DON'T CALL THAT A HONEYMOON !
On Wednesday, Obama will himself assess his first hundred days...
This is a tradition which dates back from the first Roosevelt presidency, in 1933, when the president of the New Deal managed to make Congress adopt a whole series of laws to set his country on its feet again during the Great Depression.
Well, let me tell you one thing : Obama is far from equalling his famous predecessor.
However, in the French press these days, we find a multitude of appraising, admirative headlines, which do not correspond at all to what Americans are currently experiencing and feeling :
"Americans trust Obama whatever he may do." (Le Journal du Dimanche)
"Obama has the best polls an American president has ever had for 30 years" (AFP)
"A hundred days after his election, Obama's polls are really excellent" (Le Figaro)
"Americans are still supporting Obama." (LE Matin, Swiss newspaper)
"100 days : the honeymoon continues between Obama and America" (RTLradio)
" 100 days after, Barack Obama is still very high in the polls." (Le Nouvel Obs.)
Everybody knows that a poll can be interpreted in many different ways, sometimes in a very biased manner. And I'm afraid this is what is happening to the French MSM.
Nothing, nothing at all is said about the people who are already opposing Obama's policies.
Nothing is said about all the tea-parties which took place ten days ago in many American cities, to protest against the government's fiscal irresponsibility, and Obama's so-called stimulus plan, which is in reality a plan to plunge his country deeper into debt.
And what the French newspapers, radios and televisions fail to say is that the figures are not so encouraging for Obama :
we cannot really say, as they do, that a "majority" of American people agree with Obama's policies, for the real number is :
An Associated Press-GfK poll shows that [only !] 48 percent of Americans believe the United States is headed in the right direction — compared with 44 percent who disagree.
What's more, this poll suggests that 64 percent of the public approves of Obama's job performance, down slightly from 67 percent in February , which means this number is regularly decreasing.
And, although he promised he would achieve a political consensus if he were elected, Barack Obama does not manage to convince the other camp, as only 24 % of Republicans approve of his performance, while they were 33 % in February.
There are more bad news :
If we have a closer look at the 48 % of people who say the country is on the right track, we realize :
- 73% are Democrats
- 17% are Independent
- 10% are Republicans
The media never speaks about the Democrats who have not voted for Obama (a lot of former supporters of Hillary Clinton) and who are still unimpressed by his performance.
They also fail to mention that Mister O. has not managed to appeal to a majority of Independents, because in general, Independents do not approve of his economic policy, which consists in increasing an already huge deficit, leaving the burden on the shoulders of the next generations.
As far as Republicans are concerned, Obama has only confirmed what they already knew : there is nothing new in the Democrats' economic policies. Nothing original : Spending more and more, raising taxes, etc... etc... still the same old story ...
Finally, most people think it is still too early to say if the Messiah has kept his promise to bring change in Washington : only 30 % think he has, whereas 15 % think exactly the contrary.
Therefore, when I read the word "honeymoon" everywhere, I think the word is quite exaggerated, isn't it ?
When you are a journalist, before you copy your colleagues and write or say nonsense just to be fashionable, i.e. to show your readers or your viewers that you are an Obamaniac too, you had better try to be a professional.
That means your job also consists in trying to analyse the figures with objectivity, and what they mean, instead of praising and acclaiming a pseudo providential man !
