President Obama’s approval ratings began to plummet even prior to Tuesday’s admission that he “screwed up” over the failed nomination of former Sen. Tom Daschle to serve as his secretary of Health and Human Services.
Prior to his inauguration, Obama basked in glowing media coverage and enjoyed an approval rating of 83 percent.
The numbers naturally declined as Obama moved into the Oval Office and began making tough decisions, such as closing the Guantanamo prison.
Still, his 69 percent Gallup approval rating based on Jan. 21-23 polling “ranks him near the top of the list of presidents elected after World War II,” Gallup reported on Jan. 26. In fact, only President Kennedy, at 72 percent approval, had a higher initial approval rating once in office.
That was then, this is now.
The most recent USA Today/Gallup poll, based on surveys of 1.027 adults from Jan.30 – Feb.1, show only 64 percent approve of Obama’s job performance as president, compared to 25 percent who disapprove.
Those numbers of course do not take into account the difficulties Obama has recently encountered due to prominent nominees who had to pull out due to tax problems.
Polls indicate some of Obama’s early decisions have gone against the tide of public opinion. By 50 to 44 percent, Americans disagree with Obama’s decision to close Guantanamo.
Also, Gallup reports that 58 percent of voters believe it was a mistake for Obama to lift the federal ban on U.S. funds going to overseas family planning groups that provide abortions.
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