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With looming sequester, polls show Obama still on top

By LEXIE O'CONNOR

Story Created: Feb 27, 2013 at 6:48 PM EDT

Story Updated: Feb 27, 2013 at 7:17 PM EDT

UTICA, N.Y. (WKTV) - With just days to go before the automatic spending cuts kick in if the sequestration takes effect, Americans are still favoring President Obama over Congress. A new poll by the PEW Research Center says close to half of Americans blaming Congress for the automatic cuts and less than a third blaming the President, however pollster and political analyst John Zogby says that could start to change if the sequester goes into effect.

"You know normally, traditionally the guy at the top is to blame for what's good or what's bad but right now Congress is losing its battle in public opinion," said Zogby.
"'A' it's always easy to blame Congress and 'B' they don't have the bully pulpit that one President can have."

Zogby says President Obama is still enjoying a majority vote but that can change if the cuts go into effect long enough.

"You know you're not going to feel them Monday morning, but you're going to feel them eventually," said Zogby. "And if there's a proactive battle over the next wave which is the actual operating budget for the next fiscal year you know the sentiment towards the President could decline."

He says pollsters like him will continue to conduct surveys to see if the public's opinion changes if the automatic spending cuts kick in.

"That's when the polls may change and that's why we do them so that we're right there to find out if they did," said Zogby.

Zogby says he does think the sequestration will go into effect, he doesn't see any suggestion of an agreement being made.

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