do," she said, but "everyone wants him to flip a coin and everything's going to be magically fixed."

But her certainty ended there. A Democrat, she has yet to figure out which candidate to pick for governor or senator.

The Los Angeles Times/USC poll was conducted Sept. 15-22 by the Democratic firm of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner and the Republican firm American Viewpoint. More than 1,500 California voters were surveyed, among them 887 likely voters. The margin of error for the likely voter sample was 3.3 points in either direction.

-- Shelby Grad

Video: USC professors discuss poll results

Comments

[jkeyes]

Of course Obama is popular in the welfare,socialist atmosphere of Los Angeles..

[John]

I think they did the survey completely in the USC campus dorms. In the real world, where people have to make a living, drive on roads worthy of the Baja 1000, then pay outlandish taxes on top of taxes to pay for poor governance, none of the incumbents rate more than a D. If our governments were graded like schools, they would all be expelled......oh, I forgot. This is California. We'd just pass them up to the next grade until they give up and drop out.

[Stephen]

What a meaningless poll. Why not poll in Compton, Watts and East LA? I'm sure he'd poll even higher.

[Ray]

Yet another example of what's seriously WRONG with this state.

BTW, anybody see a state budget lately?

We're DOOMED, unless you happen to be a handout recipient.

When I retire, I'm out of here. I'm even looking at my employer's web site for out of state transfer opportunities.

[J]

Uh, when did they conduct this poll? I live in California, and I wasn't asked. My vote (not that it matters because the liberal media only prints what suits their agenda), is DISAPPROVE. Thank you for asking.

[winesong]

Obama is popular where the lazy with their hands out live. Outside of LA, he's not popular

[Austin]

It's pathetic how blind the people are in california. Embarrassed by the state I live in.

[shanekwa thomson]

You forgot to mention that all black people look at Obama like a savior.

[objectiv1]

It all adds up.
The teachers's Unions, government workers, major universities, communists (various fellow travelers like progressives, marxists, Hollywood liberals) and the added benefit of hordes of illegal aliens.
Obama people in general who are like-minded.

[crimes]

*Race Baiting Again*
Why is it with this president al of the Poll sources break the information down by race??? Why not just Democrat, Republican, Independent? Why L.A. Times, why is it your favorite Pres. that was going to bring us all together, you continue to try and push everyone apart by race??? Terrible reporting!! Racism is in the Times it seems.

[thom]

Now why could anyone approve of Obama after the fabulous W Bush, Texas nincompoop (LD)? Maybe because Obama:

1. ends wars, doesn't start them -- saving trillions
2. most probably improved medical care coverage while lowering cost when no other democratic president was able to
3. can think, speak, act like somebody with a brain and education
4. in short, and in a low key style, has been ticking off his to do list one by one with some kind of Palestinian Israeli improvement on the work bench, without ticking anybody off who wasn't already crazy.
5. Consider his predicament: while not magic or FDR, he's faced a dumbed down electorate, pandered and teased to by the puppets of big money and fox,
6. Do many seriously think mccain/palin, rush & beck, and their fellow front men for power and money could do any better?

[midwilshire]

I want a senator who stops federal tax payments. We pay more to the federal government than we receive in federal services. Essentially, California supports poor midwestern and southern states. I rather support free college education for all californians, instead of free hamburgers for everyone in wyoming.

[Bee]

This just shows how stupid, ignorant, and gullible so many Californians are today.

[James Darling]

Of course he is! After all, CA is one of the last remaining hubs of intelligence and progress in this country. This state doesn't allow itself to be dumbed-down and pushed backwards by conservatives.

[Ed_Watts]

Further evidence that something is wrong with California...as if the budget and tax woes combined with the decimated economy can't convince you.

[Thomas]

"OBAMA" Show the entire world your Real Birth Certificate !!

[Echo_Sierra]

In a sewer of a state with the illegal population running rampant, welfare handouts through the roof, and cities filled with mexicans what do you expect. Obuttlick told the mexicans to stick with him and he would backdoor amnesty and they believed him.

[robert]

the latimes would say he's (obom)up in the poles( times poles) even as he loses, brown on the other hand has a chance,,,,boxer fainstain an the rest better get there mineds on calafornia isssues in place of the oh look how far Ive came baby. Right now in california I would say, obam would lose,,,latina vote isnt his he lied to them ....without Repub held he sink....the girls will thay just dont do any thing for this state,, they only show up here for elections are to get money.....the times better go over the hole state...not the times state......

[Sean]

Of course he is!! The toilet bowl of America and all the little pieces of $hit floating in it.. Go Figure!!

[Laguna Lucy]

Only in LA where Hollywood/Bollywood and propaganda reigns... Outside of LA where the central valley has been destroyed by this administration and elsewhere in the sunshine state there is a hard rain...

[TruthTeller]

The highlighting of alleged Democrat popularity in recent LATimes stories begs the question: Would Republican populatity get the same attention?

The tendency of "undecideds" to go with what is perceived as the majority is well documented. Is this a "push-poll" designed to move the electorate in a certain way?

[lanerd]

And we wonder why California is so screwed up ! Look up Dhimmitude in Obama care !

[PROUD AMERICAN]

I can see it in LA the welfare county. No one I talk to can stand obama.... or pelosi...or boxer !!!

[Olden Atwoody]

It's no wonder that he's popular. Half the population of California speaks no English and can't understand the dialogue surrounding him.

Further they have no savings to be lost due to his policies, and for the most part, benefit from Government hand-outs.

If they turn out and vote, they may very well be rewarded with payment-in-kind of US citizenship.

Just sayin'

[Nick Palmisano]

What a crock! I suspect any polling done by the Los Angeles Times. For the most part, we Californians realize the bias of the Times and other media in their attempt to glamorize Obama. My problem is trying to understand what Obama has done with his health care bill and why it won't go into effect until 2013 . . . if it was so good, why not implement it now? Maybe he knows that in 2012, he'll be gone and he can claim he tried but the doggone Republicans did it again and foiled his attempt to "manage" what ought to be a personal choice of americans to look out for themselves. I wish government would just stay out of my life and let me alone!