NSA Scandal Seems to Have Done Serious Damage to Obama’s Image

NSA Scandal Seems to Have Done Serious Damage to Obama’s Image:
It appears the recent revelations about the NSA surveillance programs and President Obama’s less than honest defense of them has done some real damage to his standing with the American people.
According to a new CNN poll, Obama’s job approval rating is now negative. Only 45 percent approve of how he is handling his job while 54 percent disapprove. This is the lowest it has been in CNN’s poll since 2011.
Even more concerning for Obama is that for the first time a majority of the country doesn’t see him as honest and trustworthy. The poll found 49 percent view him as trustworthy while 50 percent do not. This may not seem terrible, but this is a nine point drop in the number who see him as honest in less than a month. Back in May, 58 percent said Obama was honest.
Once you lose the public’s trust it becomes much harder to defend your actions going forward because you will no longer be given the benefit of the doubt.
The poll also found Americans were evenly divide on the issue of gathering of phone data to try to find “terrorists.” It found 51 percent think it was the right thing to do while 48 percent think it was the wrong thing for the administration to do.