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Obama’s National Security Strength

By Joe Klein | @JoeKleinTIME | May 19, 2009 | +

A new poll by Democracy Corps gives Barack Obama strong approval on national security issues, traditionally a weakness for Democrats. Yes, the poll was done by the Democrat Stan Greenberg,but it seems well within the range of other polling–indeed, Obama’s overall approval rating, 58%, is lower than many other polls. Furthermore, the poll finds:

By nearly a 2 to 1 margin, Americans say that President Obama is doing better, not worse, than his predecessor, George W. Bush, when it comes to national security.

Well, yeah. But we should not underestimate the significance here: Obama is trying to do something far more complicated and sophisticated than Bush–comprehensive diplomacy takes time and great skill. It doesn’t have the immediate satisfactions of a bang-bang, three-week rush to Baghdad (although the successfully kinetic anti-pirate operation may have something to do with this level of approval).

It is not insignificant that the public seems willing to give Obama the benefit of the doubt on such potentially difficult issues as sending more US troops to Afghanistan and trying to start negotiations with Iran. It will be interesting to see if the public remains patience with these policies, which will take years to develop–especially when things go wrong, as they inevitably do. But, for the moment, the American people seem content with a more nuanced foreign policy, which is very good news, indeed.

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  • gysgt213

    “traditionally a weakness for Democrats.”
    .
    Wonder why national security issues are traditionally a weakness for Democrats?
    .
    This perception must have happen in a vaccum.

  • afguy

    gunny,
    .
    Of course. Its traditionally a weakness because they traditionally say that it is.

  • moderatelyinterested

    I wasn’t included in the poll, but as person who voted for Bush in 2000, I would certainly agree that President Obama is doing better than Bush when it comes to national security (and just about everything else!)

  • queencersei

    Possibly a majority of American’s have awoken to the fact that big complicated problems, such as the economy or a war can take years to resolve. It’s the attitude of wanting this or that right this minute that has lead to some of the disasters that we now have to clean up.

  • Matt

    So why don’t Republicans see this and quit hammering at Obama and the Dems on security like it’s 2004?

    http://www.political-buzz.com/

  • FlownOver

    Strong and smart will beat strong and stupid just about every time.

  • centfan

    Even considering an extreme short term scenario, I’m inclined to believe that if another 9/11 happens Obama won’t be waiting for poll numbers or spending an interminable amount time hugging firefighters or making calls to the right or left leadership (such as they exist). He will blast the people who did it and probably do it in a way so that even our enemies will admit “well, he’s right of course… “.

  • Art Pepper

    Because dropping the ball on Afghanistan to go invade another unrelated country worked out so totally great. I feel so much safer.

  • queencersei

    Invading two different countries has worked out well for our troops too.
    http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30748260

  • somepeoplelikeit

    I think a poll comparing Obama and Bush is a little incomplete. I think people, for the most part, believe Dick Cheney had as much to do with the last administration as GWB. And now you have that clown running around, shooting off his mouth about how it’s cool to torture people and if you don’t think so then you’re a idiot.
    .
    The contrast between leadership styles is stark. Intelligent people see that.

  • http://derekg.wordpress.com/ Derek

    “Wonder why national security issues are traditionally a weakness for Democrats?”
    .
    Liberals have not done a good job traditionally, at accusing conservatives of being traitors or unpatriotic.

  • http://phd9.blogspot.com Paul Dirks

    When discussing whether National Security is a ‘traditional weakness for Democrats’ its helpful to remember that the author of the phrase also wrote this:
    .
    http://www.time.com/time/nation/article/0,8599,1670184,00.html
    .
    Back in the Vietnam era, he seemed the essence of a historic political migration: white males fleeing the feminized, antiwar, politically correct Democratic Party.
    .
    We would do well to not let our actual perception of actual Democrats be tainted by Joe Klein’s own peculiar sensitivities and insecurities.
    .
    Oh and by the way, Merle Haggard smoked plenty of pot, even then.

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  • somepeoplelikeit

    If anybody is into self torture, Michael Steele is speaking right now on CNN.
    .
    We’re in trouble, he said the “corner has been turned”.
    .
    Also, for you Derek, he accused the Democrats of calling Republicans “unpatriotic” for being the loyal opposition to Obama.
    So maybe we’re getting better!

  • Paul-no not that one

    Polling as far back as spring of 2006 had Democrats more trusted than republicans on national security.
    .
    Certainly having Cheney out making his case for the last president only helps BHO.

  • http://derekg.wordpress.com/ Derek

    “Also, for you Derek, he accused the Democrats of calling Republicans “unpatriotic” for being the loyal opposition to Obama.”
    .
    If the Republicans ever stopped calling Democrats unpatriotic most people would think they had taken a vow of silence.

  • Art Pepper

    Derek: To be fair, the POTUS does eat spicy mustard on his burgers.

  • http://derekg.wordpress.com/ Derek

    That’s because he is an arugula eating elitist. Imagine if they found out some people put mayonnaise on their french fries. Their heads would explode.

  • sacredh

    It’s going to take the public awhile to get used to an administration that thinks on it’s feet instead of trips over them. Of course the public feels safer with Obama protecting our nation’s security. All anyone had to do for the last eight years was to watch the news to see what a disaster Bush/Cheney was for our security interests. The one third number that thinks the republicans did better isn’t going to change by much. There is nothing Obama could possibly do that would change what’s left of their minds.

  • davidwaters1

    I think we could prevent a lot of national security dilemmas before they happen by more strategically and effectively using our foreign aid budget. By helping out the most impoverished, we could deter people from joining radical movements or becoming pirates. The Borgen Project has good info on the estimated cost of ending global poverty:

    $30 billion: Annual shortfall to end world hunger.

    $550 billion: U.S. Defense budget.

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