cnn.com Report Card: Grading the First 200 Days

by Jordan Yerman | August 6, 2009 at 02:46 pm

1284 views | 36 Recommendations | 17 comments

You can go to cnn.com/reportcard to grade the first 200 days of the Obama administration. The quick poll takes about two minutes, and is as simplistic as you'd expect such a quick poll to be.

The most interesting results, for me, were "Grade the Congress", which yielded D's everywhere except Washington, DC, which gave Congress a C; and "Grade the Republicans in Congress", which gave them a D across the board. Media also did not fare well.

The problem with such snap polls is that there is no depth or context: different stripes of Republican, for example, would have very different reasons for giving the GOP a low grade: some may think they're too far to the left, while some would think the party strayed too far to the right.

Also, "Grade the economy" is a fool's errand without particular elements or metrics. The stock market and housing market aren't telling as grim a story as the job market or the retail sector.

Give it a try: Report Card; or just do what I do and yell at the TV.

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Karl Gotthardt - albertacowpoke

at 15:24 on August 6th, 2009

That's why we have professional pollsters. Snap polls are never relevant but it makes some people feel good:)

Sandra Smallwood (not verified)

at 16:21 on August 6th, 2009

I gave him a F we need jobs

jerry king weston (not verified)

at 01:24 on August 7th, 2009

concur. I also would rate an F. Can you imagine a US President cutting down our country while in foreign lands? I don;t appreciate the President making our government owners oif auto industries etc. Why are not the crooked ceos who abscounded with funds and lied on their financial statrements not in jail or under indictment?

A. Tran

at 17:37 on August 6th, 2009

Thanks for this piece, Jordan. I've included your piece in my article on President Obama's latest figures by other polls.

sandra smallwood (not verified)

at 16:47 on August 6th, 2009

He failed with middle class D-

LINDA THOMPSON (not verified)

at 16:53 on August 6th, 2009

GIVEN WHY GEORGE BUSH HE'S DOING THE BEST JOB HUMANLY POSSABLE!!!!!!! AAA+++

Terry Hinds (not verified)

at 17:14 on August 6th, 2009

The Republicans are playing it safe. They do not have any solutions to the problems of Heath Care, the economy, jobs etc. They hope to succeed by attacking all the administeation policies with the hope that the American people will fall for it. They do not have an agenda or any strong leadership for this country. I give the President and the Democratic leadership a B grade for taking on these very tough issues facing this country.

Rhonda J Mangus

at 17:50 on August 6th, 2009

Okay, I will yell at the TV:)! Thanks for this, Jordan!

Lucy Victory (not verified)

at 18:00 on August 6th, 2009

President Obama is doing a great job. He is only a human being. Get over it. If you are a Christian pray for him. The Bible tells us to pray for those in authority over us. This world will become more diversed.

Sarah Helpnot (not verified)

at 18:06 on August 6th, 2009

Those hate groups like Rush Limbaugh, Bill OReilly, Sean Hannity, David Barton, need to get off the air. They are stirring up trouble, and trying to divide the races. People need to hear both sides of the health issue. Those of you who are so call religious right, need to stop this out rage in the town meetings. You have influence, and you can put a stop to it.

jaseenoor

at 20:42 on August 6th, 2009

Well what is important is Obama is learning things quickly. We have selected a person who is not much experienced and we must give him the time he requires. He promised to generate lot of employment but that is not happening. He promised to deal with the financial slow down , he is still trying.

Recently I heard him announcing the bad times are over just because the real estate prices are increasing for the first time in 3 years. It is only a good sign. People love to make money but there is no opportunities exist.

His foreign policies are good and bad. Snubbing Prime Ministers and Presidents across the world Just because he happens to the leader of a powerful nation Well I dont agree. He will learn it over the period of time. But he was spot on with Iran and this time he had world with him. He was spot on with his appeal to Muslims and that is a win. He is still with Israel that means he is playing his cards carefully.

Let us give him some more time for results.

How to make money

uwem (not verified)

at 21:17 on August 6th, 2009

President Obama is a wounderful president, if he did not made to presidency we will be in desaster by now. God bless our president.

T R (not verified)

at 23:55 on August 6th, 2009

More koolade anyone?

JERY KING WESTON (not verified)

at 01:22 on August 7th, 2009

President Obama is driving the American People further and further away from liking him and his administration. We see it in the outbursts of the citizens. Unfortunately, the Obama admin does not loook on the citizenry uprisings as valid, believing they are orchestrated.\

Imagine, the white house asking American citizens to rat on each other.

Czar';s what is the authority for appointing them/ What authorities do they have if any. What are their individual and total salaries thus far?

Who is paying the wages of the czars? Should be the white house for they work for the president and NOT for the American People.

President Obama has proven to NOT be one to bring the people together as he proclaimed he could and would do; instead he is causing a split among the citizenry. This country is going to hell.

Mina Rodriguez (not verified)

at 05:50 on August 7th, 2009

I give the president an A+ for keep is promise in reforming healthcare. Republicans still on on board that we hava a democratic congress. The africian american communit as well as the Latino communities are prepared to defend his healthcare reform. If you've notice the people showing up at this rallies are white. I have not seen latinos and africian americans saying "NO" at this rallie. so you do the math. Insurance companies are running scare because their time has come. We need to stop the Bonified, Blue Seal, U.S. GREED that runs rampant within these healthcare insurance companies. The middle class and working class of america, especially 23- 35 age groups are tired of the high cost of healthcare, just tired of it.

God Bless the United States of America.

Rev. Jeremiah Wright (not verified)

at 13:39 on August 7th, 2009

The bottom line is this; the people are being given the opportunity to say if they think the president and congress sucks or doesn't. The people overwhelming voted that they both, SUCK!

W. R. Coleman (not verified)

at 17:27 on August 8th, 2009

I'll be willing to bet that this will be the last such "report card" from CNN. I'm sure they noticed the major increase in the number of people voting this time as opposed to the first 100 day report card and only a total doofus (well, Palin comes to mind) would be blind to the fact that it appears to be a concerted effort on the part of the same folks that are behind the "grassroots" town hall disruptions to stuff the ballot box, as it were, with a flood of F's all across the board.

They genuinely seemed perplexed that every grade was worse this time but didn't put two and two together to see that this report card showed a right wing bias. I doubt they will want to put another one of these things on the air in another 100 days because they fear it will engender an even more concerted effort to make "The Messiah" look bad again.