Chad’s Morning Brief: American People Still Approve of President Obama, City Leaders and Imagine Lubbock Together, & More
Here is your Morning Brief for the morning of May 20, 2013. Give me your feedback below and tune in to The Chad Hasty Show for these and many more topics from 8:30 to 11am.
1. Obama Approval (link)
If you thought that the latest scandals in Washington would turn people against President Obama, think again. A new CNN Poll has the President's job approval at 53%. According to the Washington Post, that number is nearly identical to his approval rating in April.
Fifty-three percent of Americans said they approve of the job the president is doing, while 45 percent said they disapprove. That’s virtually unchanged from an early April survey in which Obama’s approval/disapproval split was 51 percent to 47 percent.
The poll is one of the earliest indicators of how Obama’s image has been affected during one of the worst weeks of his presidency. As questions about the deadly attack in Benghazi, Libya, revelations that the Internal Revenue Service targeted conservative groups, and news that the Justice Department secretly obtained journalists’ phone records have fueled Republican attacks, the president has been put very much on defense.
More than seven in 10 Americans said the IRS actions were unacceptable; 55 percent said they believe the agency acted on it own, while 37 percent said it acted under the order of White House officials. The White House has said Obama did not learn of the episode until he read about it in news reports.
The good news for Obama is that 61 percent said they believe that what the president said about the IRS matter is mostly or completely true. The good news for the GOP is that 54 percent said they think congressional Republicans are reacting appropriately to the episode.
The CNN poll was conducted on Friday and Saturday.
According to a Gallup poll released last week, interest in the IRS scandal and the controversy over Benghazi remains below average when it comes to major news stories. The findings mirrored a Pew Research Center survey which showed relatively few people are following the Benghazi controversy closely.
The American people don't blame Obama for Obamacare, or the terrible economy. It doesn't seem as though they will blame him for these scandals either. Pretty sad really.
2. Imagine Lubbock & Local Leaders (link)
Over the weekend, the local paper had a piece on Imagine Lubbock Together and reactions for city and county leaders. No one wanted to commit to funding the projects, but they like what they are hearing.
In the article Councilman Jim Gerlt praises the recommendations for improvements to the gateways into the city. I-27 near the airport being one of the areas that some say is in need of a redo.
I will agree that the area isn't the most attractive part of Lubbock, but I'm not sure anything can really be done. Plus, do visitors really care? Sure it's not beautiful, but has anyone turned their car around to get back on a plane because of it? Leaving Dallas Love Field isn't beautiful but that doesn't stop people from traveling to Dallas.
Let's concentrate on the important issues (crime, water, taxes, cost of living) before we get caught up in making I-27 attractive.
3. Obama and Benghazi (link)
Does it matter where President Obama was on the night of the attack in Benghazi? According to an aide for President Obama who appeared on Sunday morning TV shows, the answer is no.
Host Chris Wallace reminds Pfeiffer that Obama didn't really talk with Secretary Clinton, Secretary Panetta, or Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, that night. "He was talking to his national security staff," Pfeiffer insists.
Asked about whether the president entered the Situation Room, Pfeiffer says, "I don't remember what room the president was in on that night, and that's a largely irrelevant fact."
Pfeiffer then argues that Wallace's questions about the president's handling of the Benghazi terror attack are "offensive."
So questioning the cover-up and how the President handled the terror attack is offensive and it doesn't matter where the President was that night. Remember, Obama said to ignore the voices that warn of tyranny.
Other Top Stories:
These and many more topics coming up on today’s edition of The Chad Hasty Show. Tune in mornings 8:30-11am on News/Talk 790 KFYO, streaming online at kfyo.com, and now on your iPhone and Android device with the radioPup App. All guest interviews can be heard online in our podcast section after the show at kfyo.com
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