The public isn't just unhappy with President Obama, it has him pegged as the worst president of the modern era, according to a new Quinnipiac poll. Asked to pick the worst president since World War II, 33% said President Obama, pushing him ahead of George W. Bush, who got 28%. Ronald Reagan was deemed the best post-war president by 35%, followed by Bill Clinton (18%) and John F. Kennedy (15%). What's more, by a 45-38 margin, the public said it would have been better off electing Mitt Romney—mirroring this earlier poll.
But Philip Bump at the Washington Post thinks that if you dive in, the poll reveals a more pressing concern for Obama. Look at the demographics, and you'll see that on almost every question—including the "worst president" ones—people under 50 still support Obama, while older people vehemently don't. There are two notable exceptions: Younger voters don't approve of Obama's handling of healthcare or the economy. "That's what's a problem for Obama, not people thinking he's the worst president or wishing they'd elected Mitt Romney." (More poll numbers stories.)