The Misreading of Independent Voters

According to the MSM, President Obama's efforts to bring about a bi-partisan deal on the deficit were meant to appeal to independent voters. The drop-off, according to the polls, among independents is even more dramatic since the deal. What went wrong? Independents don't like political deals. They want a fair non-partisan government that responds to the American people, not the desperate machinations of political parties.

OBAMA

• Debt Fight Over, Obama Promises Action on Jobs (By MARK LANDLER and JEFF ZELENY, NY Times) The relief in the corridors of the West Wing that an economic calamity had been averted was palpable. But few officials disputed that the deadlock had been a costly distraction from the administration’s agenda. Party surveys show that Mr. Obama has been sullied — along with all politicians in Washington — with independent voters.
• Obama loses Jon Stewart (By Jennifer Rubin, Washington Post/Right Turn)
• The Daily Show
  Get More: Daily Show Full Episodes,Political Humor & Satire Blog,The Daily Show on Facebook
• AUGUST 4, 2011 - DEBT DEAL DOESN'T RESCUE OBAMA FROM FLORIDA CRASH, QUINNIPIAC UNIVERSITY POLL FINDS; ROMNEY CLOSES GAP IN 2012 PRESIDENTIAL RACE (Quinnipiac) The post-debt deal poll shows little change in Obama's May approval among Republicans and Democrats. But among independent voters he plummets from a 47 - 45 percent split.
• Debt Deal May Erode Independent Support For Obama (by Don Gonyea, NPR) "It's independent voters that elected him to office. That's their game. That's how they win, and right now the polling trends show that independent voters are polling more like Republicans than they are like Democrats," Selzer said. "They've got to win them back; they've got to raise those numbers if they expect to win the White House again."