Fox News
Expand
Browse All Video
Watch Live

You're watching...

Divided we stand?

Details

  • Description

    Poll: Obama one of most polarizing presidents ever

  • Duration 7:42
  • Date

Clips

Also in this playlist...

Latest News

Auto-advance: ON

Auto-advance
View All

Transcript

This transcript is automatically generated

But -- you know President Obama once campaign in the promise of hope and change.

Well no poll shows the opposite apparently has happened Washington in the nation is more polarized.

Take a look at these numbers a new Fox News poll shows 84% of Democrats approve of president Obama's job performance.

Well just 11% of Republicans say he's doing a good job that 73 point gap is Todd with just one other president George W.

Bush.

Another poll -- since President Obama was reelected just a third of voters think he's been more bipartisan and working with the Republicans.

But the majority in the poll 55%.

Say he's been more confrontational.

Does this mean nothing can really get done that's meaningful in Washington to solve our nation's national debt and help the economy.

-- -- as a former White House political director under president George W.

Bush.

Chris if he misses a former chief of staff to Wyoming -- -- -- it's West Virginia senator Joseph mansion and that hey Chris welcome about the U.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- Well you know I think about the president I served George.

W.

Bush -- when he came to office.

He really was concerned about trying to find a way to reach across the -- because clearly Bill Clinton left the presidency with high numbers.

It's that we he worked with Ted Kennedy worked without -- that Democrats and some.

Signature domestic policy issues but that 9/11 happened.

And then all these wars occurred and really the nation polarized again right vs left so.

I don't think we've really come out of that in Obama inherited that he talked about bridging that.

In governing is it as president a way that could bring right and left together I think the number one failure President Obama.

Is actually not the economy it's actually his failure to find a way to bring us all together.

Chris what about that.

Well I think and I think it's easy it is to put it all on the -- on President Obama I mean the fact is this thing has been building it's been arguably building for.

-- for years this division that we have between the parties that the issues are difficult you know the solutions are more complex.

And it's not easy to find that compromise so it's easy to say that it's you know it's president Obama's fault he should be the uniter not -- -- -- heard that.

From the previous.

-- president but the reality is you cannot dance with someone if he keeps saying no and when you have a Republican Party that is divided amongst itself.

And terms aware of the country should go how do you find that common ground that basically unites.

That the country it's extremely difficult.

But my how do we find that common ground I mean even it's even possible -- they've got we've got the -- that.

Sixteen point five -- counting trillion you know the just of the week this okay within delay.

The debt ceiling situation just for now and not really address it immediately which is pushing the can down the road.

Now there is this proverbial constant delay delay delay until they get anything together.

Well look I don't blame President Obama for all this I do think he inherited a very polarized nation think about air.

You know Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan won reelection with 4849.

States Obama comes squeaked out of the victory here.

And but there one thing Obama has to do you know this is not all his fault.

He has to find a way out of it he -- to leave the country the nation -- an interest in position where Wright has turned very write and read is turned very red in the same with blue turning very blue.

But and issues like immigration.

And the budget.

I really think there's a chance to move forward and I think Democrats on the hill we'll try to urge the president to work.

In a more bipartisan fashion because if you look at the senate races coming up in 2014.

There's a lot of stick there's a lot of democratic senators who have to get reelected in either swing or red states so I think.

Political reality is this -- got to come together get some things done or both sides.

Will fail to be criticized what specifically how does he as you safe.

Find his way out of this one you know as the speaker Boehner says he won't even sit down and negotiate with the men when President Obama dozens he seems impossible.

-- some of his positions.

-- well that's it if that's back in the I think that there's gonna have to be a shift in how Obama handles.

The hill.

He can.

It -- president's win reelection the air on top of Mount Olympus is is wonderful and feels great but it's a very -- If eventually lead you to do things that can appear arrogant that affects your approval ratings and then your agenda can't get through.

That's what's happened with second terms with presidencies in America I think the same -- is headed towards President Obama and -- you can quickly.

Show the American people that -- big issues like budget like.

Immigration like what he's talking about guns he can do so that we can actually work for the Republican let me -- -- question Chris.

Can you -- the one big bipartisan accomplishment that President Obama has been able to achieve.

Yeah -- it's called.

You getting reelected I mean he offended that competitive and that fact is if you look at where that the country is today the you know majority of Americans.

Clear majority in fact larger percentage of Americans voted for president Obama's reelect.

Than past presidents so but in terms of policy -- I'm not gonna sit there and say that everything is hunky dory.

I mean it's not there are series divisions I -- out with you know my own eyes when I worked on the hill but the reality here is also that you have a Republican Party.

You know since the Tea Party came in and you've seen this was speaker Boehner is -- ability to control his own caucus.

So how do you negotiate.

For example I was -- Obama negotiate -- speaker Boehner was speaker Boehner can he negotiate.

Because he doesn't know what is owns is -- members are going to do on a particular issue.

And all that being said.

You know we have big problems in this country on the fiscal side whether it's immigration dealing with gun control and sooner or later in particular on the fiscal issues either fix them or they're gonna fix you.

So like do you think you know there is a -- for compromise that is all that.

Depends on what Republicans are willing to put forward Chris what -- they will support what does the president believes the president that states as you know he won -- election.

I isn't it up to him to hand out an olive branch is -- up to him to make the first step to try -- get something done.

Listen you know to be frank I think that the president you know -- mile philosophy -- you reach out even if someone slaps -- hand you keep preaching out.

At the end of the day.

You know you look better and I think in terms of negotiating.

And deal with the Republicans it's going to be difficult it's gonna make Democrats and the president wanna put their head terribly you know glass wall.

But -- the end of the day that's part of the job so.

I think part of this is.

Reaching out and trying to find that common ground and I think you know the question is you know where can you find it I think on immigration they're easy path there.

-- and Republicans and Democrats have come to terms that something has to be done.

Fiscal issues same thing with the devil's in the details and so the end of the day I think it becomes a question of what are the Republicans.

Really willing to give because what I would ask -- is mainly the one area where the Republicans have been willing to give the truth is they don't buy and that was -- -- conflict for.

Ran out of time I actually think John Boehner and Mitch McConnell would sit down for president.

And negotiated deal to save Medicare to save Social Security to make some real cuts.

And even talk about -- -- -- -- There now they're willing to do it.

-- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- -- we -- Americans needed -- -- Matt thanks so much thank you thank you.

Load More