Are North Carolinians confident that any of the men running for president can handle the country’s domestic affairs well?
No, not so much.
President Obama gets the highest marks — 38% — but that’s hardly anything to write home about. Here’s how it breaks down:
Confident Little confidence
Barack Obama 38% 44%
Newt Gingrich 30% 50%
Rick Santorum 29% 44%
Mitt Romney 28% 38%
Ron Paul 24% 45%
Obama is paying for the condition of the economy. With high-and-still-rising gas prices, people are worried. The president has been “in charge” for three years and people are expecting things to be better. Consequently, Obama must be accountable for that. But the GOP contenders aren’t tracking any better. They haven’t been able to explain to North Carolinians in clear, understandable terms how they would turn things around.
Opportunities abound for the GOP if they can come to North Carolina and spell out an economic policy that resonates with citizens.
(Much of what I wrote in the post about foreign policy immediately below this one applies here, too.)
— John Robinson
